Pashmina
By Nidhi Chanani
Published by First Second
Age Range: 10+

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“…the first (graphic novel) written and illustrated by an Indian-American creator, this is both a needed contribution and a first-rate adventure tale.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions—the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother’s homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she finds a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she’s ever dared and find the family she never knew.

In this heartwarming graphic novel debut, Nidhi Chanani weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures and two worlds.

Reviews & Accolades
“Following Pri as she explores her Hindu religion and her single mother’s native country of India in search of identity and meaning, Chanani masterfully turns the complex immigrant narrative into a magical and captivating work of art…This finely embroidered tale beautifully unfolds, much like the sacred pashmina. Every character, speech bubble, wordless panel and choice of color serves the story in meaningful ways. Chanani has created an immigrant narrative that is suitably complex, capable of grappling with identity, mythology and magic right alongside the practical choices girls and women face in cultures in which their oppression can be concealed by beautiful exteriors.”  —The New York Times Book Review

“Priyanka is the teenage daughter of a single mother from Calcutta who won’t answer her questions about why she came to the U.S. or who Priyanka’s father is. “In India I would never talk this rude way to my mom,” Priyanka’s mother chastises. Mean girls make school rough; drawing is Priyanka’s only solace. A silk pashmina in her mother’s closet gives Priyanka the ability to see India, the homeland she’s never visited, in sequences that explode with vibrant color, in contrast to the dark purples Chanani uses for Priyanki’s everyday life. When she’s finally able to travel there, her aunt answers the questions that have blighted Priyanka’s relationship with her mother, and the pashmina gives her a mission. Newcomer Chanani’s figures lean toward cuteness, softening the story’s darker moments. Most impressive is the way Chanani keeps the story’s distinct and fascinating plot elements spinning. One work can’t represent a whole subcontinent, but readers will come away with a living sense of a small part of it—and characters to care about.“—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“The goddess Shakti, a shawl woven decades ago, family secrets, the pressures on women in the world, and a teenaged girl’s longing to find the place of her heart are the ingredients of Nidhi Chanani’s tender graphic novel. Priyanka Das, raised by her single mother in America, knows little of her mother’s native India. She is bursting with questions that her mother refuses to answer. When “Pri” discovers a pashmina shawl hidden away in a suitcase, she tries it on—and is magically transported to a kind of tourist-video version of India, featuring such iconic stops as the Taj Mahal, a sari shop, a jungle with exotic fruit, sandstone palaces, and more. A peacock and elephant as guides round out what most visitors would find utterly satisfactory, so why does this not feel “real” to Priyanka? It’s not the India she’s searching for. Moreover, a mysterious shadow seems to be following her, trying to convey something she cannot understand. The brief, magical excursions only wet her appetite for more. It’s not until she goes to India with her mother’s blessing that Priyanka grows into her own choices. A self-referential twist adds a pleasing surprise to the last few pages. Chanani takes on immigrant identity, relationships, silence between a mother and a daughter, and inventiveness and loss inherent in a blended image of oneself. These are not new tropes, but Pashmina treats them with a fresh and genuine energy as the storyline dances between the color generated by the shawl and the black-and-white of everyday existence. Layers of story point toward hope for a young protagonist with realistically complex motivations and longings. Additionally, stereotypes and prejudices are gently spoofed in this lovingly crafted work.”  —Children’s Literature

“Priyanka is a teenage girl who loves to draw. Her mother emigrated from India years ago, leaving Pri’s father behind. Pri is eager to learn about her father and her Indian heritage, but her mother refuses to discuss the subject. Then Pri finds an old pashmina in her mother’s suitcase, and when she puts it on, she is magically transported to the India of her dreams. Pri is greeted by an elephant and a peacock, who offer to show her around the country. Though they provide some answers, they inspire even more questions, and Pri must figure out how and why reality and her dream world overlap. This heartwarming story about family problems and female empowerment will inspire readers to make their voices heard. Much of the artwork is reminiscent of the illustrations in Vera Brosgol’s Anya’s Ghost: black-and-white with clear thick lines. Whenever someone dons the pashmina, the pages are suddenly drenched in rich colors. This dazzling blend of realistic fiction and fantasy is perfect for fans of characters who have to overcome obstacles on their way to growing up.”  —School Library Journal (Starred Review)

“In this feminist graphic novel, a young woman searches for the truths of her past with the help of a long-lost aunt; Shakti, the Divine Mother Goddess; and a mysterious shawl. Indian-American teenager Priyanka “Pri” Das, a talented artist and a bit of a loner, wants to know both why her deeply religious mother left India for California so abruptly years ago and her father’s whereabouts. But Pri’s mother refuses to speak of India: “That subject is permanently closed.” Soon, Pri discovers a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase in her Los Angeles home. When she wraps it around her shoulders, she is transported to an imagined, romanticized India—one as colorful as a Bollywood movie, in contrast to the black-and-white images of her everyday life. There, a talking elephant and bird introduce Pri (and readers) to the country’s festivals, foods, and fashion, but Pri knows this isn’t the “real” India. To find “her” India and uncover her mother’s secrets, Pri will travel to the subcontinent, where she learns about women’s choices—especially her mother’s—and living without fear. While the book covers well-worn territory about bicultural and immigrant conflicts, it also dramatically explores the ways women are constrained by patriarchy. Pri is the daughter of a single mother, a family structure rarely represented in young people’s literature of the South Asian diaspora. An original graphic novel, the first written and illustrated by an Indian-American creator, this is both a needed contribution and a first-rate adventure tale.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Indian-American

Themes
#OwnVoices
Cultural Identity
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Gender Roles
Identity
Immigration
Migrant Life
Religious Faith
Separation & Reunion

Setting
India
United States (Los Angeles, CA)

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Lucky Broken Girl
By Ruth Behar
Published by Penguin Young Readers Group
Age Range: 10+

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“A poignant and relevant retelling of a child immigrant’s struggle to recover from an accident and feel at home in America.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Description
In this unforgettable multicultural coming-of-age narrative—based on the author’s childhood in the 1960s—a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl is adjusting to her new life in New York City when her American dream is suddenly derailed. Ruthie’s plight will intrigue readers, and her powerful story of strength and resilience, full of color, light, and poignancy, will stay with them for a long time.

