It has also been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, the Blue Peter Award, the Salford Children's Book Award, the Calderdale Children's Book Award, the Lincolnshire Young People's Book Award, the Stockton Children's Book of the Year, the West Sussex Children's Book Award, the Portsmouth Book Award and the Sheffield Children's Book Award and A Little Piece of Ground - Winner of the Hampshire Book Award and has been shortlisted for the Southern Schools Book Award. The story is told from the point of view of Tara Khan, a thirteen-year-old girl who has grown up in middle-class comfort similar to that of an American child. Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird is an unforgettable, award-winning novel of conflict, persecution and the hardships faced by refugees. The Kurds were subject to persecution at that time, and many fled their country. Although her country, Kurdistan, is caught up in a war, the fighting seems far away. Kiss the Dust was inspired by Lairds visit to Kurdistan, made when she lived in Iraq.

It is a young adult historical fiction novel about a twelve-year-old Kurdish girl and her family's escape from Iraq over the border into Iran. Her books have been translated into at least fifteen languages Her works include: Red Sky in the Morning-Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Children's Book Award Hiding Out - Winner of the Smarties Young Judges Award Jake's Tower - Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Book Award The Garbage King - Winner of the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book of the Year award and the Stockport Book award. Kiss the Dust Tara is an ordinary teenager. Kiss the Dust is a book written by Elizabeth Laird on the conflicts between the Iraqi Kurds and Saddam Hussein's regime.

She is also known for the large body of folktales which she collected from the regions of Ethiopia. Elizabeth Laird is a writer of children's fiction and travel, and lives in England.

Kiss the dust by elizabeth laird