Al-Qalam 
By Azra Hoosen
A children’s book called ‘Letters from the Sky’ – about Palestinians living under Israeli occupation – was launched in Durban by author Zaynab Khan recently.
The launch of the book took place in the courtyard of the Baitul Hikmah Library in Sydenham, Durban, which was hosting a Palestinian-themed evening of food, culture and solidarity.
Al-Qalam sat down with Khan to discuss her book.
Reflecting on the spirit of the Palestinian children who inspired her work, Khan said: “Their courage is like the mountains.”
Khan said the title of her book, Letters from the Sky, refers to the Israeli Defence Force’s modus operandi of dropping leaflets warning residents to leave the area or be bombed. This, she said, was reminiscent of South Africa’s apartheid government’s tactic of dropping pamphlets to force people to leave an area or face dire consequences.
She said the central message of her book is to highlight the plight of children who have suffered in this war. Additionally, she aims to illustrate to young readers what true courage truly embodies.
“I wanted the book to send out the message that these kids are valiant, and their courage is far greater than we are exposed to,” she said.
Unlike fictional heroes, she wants to show that there are real heroes out there – the children of Palestine who continue to be resilient amidst the horrors of war.
“Children need to recognise the courage of Palestinian children and recognise that they have that courage within themselves,” she said.
Khan noted that she intentionally avoided delving deeply into the political aspects of her narrative. Instead, she focused on the premise that many children are unaware of the Nakba, a pivotal event in Palestinian history marked by mass displacement.
“My book starts with ‘Do you know where Palestine is?’ in the sense of can you point it out on the map? There are subtle historical facts throughout the book to be able to take the reader through a corrective process, like what you knew and now what the truth is and what is shown from the other perspective,” she said.