Ruthie Mizrahi and her family recently emigrated from Castro’s Cuba to New York City. Just when she’s finally beginning to gain confidence in her mastery of English—and enjoying her reign as her neighborhood’s hopscotch queen—a horrific car accident leaves her in a body cast and confined her to her bed for a long recovery. As Ruthie’s world shrinks because of her inability to move, her powers of observation and her heart grow larger and she comes to understand how fragile life is, how vulnerable we all are as human beings, and how friends, neighbors, and the power of the arts can sweeten even the worst of times.

Reviews & Accolades
“Set in 1966, this strongly sketched novel, adult author Behar’s first for children, focuses on a 10-year-old Cuban immigrant whose injury forces a prolonged convalescence and rehabilitation. The story begins with Ruthie Mizrahi moving up from the “dumb class” (where she learned English) to the “regular fifth grade class” at her school in New York City. However, a car accident leaves Ruthie so severely injured that she spends almost a year sequestered in her room in a body cast (“My bed is my island; my bed is my prison; my bed is my home”). Readers will get a powerful sense of the historical setting through Ruthie’s narration, but the novel is perhaps defined even more by her family’s status as immigrants and by its memorable multicultural cast. Some dialogue can ring false (“I am a bit of a hippie. I believe in peace, love, and flower power,” explains the tutor sent to work with Ruthie), but Behar successfully juggles several engaging plot threads, and Ruthie’s complicated relationship with her mother, given the demands of her care, is especially compelling.”  —Publishers Weekly

“Ruthie Mizrahi faces challenges big and small—from trying to convince her New York teacher that she should be in the “smart class” despite her difficulty with English as a Cuban refugee to her passionate desire for go-go boots, which will help her look glamorous among her friends. But, when a car accident leaves Ruthie bedridden in a body cast for nearly a year, she starts to see the world differently. She makes heartfelt connections with incredible people, such as her friend Ramu, who must return to India when his brother dies in a tragic accident, or her “flower-power” tutor, who inspires her with stories of Nancy Drew, José Martí, Martin Luther King Jr., Frida Kahlo, and others. Just as adjusting to the small island of her room is challenging, so is finding the courage to rejoin the larger outside world and embrace the life in front of her. Based on the author’s own experiences, Lucky Broken Girl is a touching story about friendships and losses, forgiveness and fear, vulnerability and determination, prayer and patience. Short chapters describing Ruthie’s interactions with an exceptionally diverse case of characters and perspectives are interspersed with letters, addressed at first to God, but eventually to Shiva and Frida, as Ruthie seeks to unpack her experience, forgive those who caused the accident, and overcome her fears of the future. At times, the text’s tone and style seem directed toward young readers, but teens will likely find the many lessons Ruthie learns to be valuable and often insightful.”
— VOYA

“Ruthie’s English skills have finally gotten her promoted to the “smart” fifth grade class, and she’s the “hopscotch queen of Queens” this week. Her family are still struggling with their recent move from Cuba, but she has a strong family network, some new friends, and a pair of brand-new white go-go boots. When a car accident leaves her in a body cast, Ruthie is scared, lonely, angry, and confused. The year that she spends healing in bed is one of growing up, of hard times and good friends, and of new skills and the determination to be herself in her new country. Behar’s first middle grade novel, a fictionalized telling of her own childhood experiences in the 1960s, is a sweet and thoughtful read, slowly but strongly paced, and filled with a wealth of detail that makes the characters live. Both poetic and straightforward, this title will appeal to young readers with its respect for their experiences and its warm portrayal of a diverse community. In addition to Ruthie’s realistic and personal voice, the novel’s strength is in its complex portrayal of the immigrant experience, with overlapping stories of who goes and who comes and the paths they travel.  Recommended and relatable. Hand this to fans of Rita Williams-Garcia and those who loved The Secret Garden.”
—School Library Journal

“In the 1960s, Ruthie Mizrahi, a young Jewish Cuban immigrant to New York City, spends nearly a year observing her family and friends from her bed. Before the accident, Ruthie’s chief goals are to graduate out of the “dumb class” for remedial students, to convince her parents to buy her go-go boots, and to play hopscotch with other kids in her Queens apartment building. But after Papi’s Oldsmobile is involved in a fatal multicar collision, Ruthie’s leg is severely broken. The doctor opts to immobilize both legs in a body cast that covers Ruthie from chest to toes. Bedridden and lonely, Ruthie knows she’s “lucky” to be alive, but she’s also “broken.” She begins collecting stories from her Jewban grandparents; her fellow young immigrant friends, Belgian Danielle and Indian Ramu; her “flower power” tutor, Joy; and her vibrant Mexican neighbor, Chicho, an artist who teaches her about Frida Kahlo. Ruthie also prays and writes letters to God, Shiva, and Kahlo, asking them for guidance, healing, and forgiveness. A cultural anthropologist and poet, the author based the book on her own childhood experiences, so it’s unsurprising that Ruthie’s story rings true. The language is lyrical and rich, the intersectionality—ethnicity, religion, class, gender—insightful, and the story remarkably engaging, even though it takes place primarily in the island of Ruthie’s bedroom. A poignant and relevant retelling of a child immigrant’s struggle to recover from an accident and feel at home in America.”
—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Cuban
Jewish
Mexican

Themes
#OwnVoices
Bi-racial Identity
Bilingual
Building Futures
Community
Cross-Group Friendship
Cultural Differences
Cultural Identity
Education & Literacy
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Historical
Identity
Immigration
Learning English
Multicultural Friendship
Trauma

Setting
United States (New York City)

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees
By Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrated by Eleanor Shakespeare
Published by Annick Press, Limited
Age Range: 10+

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“…educators and librarians looking for a human face for the refugee crisis will find this offering essential.:  —School Library Journal

Description
The phenomenon of desperate refugees risking their lives to reach safety is not new. For hundreds of years, people have left behind family, friends, and all they know in hope of a better life. This book presents five true stories about young people who lived through the harrowing experience of setting sail in search of asylum: Ruth and her family board the St. Louis to escape Nazism; Phu sets out alone from war-torn Vietnam; José tries to reach the U.S. from Cuba; Najeeba flees Afghanistan and the Taliban; Mohamed, an orphan, runs from his village on the Ivory Coast. Aimed at middle grade students, Stormy Seas combines a contemporary collage-based design, sidebars, fact boxes, timeline and further reading to produce a book that is ideal for both reading and research. Readers will gain new insights into a situation that has constantly been making the headlines.

