Iraq and the Kurds

Although it was published in 1991, Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird (PB LAI) is extremely relevant today. It tells the story of 12-year-old Tara whose Kurdish family must flee the northern Iraq city of Sulaimaniya. They journey first to the mountains, where Tara encounters village life and different expectations for girls. School is no longer an option. Instead, she must work alongside the other women, cleaning and cooking. Eventually, her family is not even safe in the mountains. They travel the dangerous route to Iran, where they find a hostile reception and are forced to live in refugee camps. By the end of the book, Tara is no longer the child she once was.