Under the Persimmon Tree

"As long as you know the stars, you will never be lost." . . ." The Koran says that Allah gave us the stars to be our guides." "Everything depends on the stars. From them you can tell time and distance and you can find your way home."

Najmah, a young Afghan girl whose name means "star," suddenly finds herself alone when her father and older brother are conscripted by the Taliban and her mother and newborn brother are killed in an air raid. Elaine, whose Islamic name is Nusrat, is also on her own. An American, she has come to Pakistan with her Afghan doctor husband so that he might run a clinic in Mazar-i-sharif, Afghanistan. She waits out the war praying for her husband's safe return, while teaching refugee children in Peshawar in her garden under the persimmon tree. Najmah's father had always assured her that the stars would take care of her, just as Nusrat's husband had promised that they would tell Nusrat where he was and that he was safe. As the two look to the skies for answers, their fates entwine. Najmah, seeking refuge and hoping to find her father and brother, begins the perilous journey through the mountains to cross the border into Pakistan. And Nusrat's persimmon-tree school awaits Najmah's arrival. Together, they both seek their way home.

Awards and citations:

- New York Public Library List of Best Books; Parents Choice Gold Award
- American Library Association 2005 “Best Book”
- 2005 YALSA Selection
- New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age 2006
 - Cooperative Children’s Book Center 2006 Choices
- Skipping Stones honor award
- Notable Book for a Global Society 2005
- Tennessee Volunteer State Award Master List (2007-2008)
- 2006-2007 Maine Student Book Award Master List
- Montclair (NJ) Reads selection
- Arlington (TX) Reads selection

Reviews:

"Staples weaves a lot of history and politics into her story (including information about the Taliban's suppression of women), and she includes a map, a glossary, and brief background notes to give even more context. But as with her Newbery Honor Book, Shabanu (1989), it's the personal story, not the history, that compels as it takes readers beyond the modern stereotypes of Muslims as fundamentalist fanatics. There are no sweet reunions, but there's hope in heartbreaking scenes of kindness and courage"
-- Hazel Rochman, Starred review in BOOKLIST

"Having already shown a profound understanding of Middle-Eastern culture in books such as Shabanu and Shiva's Fire, Staples offers readers a new level of insight in this timely portrayal of Afghanistan in the months following September 11.  The author fills in tangible details of day-to-day life in a strife-ridden land. While avoiding political commentary, Staples powerfully and honestly expresses the plight of a civilization caught between terrorists and American bombs." Ages 12-up.
-- Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY