Novel introduces Mideast conflict to teens

Young adult novelist Deborah Kerbel hopes that her book about love, loss and adventure in Jerusalem will help introduce aspects of the Middle East conflict to North American teens.

Deborah Kerbel

Mackenzie, Lost and Found, published by Dundurn Press, is about a 15-year-old Torontonian who reluctantly moves to Jerusalem with her father – who takes a job as a visiting archeology professor at Hebrew University – following the death of her mother a year before.

In addition to trying to fit into a foreign city, and dealing with a tragic death, Mackenzie, who is Christian, finds herself in a secret, forbidden romance with a Palestinian Muslim boy and unwittingly becomes dangerously involved in an illegal antiquities trading ring.

The book also touches on some of the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict, such as terrorism, rights to land, cultural differences and religious issues.

“There is a lot there, and sometimes I wonder if I tried to put too much into one book… I think the themes there are pretty universal – forbidden love, coming of age, a struggle to fit in – all these things are things that kids can relate to,” said Kerbel.

“I’d never seen a YA novel set in the Middle East before. I knew it would be challenging, but I thought it would be a great way to introduce a very complex topic to a teenage audience in an accessible way.”

She said that people in North America are bombarded with news about the Middle East, but few are truly informed about all the complexities of the region.

“Maybe after reading this story, next time a teenager sees a story about Israel, maybe they won’t just look the other way, maybe they will feel more connected to the country and the people. That’s what I hope.”

Kerbel, who has been writing fiction for the past 10 years, said the inspiration for Mackenzie, Lost and Found came from a friend’s childhood experience.

She said she was eight months pregnant and eager to get a book started before the baby was born, when she met with a friend for lunch.  

“I mentioned to my friend that I was looking for a book idea, and she immediately said, ‘Well, why don’t you expand on what happened to me? When I was 15, my parents moved the family from Canada to Israel and it changed my life,’” Kerbel recalled.

“That really got the wheels in my head turning, and I got home and I started thinking about the premise and what I could do to a character who was put in that situation. I started writing about all the possibilities of what could happen. I had an outline and probably a chapter or two done by the time my daughter was born.”

Now, with two young children, Kerbel said she works on her writing whenever she has a chance.

By the end of this year, Kerbel is preparing to release another YAnovel titled Girl on the Other Side.

“This is about two girls who exist on opposite sides of their school social ladder. There is one girl who seems to have the perfect life, and the other girl is the constant target of school bullies. The book explores the idea of what happens when their lives come crashing together,” she said.

Kerbel said she loves to write about children and young adults because their experiences are new and emotions are high.

“I also think it’s a great way to stay connected to your young side. Writing for kids, speaking with kids and interacting with them, talking about the books helps to keep me young.”