Reviews & Accolades
“This composite portrait of the struggles of 20th- and 21st-century boat refugees is alternately harrowing, wrenching, and hopeful. Leatherdale (coauthor of Urban Tribes and Dreaming in Indian) provides compact profiles of five adolescents who, between 1939 and 2006, left their homelands to escape violence and repressive regimes. In 1939, 18-year-old Ruth was among more than 900 German Jews aboard the SS St. Louis who were turned away from Cuba (and several other North and South American nations, including the U.S.); decades later, 13-year-old José and his family fled Cuba in what became known as the Mariel boatlift. Sidebars provide historical context, and the asylum-seekers’ first-person accounts bring immediacy and urgency to their stories (four of the former refugees are still alive, and shared their stories with the author). Displacement, desperation, isolation, and persecution are common to all five stories, and although closing passages offer somewhat heartening updates on what happened to each individual, Leatherdale never sugarcoats the human cost of these tragedies. Shakespeare’s (Cut, Paste, Create) photo collages underscore the peril and perseverance of the journeys, which serve as powerful mirrors to current humanitarian crises.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Across time, desperation has driven people from their homes in search of refuge—and the only way out is often through a stormy passage on the sea. Ruth was one of 900 Jewish people who boarded a ship, hoping to escape Nazi Germany; Mohammed, orphaned during the civil war in the Ivory Coast, scrounged up money to board a narrow, crowded boat headed for Europe. While Shakespeare provides evocative collage artwork, Leatherdale deftly retells the stories in spare but honest language; the text does not shy away from the perilous circumstances that the young people both escaped from and encountered. There are no guarantees of happy endings, but the information is important for students to understand. It is impossible to ignore the importance of a book like this in the current political climate, and educators and librarians looking for a human face for the refugee crisis will find this offering essential.  A timely, powerful piece of nonfiction, this is a first purchase for most collections.”
—School Library Journal (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Jewish
Vietnamese
Cuban
Afghani
Ivorian

Themes
Fleeing Persecution
Historical
Immigration
Refugee Life
Survival
Trauma
War

Setting
Afghanistan
Cuba
Germany
Ivory Coast
Vietnam
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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The Breadwinner
Original book by Deborah Ellis (Graphic novel adapted from feature film)
Published by Groundwood Books
Age Range: 10+

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“A realistic view of the contemporary migrant scene, along with complex truths about race and class.”
—Booklist

Description
This beautiful graphic-novel adaptation of The Breadwinner animated film tells the story of eleven-year-old Parvana who must disguise herself as a boy to support her family during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan.

Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. Parvana’s father — a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed — works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day, he is arrested for having forbidden books, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food.

As conditions for the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner.

Deborah Ellis’s beloved novel has been adapted for film by Aircraft Pictures, Cartoon Saloon and Melusine Productions in association with Angelina Jolie’s production company, jolie pas productions. The animated feature film, directed by Nora Twomey, will launch at festivals in fall 2017, with wide release in late fall 2017.

Groups Represented
Afghani

Themes
Child Labor
Cultural Traditions
Family Relationships
Gender Roles
Survival
Trauma
War

Setting
Afghanistan

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein
By Jennifer Roy, Ali Fadhil
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Range: 10+

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“…a disturbing but accessible portrait of a civilian child’s perspective on war.” —Publishers Weekly

Description
At the start of 1991, eleven-year-old Ali Fadhil was consumed by his love for soccer, video games, and American television shows. Then, on January 17, Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein went to war with thirty-four nations led by the United States.

Over the next forty-three days, Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.

Reviews & Accolades
“Fadhil’s childhood in Iraq forms the basis of this dramatic fictionalized account of life during Operation Desert Storm, the 43-day war that followed Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991, which conveys both the horrors and banality of war. Eleven-year-old Ali loves reading Superman comics, playing soccer, and watching American television, from which he has learned English. He hates Saddam Hussein and anguishes that “soon, America—the land that I love—is going to try to kill me.” Ali’s narrative voice captures the tension of a boy who is young enough to cry when his mother burns a comic book to cook their rice and old enough to comprehend the absurdity of Americans dubbing the nightly bombing “the video game war.” Ali’s experiences include being forced to watch a public execution, fearing his father has been killed, and being irritated that he can’t play outside. Roy (Jars of Hope) and Fadhil, an interpreter during Hussein’s trial, offer a window into what Ali calls “the true Iraq” and a disturbing but accessible portrait of a civilian child’s perspective on war.”
—Publishers Weekly

“An adaptation of Fadhil’s true story of life in Iraq during the Gulf War. Eleven-year-old Ali lives in Basra with his father, mother, two brothers, and sister. Ali thinks he was born with a “silver spoon” as his parents’ employment (his father is a dentist and his mother is a math professor) affords them certain luxuries including a home in a nice neighborhood, access to American television, video games, and Superman comic books. Things begin to change in 1991 when the U.S. invades Iraq at the start of the Gulf War. Ali’s father leaves to provide medical care to soldiers, and the family is left to worry about his safety. Bombings destroy bridges and buildings, and they go without power and with very little food. The book follows Ali through this scary and uncertain time. This blending of biography, historical fiction, and realistic fiction paints a vivid portrait of daily family life in Iraq and the trials many faced. The writing is straightforward and accessible. This book could be used to facilitate discussion of history, culture, politics, or geography with young readers. A good choice for most middle grade shelves.”
—School Library Journal

