About Good Morning, Hope

The inspiring true story of the Zalli family, forced to rebuild their lives in a new, uncertain land

Born in poverty-stricken Albania, twin sisters Argita and Detina Zalli always dreamed of becoming doctors. But when the government collapsed, plunging the country into anarchy and civil war, the twins’ dream unraveled along with their homeland.

Their parents were determined to find a way to leave and save their daughters’ futures—not to mention their very lives. After several dangerous attempts, they finally escaped, only to be thrust into a new nightmare as refugees.

With grit and determination, they fought their way forward. When tragedy struck yet again, threatening what they held most dear, the girls had to come to terms with the high price they had all paid to survive.

In Good Morning, Hope, Argita and Detina share their harrowing story of courage and resilience. It was the strength of their family, particularly the sisters’ unique, unbreakable bond as twins, that nurtured and sustained them throughout their perilous ordeal.

PRAISE

“Readers will be fascinated as the twins recount and reflect on the stresses and daily terrors of becoming refugees. . . . A haunting reminder of how precious democracy is.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A riveting, fascinating, compelling, and ultimately inspiring read from cover to cover.”—Midwest Book Review

“An incredibly gripping and inspirational read that left me feeling uplifted and ready to face any challenge that came my way!”—Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)

“An engaging, thoughtful book based on a real-life story. . . . Perhaps Good Morning, Hope will change your world outlook, make you consider helping refugee children, or ponder what you can do to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.”—Julia Brodsky, STEM education researcher at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science and former NASA astronaut instructor

“Good Morning, Hope is an inspirational, evocative book that tells the harrowing true story of identical twins fleeing war and violence to create a new life in a new land. Now both leading world scientists, Argita and Detina have created a remarkable work, one that will linger long after the reading is done.”—Paul Rosenberg, award-winning leadership coach, speaker, and strategist

“The story of the Zalli family is the most inspirational example I’ve ever seen of how the power of love and the positive attitude it creates can transform misfortune into success. This could be the answer to that enduring question of why some are driven to great achievements in life while countless others fail.”—J. D. Freedman, writer and filmmaker

AWARDS

IPPY Silver Award, Autobiography & Memoir (Coming of Age)
Memoir Book Prize, Overcoming Adversity
Readers’ Favorite Gold, Young Adult Nonfiction
International Book Award Winner, Young Adult Nonfiction
Best Book Award Winner, Young Adult Nonfiction
Independent Book Award Winner, Young Adult Nonfiction

About the Authors

Born in Albania, twin sisters Argita and Detina Zalli were eleven years old when the government collapsed and civil war broke out. Two years later, after several failed attempts to flee the violence and poverty, they escaped with their parents to England. READ MORE