Zahra is a young donkey who lives with her companion Sami in Gaza City. Their days are filled with simple yet meaningful routines: carrying baskets of vegetables from the market, delivering falafel sandwiches to schoolchildren, or transporting flowers and strawberries from the fields. Through Zahra’s voice, readers experience the innocence of ordinary life, rich with joy and connection. When war reaches the city, everything changes. The same familiar tasks take on a new weight: flour, water, and even wounded people replace fruits and flowers. Without sensationalizing, this story captures how war transforms daily routines and community rhythms.
Hooda Al Shawa’s delicate narrative, paired with Sienny Septibella’s evocative illustrations, addresses the consequences of war for everyday existence with sensitivity and care. Rather than focusing on violence, the book highlights resilience, companionship, and the quiet endurance of ordinary beings who hope that one day life will be filled with strawberries and flowers again.
