A Syrian Teen Forced To Flee 'A Land Of Permanent Goodbyes' : NPR
Tareq
The book begins in an unnamed Syrian city with  a teenage boy  Tareq  surrounded by his bustling  tight-knit family . It details  Tareq 's excruciating journey  leaving behind people and places  he  loves  almost from the very moment a bomb hits  his  family's home.
On the day that  Tareq 's home is struck by a bomb 
Tareq  was having a normal day with  his  family.  His  mom was cooking in the kitchen   his  grandmother was enjoying a small glass of tea   his  little brothers and sisters were playing and watching TV — just the typical day in their lives. And that typical day is destroyed by an airstrike.  He 's sent to the hospital where  he  does get some good news that  his  little sister is alive. But then a doctor takes  him  to a room and  he  sees  his  two 6-month-old little brothers dead on a gurney. And it seems very dark  but it's a situation that happens all the time  and really it's based on real characters  including those twins. I've seen pictures of the twins laying on the gurney  and it's the sad truth.
And for  Tareq   the character in my book   he  goes to Turkey.  He 's a second-class citizen there.  He 's going to go to Europe.  He 's going to be a second-class citizen there. There are people who don't want  him . There are people who fear  him   despite  him  being the one who's really afraid.
The book begins in an unnamed Syrian city with  a teenage boy  [TGT]surrounded by [TGT] bustling  tight-knit family . It details  [TGT] 's excruciating journey  leaving behind people and places  [TGT]  loves  almost from the very moment a bomb hits  [TGT]  family's home.
On the day that  Tareq 's home is struck by a bomb 
[TGT]was having a normal day with  [TGT]  family.  [TGT]  mom was cooking in the kitchen   [TGT]  grandmother was enjoying a small glass of tea   [TGT]  little brothers and sisters were playing and watching TV — just the typical day in their lives. And that typical day is destroyed by an airstrike.  [TGT] 's sent to the hospital where  [TGT]  does get some good news that  [TGT]  little sister is alive. But then a doctor takes  [TGT]  to a room and  [TGT]  sees  [TGT]  two 6-month-old little brothers dead on a gurney. And it seems very dark  but it's a situation that happens all the time  and really it's based on real characters  including those twins. I've seen pictures of the twins laying on the gurney  and it's the sad truth.
And for  Tareq   the character in my book   he  goes to Turkey.  He 's a second-class citizen there.  He 's going to go to Europe.  He 's going to be a second-class citizen there. There are people who don't want  him . There are people who fear  him   despite  him  being the one who's really afraid.