The Fig Tree: A Story About Building Friendship and Peace in Cyprus
by Costantia Manoli; illus. by Leah Giles
Primary    Roaring Brook    40 pp.
6/25    9781250763136    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781250435095    $10.99

In 1974, a Greek military coup in Cyprus prompted a Turkish invasion and occupation, and the small eastern Mediterranean island was divided into a Turkish north and a Greek south with a contentious “green line” separating the two. This reflective take on that conflict gives, in third person, the perspective of a fig tree that lives along the green line and has seen both peace and war. Mixed-media illustrations combine paint, printmaking textures, and digital art and have a highly geometric, layered, collage-like construction. The art contrasts the barren destroyed landscape with the lushness of the fig tree. The text never gets into specifics of the different ethnicities or what they are fighting over, and the use of the passive voice narrates a history without assigning blame to one side or another: “Trust was torn in tatters…understanding was lost, and fighting broke out.” The tree serves as a symbol of peace: “The fig tree never forgets…she knows that whatever side you’re from, the fruit always tastes the same [and] sharing its sweetness can bring people back together.” A sweet conclusion presents two children—one Turkish, one Greek—savoring a majilla (fig), a shared word between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, together. This thoughtful representation speaks to something universal about ethnic conflict and peace that can be appreciated by many readers. A glossary and an author’s note with more information on the history are appended. 

From the September/October 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.