Author and former MP Özlem Cekic is publishing a children’s book about the war in Gaza, aimed at pupils in the fourth and fifth grades.
DR reports that the book, “Tingbøllerne på besøg,” is released on Tuesday, August 18, by Gyldendal Uddannelse. It is the first volume in a new easy-reading series, with illustrations by Tomas Björnsson.
The story follows Omar, a Muslim boy who loves football. He refuses to join his class on a visit to a Jewish school after seeing violent videos from Gaza. The trip has been arranged by his teacher Anne as a lesson about prejudice, and Anne has also demonstrated for Palestine.
According to DR, Omar then discovers that his football friend Jakob attends the Jewish school. Jakob has kept his Jewish identity hidden, tucking his necklace with the Star of David under his shirt.
Speaking to DR’s P1 Morgen, Cekic said adults sometimes decide not to touch the subject, while children talk about it anyway in the schoolyard. She argues that adults fail both Muslim and Jewish children if they do not help them discuss it.
Cekic said she became worried during the writing process that adults would accuse her of picking a side, or call the book too naive or humorous. She then read it aloud to a group of schoolchildren, including Jewish and Muslim pupils, who laughed and recognized the prejudices described.
Teacher plans to use the book in class
Sarah Victoria Bruun, a Danish teacher at Bavnehøj Skole outside Aarhus, told P1 Morgen that she plans to use the book in her teaching. She said most school material on the conflict is news-based, from outlets such as DR Ultra, and that this book reaches children’s own level.
Berlingske, which covered the book on August 14, describes it as set in the fictional Tingbølle neighborhood, where Israel and Palestine enter everyday school life. The paper notes that Omar views images of dead children in Gaza on his phone. It also reports that the war in Gaza weighs especially on Danish children with Jewish and Palestinian backgrounds.
Cekic is a former member of the Folketing for SF and general secretary of Brobyggerne, Center for Dialogkaffe, which she founded in 2019. She has previously written children’s books about the Danish-Kurdish girl Ayse, covering Ramadan, falling in love and whether to celebrate Christmas.
That earlier series also touched on the circumcision of boys, which drew political reaction. TV 2 reported in January 2018 that Dansk Folkeparti wanted one of the stories withdrawn, arguing that circumcision was portrayed as harmless.
DR reports that further volumes in the new series will follow over time. The publisher, Gyldendal Uddannelse, produces books for primary schools, upper secondary schools and adult education.