“Ali’s hometown of Basra, Iraq, is near the border with Kuwait, which makes it a dangerous place to live in 1991, during Operation Desert Storm. Eleven-year-old Ali Fadhil is a fan of American television and Superman comic books. He loves English class and playing football (soccer) with his friends. His Christian, Kurdish family’s affluent lifestyle is interrupted when a coalition of countries initiates military action to stop Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. Because of the war, Ali’s father is away, bombs fall daily, and Ali sleeps in “the safe room” with his mother and siblings. The food supply is cut off, so the family depends on government rations once their own stores run out. When his older brother, Shirzad, is appointed head of the family in his father’s absence and his mother begins burning his precious comic collection for heat, Ali has nearly all he can handle. Based on co-author Fadhil’s own childhood, the novel reads somewhat like a journal, detailing scenes in the neighborhood and changes to daily life, but as is often the case with real life, it lacks a solid climax and resolution. While Ali’s voice and emotional life lack the vitality that would draw readers in to the story, the snapshot of his society at war is strong, and there are very few children’s books in English with Kurdish protagonists. A well-researched piece of historical fiction, just a bit flat as a novel.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Iraqi

Themes
#OwnVoices
Community
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Historical
Learning English
Survival
Trauma
War

Setting
Iraq

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Illegal
By Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
Published by Sourcebooks
Age Range: 10+

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“…Ebo’s story effectively paints a picture of a child refugee’s struggle in a world crisscrossed by hostile borders.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Ebo is alone. His brother, Kwame, has disappeared, and Ebo knows it can only be to attempt the hazardous journey to Europe, and a better life—the same journey their sister set out on months ago.

But Ebo refuses to be left behind in Ghana. He sets out after Kwame and joins him on the quest to reach Europe. Ebo’s epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his family.

Reviews & Accolades
“This achingly poignant graphic novel by Colfer and Donkin, collaborators on the Artemis Fowl graphic novels, imagines how one Ghanaian orphan ends up adrift in the Mediterranean. Ebo’s older sister Sisi is already in Europe, and he knows his brother Kwame is headed there, too, so Ebo sets out to find him. It’s clear that he succeeds, because the story opens on a scene of the two brothers drifting without food or water on the ocean. But in flashbacks, they see Ebo searching for Kwame in a teeming refugee hub in Niger. Punchy dialogue and wistful narration note both Ebo’s poverty and his gifts: optimism (“I’m stronger than I look,” he tells a boss), a talent for singing, and initiative (he parlays a box of wet wipes into cash by selling them one by one). Water is precious, and Ebo and Kwame endure periods of intense thirst. Rigano brings the brothers’ struggle close, but his magnificent panels include moments of beauty, too. Clouds tower above the ocean, and starry skies light the desert. Refugees, readers will understand, are not statistics; everyone is an individual.”  —Publishers Weekly  (Starred Review)

“Twelve-year-old Ebo’s tale doesn’t begin on the raft on his way to Europe. It doesn’t begin as he works in the streets of Tripoli, Libya, to earn his fare. It doesn’t begin with the journey across the Sahara or even in his home of Ghana. It starts when his brother, Kwame, leaves home to find their sister, Sisi, long departed for Europe. Not content with a life of poverty, Ebo, too, takes off, close on his brother’s heels. Colfer and Donkin gloss over nothing in their portrayal of undocumented immigration, from illness and violence to poverty and corruption. Throughout the months of hard labor he must endure to pay for a ticket, sleeping outdoors and depending on the kindness of strangers, Ebo remains determined. Rigano’s dynamic images keep readers on the edge of their seats, and the portrayal of tenacious Ebo is elegant but unromanticized. In a scene toward the end, in which rescue is uncertain, the authors firmly assert that no human is illegal; Ebo says, “They must help us, we are people.” The novel concludes with a starkly illustrated true account of an immigrant who faced trauma in her quest for a better life. A thrilling and moving addition to any collection, and ideal supplemental reading in classes where students are studying immigration.”
—School Library Journal

“Ebo is known across his village for his beautiful singing voice, but will his voice keep him safe in his journey to the shores of Europe? Readers follow the flight of Ebo, a Ghanaian refugee child, to Europe to find the siblings who fled before him. Ebo’s journey takes him across the scorching heat of the Sahara and through the streets of Tripoli, where he works to raise funds for passage across the Mediterranean. All the while, Ebo and the companions he meets along the way must elude the watchful eyes of the authorities who are constantly on alert for refugees. But after Ebo finally saves enough money and secures a seat on a boat crossing to Greece, he finds himself on the brink of death. Like all the others, it is too crowded; the engine is broken; and the fuel is slowly running out. Authors and illustrator take readers back and forth through time, building suspense as Ebo’s story of survival unfolds. The format allows sensitive and difficult topics such as murder, death, and horrific, traumatizing conditions to unfold for children, Ebo’s reactions speaking volumes and dramatic perspectives giving a sense of scope. A creators’ note provides factual context, and an appendix offers an Eritrean refugee’s minimemoir in graphic form. Action-filled and engaging but considerate of both topic and audience, Ebo’s story effectively paints a picture of a child refugee’s struggle in a world crisscrossed by hostile borders.”
—Kirkus Reviews  (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Ghanaian

Themes
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Human Rights
Immigration
Refugee Life
Separation & Reunion
Sibling Relationship
Survival
Trauma
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Ghana
Europe (Unspecified)

Engagement Projects & Resources
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The Distance Between Us:
Young Readers Edition
By Reyna Grande
Published by Aladdin
Age Range: 10+

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“…offers a humanizing window into the Mexican American experience.”
—School Library Journal

Description
Award-winning author Reyna Grande shares her compelling experience of crossing borders and cultures in this middle grade adaptation of her “compelling…unvarnished, resonant” (BookPage) memoir, The Distance Between Us.

When her parents make the dangerous and illegal trek across the Mexican border in pursuit of the American dream, Reyna and her siblings are forced to live with their stern grandmother, as they wait for their parents to build the foundation of a new life.

