This is a beautifully written and illustrated book that will bring the history of Cyprus alive for a new generation of children. Vibrant, simple and well-balanced, the Island That Everyone Wanted spans the millennia, beginning with Cyprus’ emergence from the sea at the dawn of time to the 2004 referendum on the Annan plan.

It is necessarily a broad-brush approach, but writer Marina Christofides wisely marries big events with instantly memorable details and anecdotes that will engross any child. What boy will not relish the travails of General Bragadino, the Venetian defender of Famagusta who had his nose and ears cut off before being flayed alive by invading Ottomans? What girl wouldn’t delight in the romance of the Lusignan King Peter I who was so enchanted by his wife that he never travelled without her nightdress as a comforting talisman?

The text is complemented by illustrations that spring off the page: rich, evocative and lovingly detailed, they are keen spurs to a child’s fertile young imagination.

Upheaval is the hallmark of Cyprus’ history. The island, always a geo-strategic prize and victim of its location, was invaded from all directions. Conquerors came from Phoenicia, Persia, Egypt and Rome, each wave bringing new cultures and traditions. Later there were Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans and British. All of which should mean that Cyprus’ history should be exciting enough for school pupils. Sadly, this often has not been the case. Instead, many children grumble that they are burdened with dull lists that name and date seemingly endless Byzantine emperors and their laws. Historical characters remain stubbornly two-dimensional, their relevance obscure, their eras distant and irrelevant.

It was precisely to address this problem that spurred Marina into writing the book.
“My adventure with this book began 10 years ago, when my son was 7. I was trying to explain certain parts of the history of Cyprus to him but with all the boring, monotonous and heavy-going material all children like him are reading, even today, I found myself looking for an alternative, he would be interested in,” says Marina.

It was when she discovered that no such thing existed that she began researching and writing The Island Everyone Wanted. Being a writer herself, Marina had a vision of a book targeted at elementary school kids with a fun twist, similar to that of cartoons. “We all know that most kids hate to read, so the idea of explaining a lot of things through pictures was adopted and with the help of Eleni Lambrou, the illustrator, after three years of work, the result is fantastic.

“I wanted to include as much as possible about various rulers including Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, French kings and queens, Venetians, Ottomans and the British, all of which ruled the island at one point leaving their mark,” says Marina. “But I’ve also included other aspects such as gruesome details about how rulers were killed, which I know kids love.”

Indeed, the book, which focuses heavily on illustration, fires the imagination with, for example, scenes from daily lives of the Stone Age village of Khirokitia, as well as of objects from each period such as pottery, artefacts and architecture.

“I had never worked on a history book therefore the necessary research was extensive on all subjects depicted in the book,” says Eleni. “From the costumes to the backgrounds, I found viewing books and visiting museums, extremely helpful in my research.”

The early pages describe Cyprus before man, when it was a lush, green island. One and a half million years ago pygmy hippopotami and elephants swam here from surrounding lands and, apart from mice and shrews, they had the place to themselves until man arrived 10,000 years ago. Another fascinating point is that cats lived here around 6,000 BC and the oldest skeleton was found buried near its owner in Khirokitia.

While children will undoubtedly be more interested in the colourful details of Cyprus’ early history, adults will probably be more impressed with the considered way the minefield of the island’s modern history is dealt with. The lead up to Independence and its aftermath is treated objectivity. And we, at the Cyprus Mail have a particular reason to be impressed with these pages. Using photographs of the time as a guide, Eleni illustrates a crowd scene at Eleftheria Square circa 1960. In the foreground is a man reading the front page of the then broadsheet Cyprus Mail printed the day after Independence had been declared. Excellent stuff!