Book Club at American Corner Jericho Introduces Palestinian Youth to Classic American Book, “The Wringer”

The American Corner in Jericho launched their new monthly book club on February 1, with a classic American children’s book, The Wringer by Jerry Spinelli.  Thirty boys and girls from public schools in the Jericho area, aged 12-16, each received a copy of the book that has been translated into Arabic by the U.S. Government.  After reading the book at home, the students gathered at the Corner for a discussion in which they recounted enjoying the book, especially the author’s descriptions of the protagonist’s struggle with peer pressure.  The students found inspiration in the protagonist’s decision to stand up for what he believed, even if it meant losing friends and challenging long-held, but misguided traditions.  At the end of the discussion, they had only one more question:  how long must they wait to meet again and discuss the next book?!