But when things don’t go quite as planned, Reyna finds herself preparing for her own journey to “El Otro Lado” to live with the man who has haunted her imagination for years: her long-absent father. Both funny and heartbreaking, The Distance Between Us beautifully captures the struggle that Reyna and her siblings endured while trying to assimilate to a different culture, language, and family life in El Otro Lado (The Other Side).

Reviews & Accolades
“In this adaptation of her memoir, award-winning author Grande chronicles her life, from living in Guerrero, Mexico, as a child to attending college in the United States. Themes of poverty, survival, undocumented immigration, health concerns, and domestic violence are juxtaposed against her deep yearning to experience her parents’ unconditional love and support and a hunger to excel academically. Throughout the book, she describes how she struggled to hold family relationships and her own identity together under the relentless strains of an immigrant experience. Strong sibling bonds provided support as Grande doggedly worked toward academic success and her dream of college and a place to find peace. This honest first-person account may be a mirror for many readers, allowing them to see reflections of their own strengths, possibilities, and hopes. For others, it offers a humanizing window into the Mexican American experience. An important addition to any library serving middle grade students, given its compelling narrative and the gap it fills in the available memoir subgenre for this level.”
—School Library Journal

“This moving coming-of-age memoir by novelist Grande was a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist in 2012. It has now been adapted for a younger audience. The grown-up Grande writes credibly in the voice of her younger self about growing up in Iguala de la Independencia in southern Mexico. The book starts as her mother is leaving for the United States to join her husband, who left two years before. Grande and her older siblings are left in their grandmother’s care. Life in Iguala is one of grinding poverty and abusive treatment. Their parents have left with the dream of earning enough money to build a house back in Iguala; meanwhile the children have their own dream of being reunited with their parents and once more being a family. As Grande’s parents’ marriage collapses, their mother returns only to leave again and again. Eventually, their father takes them to the U.S. The author describes a life that, though different, is not easy on the other side of the border. They must live in fear of deportation, learn a new language, cower under their father’s abusive treatment, and make do, always on the financial edge. Though redacted for young readers, this edition pulls no punches, and its frank honesty does not read “young” in any way. Read this along with Francisco Jiménez’s biographical series, starting with The Circuit (1997). This heartrending and thoughtful memoir puts a human face on immigration’s personal toll.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Mexican American

Themes
#OwnVoices
Bi-racial Identity
Bilingual
Building Futures
Citizenship
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Immigration
Migrant Life
Separation & Reunion
Survival
Trauma
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Mexico
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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La Linea
By Ann Jaramillo
Published by Square Fish
Age Range: 10+

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“A Mexican teen risks everything to emigrate illegally to the U.S. to join his family and find a new life.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Miguel has dreamed of joining his parents in California since the day they left him behind in Mexico six years, eleven months, and twelve days ago. On the morning of his fifteenth birthday, Miguel’s wait is over.
Or so he thinks. The trip north to the border—la línea—is fraught with dangers. Thieves. Border guards. And a grueling, two-day trek across the desert. It would be hard enough to survive alone. But it’s almost impossible with his tagalong sister in tow.

Their money gone and their hopes nearly dashed, Miguel and his sister have no choice but to hop the infamous mata gente as it races toward the border. As they cling to the roof of the speeding train, they hold onto each other, and to their dreams. But they quickly learn that you can’t always count on dreams—even the ones that come true.

Reviews & Accolades
“Six years ago, Miguel and Elena’s mother and father left Mexico and crossed la l’nea into California. On the morning of Miguel’s 15th birthday, he receives a note from his father telling him that it is time for him to join them. Miguel is sad to leave his grandmother and sister behind, but is excited about being reunited with his parents. Unbeknownst to Miguel, Elena, 13, disguises herself and joins him on the difficult journey. They are robbed, threatened, and almost perish in a desperate trek across the desert. The pacing of the plot is quick and driven, and the characters are realistically drawn. They interact as true siblings do, sometimes with love and sometimes not. Cultural and geographical background information is expertly woven into the novel. The author creates a mood of desperation and anxiety as the story unfolds and Miguel and Elena discover that crossing la l’nea will forever change the way they look at themselves and the world. Although the epilogue illuminates their lives as adults, the novel ends abruptly, leaving readers without the anticipated emotional release of their reunion with their parents.”
—School Library Journal

“A Mexican teen risks everything to emigrate illegally to the U.S. to join his family and find a new life. Biding his time for six years in a backwater Mexican village, Miguel, his younger sister Elena and his grandmother survive on money his parents send monthly from California. Miguel is convinced his future also lies across la l’nea in California. On Miguel’s 15th birthday, his father finally sends money and instructions for Miguel to head north. But Miguel’s careful plans disintegrate when he discovers Elena has followed him. After their bus is diverted south and their money stolen, they are on their own and their only option is to steal a ride on the infamous mata gente, a freight train heading north known as the “people killer.” If they survive the ride, they still face a two-day desert trek across the U.S. border. Despite their brother-sister antipathy, Miguel and Elena stick together, escaping one danger after another to cross the border and discover what lies on the other side. A nail-biting real-life adventure.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Mexican

Themes
Building Futures
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Immigration
Sibling Relationship
Survival
Trauma
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Mexico
United States

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Someone Like Me
By Julissa Arce
Published by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Age Range: 10+

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“A beautiful tale of love, perseverance, and survival. Arce gives readers a poignant and heart-wrenching window into the pain and anxiety endured by immigrant families separated by the border in a time when we desperately need it. She’s an inspiration to all Americans.”
―Sara Saedi, author of Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card

Description
Born in the picturesque town of Taxco, Mexico, Julissa Arce was left behind for months at a time with her two sisters, a nanny, and her grandma while her parents worked tirelessly in America in hopes of building a home and providing a better life for their children. That is, until her parents brought Julissa to Texas to live with them. From then on, Julissa secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant, went on to become a scholarship winner and an honors college graduate, and climbed the ladder to become a vice president at Goldman Sachs.

This moving, at times heartbreaking, but always inspiring story will show young readers that anything is possible. Julissa’s story provides a deep look into the little-understood world of a new generation of undocumented immigrants in the United States today–kids who live next door, sit next to you in class, or may even be one of your best friends.

