The lady of all

After several painful incidents that affected the Yusra family, their life changed forever. Yusra, who is fifteen years old, finds herself at a crossroads... Either she accepts her new life or takes matters into her own hands and does something to change it. But... what if her doing this thing goes against the customs and traditions of society? What will happen if she does something out of the ordinary in the eyes of people? And what if her doing this thing leads her to discover one of the most important secrets of life? The story takes place in Gaza, Palestine, and is inspired by a true story. This novel will inspire its readers and spark a glimmer of hope in their hearts. Parent and teacher guide: "Sometimes in our lives, we face some hardships and painful situations that make us feel frustrated and hopeless. In the story 'The Queen of All,' fifteen-year-old Yusra was able to overcome her feelings of despair and helplessness and think in a way that would get her and her family out of the crisis they are going through. After the tragic death of her older brother and after her father, the fisherman, was involved in a painful accident that left him in a wheelchair, Yusra decided to take over her father's fishing boat, thus becoming the first and only female fisherman in Gaza. The conservative society in Gaza is shocked by what Yusra does and criticizes her harshly, but her family's support increases her determination to go to sea, where she faces the same difficulties and challenges as Gaza's fishermen. The allowed fishing distance for Gaza's residents is only three nautical miles, and over time, this area becomes almost empty of fish, while Israeli warships remain constantly ready to attack any fishing boat that exceeds this distance. After a confrontation between Yusra and the Israeli navy, one media outlet requests an interview with her, highlighting her as the first female fisherman in Gaza and covering Gaza's events, including the blockade and the attack on the Freedom Flotilla. After some time, due to the fishing ban imposed on Gaza's residents by the Israeli navy, Yusra fills her void and becomes a member of a cultural center in Gaza, where she is able to use the internet and many options become available to her. Through her experience as a fisherman, Yusra realizes deep inside that she can be whatever she wants, and she can manage her life and change her destiny even if she lives in Gaza, 'the world's largest prison.' This story is recommended as supplementary or supportive reading in schools because it addresses several topics that interest teenagers. It is a story about overcoming hardships, bravery, and what it means to live in a war zone. The story discusses friendship and what a teenager living in Gaza, where people have been under a suffocating siege for years, feels. The story was inspired by a real girl from Gaza, Madeline Qallab, who became Gaza's first female fisherman at the age of fourteen. Otherwise, all characters in the plot are fictional, and all persons mentioned in the story and its details are fictional. Awards: Shortlisted for the Etisalat Award for Children's Literature 2013 / Shortlisted for the Sheikh Zayed Award 2015.