Dear World: A Syrian Girl's War Story and Her Search for Peace

A Syrian girl's surprising story amid the horrors of war At three years old, Bana Alabed's happy childhood was abruptly interrupted by civil war. For the next four years, Bana lived amidst bombings, destruction, and fear. Her harrowing ordeal culminated in a brutal siege in which she, her parents, and two younger brothers were trapped in Aleppo, with little access to food, water, medicine, and other basic necessities. With the revolutionary potential of the internet, Bana, in a simple but unprecedented gesture, used Twitter to call for peace and mobilize people around the world for the same purpose. Containing Bana's own words and moving letters from her mother, Fatemah, Dear World is not only a compelling account of a family threatened by war—it also offers a unique perspective on one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history, seen through the eyes of a child. Bana lost her best friend, her school, and her home. But she hasn't lost hope—for herself and for other children around the world, victims and refugees of war who deserve better lives.