Groups Represented
Mexican
Mexican American

Themes
Citizenship
Family Separation
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Immigration
Migrant Life
Separation & Reunion
Sibling Relationship
Survival
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Mexico
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Wishtree
By Katherine Applegate
Published by Feiwel & Friends
Age Range: 10+

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“Most moving commentary I’ve read on the anti-immigration movement—without mentioning bans or walls or presidents.”
—New York Times

Description
Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood “wishtree”—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red’s branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red’s hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood.

You might say Red has seen it all.

Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red’s experience as a wishtree is more important than ever.

Funny, deep, warm, and nuanced, this is Katherine Applegate at her very best—writing from the heart, and from a completely unexpected point of view.

Reviews & Accolades
“Leave it to a children’s books writer to produce the most moving commentary I’ve read on the anti-immigration movement—without mentioning bans or walls or presidents. What’s more, this is a tale told by…a tree. Never mind the kids. Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree is a beautifully written, morally bracing story that will leave its imprint on a reader of any age…Applegate has a quirky imagination and a deft touch…Even if you are old enough to be a grandmother, you can almost believe Red’s story is real. Middle-grade readers will no doubt be charmed by the way creatures talk, and they might be challenged to puzzle out some things, like who speaks Yoruba. They’ll learn just enough science (to say nothing of current events) to be satisfied that this story is grounded in a familiar world. The book’s message—and the grace Applegate locates in children’s hearts—will not escape anyone.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“The simplicity of Newbery Medalist Applegate’s graceful novel contrasts powerfully with the prejudice it confronts. Narration comes from Red, an enormous red oak near an elementary school that also serves as a “wishtree” for the neighborhood—once a year, residents deposit wishes in Red’s branches and hollows. Though trees aren’t supposed to talk to humans, Red cares for them deeply, especially when a lonely girl named Samar and her Muslim family move into the neighborhood and receive a chilly, then hostile, reception: a boy carves “Leave” into Red’s trunk, and the family endures taunts and other abuses. “I love people dearly,” Red muses. “And yet. Two hundred and sixteen rings, and I still haven’t figured them out.” Applegate creates strong parallel between these threats and those that Red faces, as neighborhood matriarch Francesca contemplates cutting the tree down. As tension escalates in both the natural and human realms, Red’s openhearted voice and generosity of spirit bring perspective gained over centuries of observation. It’s a distinctive call for kindness, delivered by an unforgettable narrator.”  —Publishers Weekly  (Starred Review)

“Newbery Award—winning author Applegate meets high expectations in this tale told by a tree named Red, a red oak who is “two hundred and sixteen rings old.” Touching on religious bigotry and the environment, Applegate keeps the emphasis on her characters, the many animals and birds who find shelter in the tree’s branches all year round. (All the birds and animals have names and the power to talk, just like Red.) Around the first of May, people write down their wishes on pieces of cloth and hang them from the tree’s branches, giving Red a special place in the community. The pacing starts out slowly, with early chapters focused almost entirely on the natural world, but eventually readers meet the human at the novel’s center. Samar, a recent Muslim refugee, is lonely and in need of a friend. A nameless boy uses the tree to convey hateful messages to Samar and her family. The owner of the tree is tired of roots in the plumbing and hopes all the nastiness will disappear if the tree is cut down, having forgotten the story of her ancestors and the beginning of all the wishes. Red decides to intervene and ask for help from the animals and birds. Even those who shy away from books with talking animals will find this believable fantasy elegant and poignant. Widening the appeal is a sparse word count, making this a great choice for a family or classroom read-aloud and an inviting option for reluctant readers. Another stunning effort from Applegate. This thoughtful read is a top choice for middle graders.”  —School Library Journal  (Starred Review)

“Generations of human and animal families grow and change, seen from the point of view of the red oak Wishing Tree that shelters them all. Most trees are introverts at heart. So says Red, who is over 200 years old and should know. Not to mention that they have complicated relationships with humans. But this tree also has perspective on its animal friends and people who live within its purview—not just witnessing, but ultimately telling the tales of young people coming to this country alone or with family. An Irish woman named Maeve is the first, and a young 10-year-old Muslim girl named Samar is the most recent. Red becomes the repository for generations of wishes; this includes both observing Samar’s longing wish and sporting the hurtful word that another young person carves into their bark as a protest to Samar’s family’s presence. (Red is monoecious, they explain, with both male and female flowers.) Newbery medalist Applegate succeeds at interweaving an immigrant story with an animated natural world and having it all make sense. As Red observes, animals compete for resources just as humans do, and nature is not always pretty or fair or kind. This swiftly moving yet contemplative read is great for early middle grade, reluctant or tentative readers, or precocious younger students. A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph.”
—Kirkus Reviews  (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Muslim American

Themes
Allegory
Community
Cultural Differences
Immigration

Setting
Not specified

Engagement Projects & Resources
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America Border Culture Dreamer
By Wendy Ewald
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Age Range: 10+

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“Messy and thrilling, flawed and often brilliant.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
In a unique collaboration with photographer and educator Wendy Ewald, eighteen immigrant teenagers create an alphabet defining their experiences in pictures and words. Wendy helped the teenagers pose for and design the photographs, interviewing them along the way about their own journeys and perspectives.

America Border Culture Dreamer presents Wendy and the students’ poignant and powerful images and definitions along with their personal stories of change, hardship, and hope. Created in a collaboration with Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, this book casts a new light on the crucial, under-heard voices of teenage immigrants themselves, making a vital contribution to the timely national conversation about immigration in America.

Groups Represented
Immigrant Teenagers

Themes
Advocacy
Bi-racial Identity
Celebration
Community
Identity
Immigration
Migrant Life
The Arts

Setting
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Child Soldier
By Jessica Dee Humphreys, Michel Chikwanine
Illustrated by Claudia Davila
Published by Kids Can Press, Limited
Age Range: 10+

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“An enlightening, accessible, and, above all, child-friendly introduction to the issue.”   —School Library Journal (Starred Review)

Description
Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his school-yard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel’s experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Dávila’s illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful.

