• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7

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 readers with empathy, respect, and a new understanding of our new neighbors uprooted by war.

Meghan Ferrari
grew up in Caledon, Ontario, and holds a Master's Degree in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. She presently shares her passion for literacy as an educator with the York Catholic District School Board. This is her first novel.

Visit Meghan's web site at www.meghanferrari.com.

Meghan Ferrari's profile page

"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

"This novel, for all its brevity and simplicity of prose style, is emotionally hard-hitting. . . This is an excellent debut novel, and, it is to be hoped, a forerunner of more to come from this powerful new voice in Canadian YA literature."
Rating: E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
— Resource Links

"The Garden is a poignant yet inspiring young adult novel. . . A deftly written, entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking novel, The Garden is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to school and community library YA Fiction collections."
— Midwest Book Review

"What did you like about the book? The drama of being a new kid at school is very realistically portrayed (the poor kid even finds himself the victim of bullying), and there is even a bit of humor to moderate the seriousness of the story.
Anything you didn't like about it? No
To whom would you recommend this book? This one is for kids age 12 and up who are comfortable with the realistic portrayal of war.
Rating: 4 or of 5"
— Youth Services Book Review

"Wow! Students need to be exposed to current events and global realities. Although I advocate for students to watch and listen to the daily news, I am also a strong believer that fiction is a powerful vehicle to communicate truth. This novel does that. TELL THE TRUTH!! War, death, and misery are not sugarcoated in The Garden. I made the mistake of reading this novel to a group of grade four students and witnessed the shock of realization cross their faces. I had to quickly abandon this project. This novel is meant for an older, more emotionally mature audience. Try it out on your grade six and higher students. You will encounter interest, enthusiasm, and a desire to know more about the conflicts the world is engaged in."
— Canadian Teacher Magazine