As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager's life.
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.
But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.
Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are--not a war, but a revolution--and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria's freedom.
Frequently asked questions
Is As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The book contains graphic descriptions of violence, including death, torture, sexual assault, and the horrors of war, as it is set during the Syrian Revolution. These elements are central to the narrative. The book contains frightening content related to the realities of war, including graphic depictions of violence and the emotional trauma experienced by characters, which could be distressing for readers.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have violence?
The book contains graphic descriptions of violence, including death, torture, sexual assault, and the horrors of war, as it is set during the Syrian Revolution. These elements are central to the narrative.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have scary content?
The book contains frightening content related to the realities of war, including graphic depictions of violence and the emotional trauma experienced by characters, which could be distressing for readers.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have religious themes?
The book features Muslim characters and discusses themes related to their faith, particularly in the context of the Syrian Revolution. The author expresses a belief that everything has life, which reflects a spiritual perspective.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have racial/cultural content?
While the book features Syrian characters and addresses the impact of the Syrian Revolution, it does not explicitly discuss race as a central theme or issue. The narrative focuses more on the personal and social implications of war rather than racial dynamics.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have profanity?
No profanity is explicitly mentioned in the search results or in the context of the book's narrative.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have climate change?
No environmental themes or discussions about climate issues are present in the book's narrative.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have sexual identity?
The book includes instances of sexual assault as part of its depiction of the brutal realities faced during the war, which are significant to the story's themes.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have gender roles?
The book offers a feminine perspective on the Syrian civil war, highlighting the experiences of a young woman and her resilience in a male-dominated environment. It critiques traditional portrayals of women in war.
Does As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes are explicitly mentioned in the book's narrative. The focus is on the experiences of a young Syrian woman during the Syrian Revolution, without reference to LGBTQ+ representation.