The back matter contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children’s rights and even bullying. Michel’s actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: “If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.”

Reviews & Accolades
“Chikwanine, who was abducted by a rebel militia at age five and now works as a public speaker and activist, describes a childhood filled with horrors, heartbreak, and hope growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1990s. Writing with Humphreys, he begins with a capsule history of the region’s instabilities before moving on to his early life in the city of Beni; his father was a human rights lawyer, while his mother sold fish and fabric at the market. After Chikwanine and some friends are abducted during an after-school soccer game, the direct first-person narration lays bare the boy’s confusion and pain: “Every day was hard and terrible, filled with fear, torture and death.” Dávila’s panel sequences temper the story’s atrocities, but only slightly: readers see the sandal-clad foot of the friend Chikwanine was forced to kill; elsewhere, bodies hang from trees while he is shown holding a rifle as large as he is. Chikwanine escaped the rebels not long after, but his family’s troubles were just beginning. Back matter provides extensive information about the use of child soldiers worldwide.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a child soldier at age five, Chikwanine tells his painful yet ultimately uplifting story with help from coauthor Humphreys and artist Dávila. Though there was unrest in his country, Michel lived a happy, carefree existence with his parents and sisters—until one day after school he was abducted by soldiers. He lived in a state of terror and exhaustion while he underwent training, until he was able to escape and return to his family. However, more trauma lay ahead. Chikwanine, Humphreys, and Dávila handle this difficult subject sensitively; readers are informed that “these events did not occur out of the blue and won’t suddenly happen to you.” The authors gloss over some details to keep the story age appropriate, but they do acknowledge some difficult truths. Chikwanine’s narration is matter of fact but never didactic, emphasizing less the gruesome details and more young Michel’s emotional response and attempts to make sense of the world around him. Earthy hued and gentle, the images make a potentially disturbing topic accessible. Dávila foregoes blood and gore for more delicate, effective ways of depicting fear and danger, such as using darker hues, extreme close-ups, and dramatic angles. Several pages of back matter provide more information on Chikwanine’s life, child soldiers in general, and resources for those who want to get involved combating this problem. An enlightening, accessible, and, above all, child-friendly introduction to the issue.”
—School Library Journal  (Starred Review)

“An ex-child soldier tells his horrifying tale, beginning with being kidnapped at the age of 5 and forced to kill his best friend. Graphic in format but not detail, co-author Chikwanine’s narrative begins with his arrival in Canada, then flashes back to the early 1990s and happy childhood days in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These quickly end in terror as a ragged band of militia snatch him up with schoolmates, blindfold him, put a gun in his hands, and cajole him into pulling the trigger. “Your family will never take you back now. We are your only family.” He escapes and discovers otherwise, but the trauma stays with him through flight to a refugee camp in Uganda and immigration to a strange, snowy country. In her large, paneled illustrations Dávila steers clear of explicit violence, using facial expressions to convey vividly the rebels’ brutality, the shock of their child captives, and the narrator’s emotional scars. His initial impression that North America’s young people seem preoccupied by trivial concerns ultimately broadens into a hopeful note as he goes on to become a speaker and activist. Further information about his work, plus a Q-and-A about child soldiers worldwide and annotated lists of organizations and other resources close this affecting but not strident call to action. The visual element gives this memoir particular immediacy for audiences who “don’t understand what is happening right now, to kids just like them.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Congolese

Themes
#OwnVoices
Child Soldiers
Family Separation
Historical
Loss of Childhood
Migrant Life
Survival
Trauma
War

Setting
Congo
Canada

Engagement Projects & Resources
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The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle
By Victoria Williamson
Published by Floris Books
Age Range: 10+

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“…Williamson movingly makes it clear that working-class solidarity traverses borders, race, ethnicity, and religion.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Reema runs to remember the life she left behind in Syria.

Caylin runs to find what she’s lost.

Under the gray Glasgow skies, twelve-year-old refugee Reema is struggling to find her place in a new country, with a new language and without her brother. But she isn’t the only one feeling lost. Her Glasgwegian neighbor Caylin is lonely and lashing out.

When they discover an injured fox and her cubs hiding on their estate, the girls form a wary friendship. And they are more alike than they could have imagined: they both love to run.

As Reema and Caylin learn to believe again, in themselves and in others, they find friendship, freedom and the discovery that home isn’t a place, it’s the people you love.

Heartfelt and full of hope, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle is an uplifting story about the power of friendship and belonging. Inspired by her work with young asylum seekers, debut novelist Victoria Williamson’s stunning story of displacement and discovery will speak to anyone who has ever asked ‘where do I belong?’

Reviews & Accolades
“Reema and Caylin live in the same apartment building in Glasgow. Reema recently resettled there after fleeing Syria with her family as refugees, but both Reema and Caylin are struggling: to make friends, to help their families, and to fit in. Although seemingly from different worlds, Reema and Caylin have a lot in common. They are both fierce but caring and have both suffered tremendous loss; Reema lost her home in Syria, and Caylin lost her grandparents and, as a result, her mother, who’s fallen into alcoholism. But more than anything, the two can run like the wind. After finding a young fox in the back shed of the apartment building, the two begin to bond over caring for the fox and her newborn babies. Caylin, who turned inward and isolated after her grandparents died and her mother lapsed, begins to open up to Reema, who is steadily growing accustomed to her new life. By alternating the two girls’ first-person narrations (punctuating them with the fox’s voice in verse), Williamson allows readers to quickly relate to both white Glaswegian Caylin and Syrian-immigrant Reema, seeing in them reflections of the many problems children face around the world today. Her writing is culturally sensitive, incorporating various Arabic phrases and Islamic practices without Orientalizing them or sensationalizing the circumstances. With her two characters, Williamson movingly makes it clear that working-class solidarity traverses borders, race, ethnicity, and religion.”
—Kirkus Reviews  (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Scottish
Syrian

Themes
Community
Cross-Group Friendship
Cultural Differences
Cultural Identity
Family Death
Family Relationships
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Identity
Immigration
Learning English
Refugee Life

Setting
Scotland

Engagement Projects & Resources
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The Thing About Luck
By Cynthia Kadohata
Illustrated by Julia Kuo
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9781416918820
Age Range: 10+

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“Readers who peel back the layers of obsessions and fears will find a character who is determined, compassionate and altogether delightful.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan—right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.

