The Garden

By: Meghan Ferrari

Narrated by: Raoul Bhaneja

Fifteen-year-old Elias and his family are caught in the middle of an international conflict—the deadly crossfire between the Syrian Army and government-opposed Rebels. Dangers mount, conditions worsen, and after witnessing the tragedy of war and the indignities of a refugee camp, Elias finds himself a newcomer in North America where he comes face to face with completely new battles—culture shock, racism, and bullying.

Inspired by the stories of her newcomer students and their families, The Garden is a poignant yet inspiring young adult novel that sheds light on the social impact of modern military conflict and the plight of innocent victims displaced by it. It will also provide young listeners with empathy, respect, and a new understanding of our new neighbors uprooted by war.

©2018 Meghan Ferrari (P)2024 Red Deer Press

Critic reviews

"This brief novel is a powerful testimony—inspiring and tear-jerking at times—to the plight of refugees looking forward to a new life while attempting not to forget those they met in the journey and had to leave behind. Poignant."—Kirkus Reviews

"The Garden may be Meghan Ferrari's first book but she draws on her expertise in Social Justice Education to tell a convincing tale about one teen's experiences in the Syrian War, in a Lebanese refugee camp and as a new immigrant to Canada. Elias's disquieting realities, living in fear, with memories of the past and with his prospects for the future, are palpable, drenched in grief and trauma. Fortunately for Elias, a garden was and is his salvation, taking his story from one of war and loss, and culture shock and bullying, to the beginnings of healing, and Meghan Ferrari makes sure to let us observe Elias on his odyssey."—CanLit for LittleCanadians

"The chapters alternate in setting, first between Syria and Canada, then between a refugee camp in Lebanon and Canada. One might expect the Syria and Lebanon sections to be presented in the past tense, with the Canadian sections in the present, but the entire novel is in the present. Switching back and forth from then to now is a smart narrative choice, not only because it allows for cliff-hangers that make readers want to read on, but also because it gives readers a respite after chapters full of action, drama and tension.
Highly recommended."—CM Magazine