Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa

Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa and illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
I really enjoyed this book mostly for the cultural perspective and symbolic storyline. The story takes place in Jerusalem, which is divided into different sections such as the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian section. There are two boys from two different religous backgrounds who are unknowingly taking care of the same cat. One boy decides he is going to follow the cat to see where it goes. He stumbles upon another young boy in a different section of town who is feeding the cat. Neither boy is happy about each other and argue who the cat belongs to. On a more kid-friendly level, this book represents conflict in a place that is known for its' historic battles over religion and territory. I thought it was interesting that the author did use this city to demonstrate conflict; but also placed value on the resolution of the problem. The boys found out that the cat they have been taking care of had kittens and they eventually decided to share them. Each boy took home two kittens and decided to share the mother cat. Also another event that helps lead to the peaceful resolution is the fact that it snows in Jerusalem. The boys embraced that unusual event and named the white cat, Snow (white-the color of peace). I also thought the illustrations were very well done with water colors. I was able to still tell the details of the buildings, people, and other distinct cultural difference. I liked how the author incorporated some authentic Arab and Hebrew words in the story. It can give readers a small amount of new vocabulary from a new language. The author's note in the back of the book was also a significant piece of information that can be valuable to the reader. It gives just a little taste of the background and what life is like for some in this Center of the Universe it is sometimes called!