The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss’s cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own.

Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished—but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family.

Cynthia Kadohata’s ode to the breadbasket of America has received six starred reviews and was selected as a National Book Award Finalist.

Reviews & Accolades
“Fans of Kadohata’s Kira-Kira (S & S, 2004) will welcome this similarly gentle, character-driven exploration of familial bonds, this time set in the contemporary Midwest. With their parents called away to care for relatives in Japan, 12-year-old Summer and her younger brother, Jaz, accompany their grandparents, performing the grueling work that comes with the harvest season. In her likable voice, Summer observes the varying excitement, tedium, and challenges of harvesting wheat, sprinkling her narration with casual turns of phrase such as “OMG” and “epic fail” that will endear her to readers. Strong family ties suffuse this novel with a tremendous amount of heart. Though Summer’s brother has been diagnosed with a number of disorders, she prefers to think of him as simply “intense,” and, like most siblings, is alternately protective of and annoyed by his idiosyncrasies. Her grandparents, comically strict Obaachan and kindly Jiichan, bring warmth and humor with their cultural and generational differences. Kadohata expertly captures the uncertainties of the tween years as Summer navigates the balance of childlike concerns with the onset of increasingly grown-up responsibilities. She ponders the fragility of life after a brush with death from malaria, experiences newfound yearnings upon becoming preoccupied with a boy, and bravely steps up to save the day when her grandfather falls ill. The book’s leisurely pace and extensive information about grain harvesting require some amount of patience from readers, but their investment will be rewarded by Summer’s satisfying journey to self-actualization.”
—School Library Journal  (Starred Review)

“It seems that if Summer’s Japanese American family didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Certainly good luck (kouun) is elusive. Consider that Summer has had malaria; her little brother, Jaz, is friendless; her parents have to fly to Japan to take care of elderly relatives; and her grandmother (Obaachan) and grandfather (Jii-chan) must pay the mortgage by coming out of retirement to work for a custom harvesting company. When the siblings accompany their grandparents on the harvest, Summer helps her grandmother, a cook, while Jaz is Jaz: intense, focused, and bad-tempered. At first, things go reasonably well, but then Jii-chan becomes sick, and it appears that it might be up to Summer to save the day. Will she succeed? Kadohata has written a gentle family story that is unusual in its focus on the mechanics of wheat harvesting. Readers may skim the more arcane aspects of the labor-intensive work, focusing instead on the emotionally rich and often humorous dynamics of Summer’s relationship with her old-fashioned but endearing grandparents and her troubled younger brother. Another engaging novel from the Newbery Medal–winning Kadohata.”
—Booklist  (Starred Review)

“Twelve-year-old narrator Summer lives with her brother, parents, and grandparents in Kansas in this funny, poignant novel that will give urban and suburban readers a glimpse of contemporary rural life. Summer explains how wheat farmers hire custom harvesters (independent contractors who own farming equipment), who in turn hire people like her parents to drive the combines all over the Midwest. But ever since Summer almost died from malaria, infected by a “rogue mosquito,” her family has been down on its luck. Now her parents have been summoned to Japan to care for dying elderly relatives and won’t be able to go “on harvest” this year. Money is tight, so Summer’s grandfather, Jiichan, comes out of retirement to drive a combine, while her grandmother, Obaachan, cooks for the work crew (with Summer as her assistant). It’s a hard life, but Summer’s chatty narrative and her grandparents’ terse humor manage to keep things light. Obaachan complains that her frizzy-haired granddaughter looks like “Yoko Ono, 1969”; Jiichan is forever clutching at his heart in reaction to such things as Teflon pans (“invented by someone who care more about easy than about good”). Summer’s first crush, her mosquito obsession, her notebook sketches—even her descriptive details about harvesting—add layers of interest. When a crisis hits, Summer gathers her courage and saves the situation; her exultance makes for an uplifting conclusion. She believes that when something—like a mosquito—almost kills you, you’re bonded to it for life; readers will see this is also true for Summer’s bond with Obaachan (whose harsh words mask her love) and with the backbreaking but satisfying work of harvesting.”
—Horn Book

“Sharp characterizations and descriptive details about modern farming invigorate Newbery Medalist Kadohata’s (Kira-Kira) funny and warm story about the Japanese-American daughter of migrant workers. Twelve-year-old Summer’s family has suffered a year of bad luck that included Summer’s near-fatal contraction of malaria and her parents’ departure to Japan to be with ailing relatives. In order to make ends meet, Summer’s grandparents come out of retirement to work for custom harvesters, which requires them to travel throughout the Midwest. Taking time off from school to accompany them, Summer reflects on her paranoia about mosquitoes, her lonely younger brother’s inability to make friends, and her annoyance at her sharp-tongued grandmother. During a time of crisis, however, Summer must set her concerns aside to rise to a challenge. Lively dialogue and a succinct narrative laced with humor effectively convey Summer’s emotions, observations, and courage. Readers will relate to her uncertainties and admire both her compassion and her work ethic.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Twelve-year-old Summer and her Japanese-American family work every harvest season to earn money to pay their mortgage. But this year, they face unprecedented physical and emotional challenges. It has been a particularly hard-luck year. Among other strange occurrences, Summer was bitten by a stray, diseased mosquito and nearly died of malaria, and her grandmother suffers from sudden intense spinal pain. Now her parents must go to Japan to care for elderly relatives. So Summer, her brother and their grandparents must take on the whole burden of working the harvest and coping with one emergency after another. She writes a journal chronicling the frightening and overwhelming events, including endless facts about the mosquitoes she fears, the harvest process and the farm machinery that must be conquered. As the season progresses, her relationships with her grandparents and her brother change and deepen, reflecting her growing maturity. Her grandparents’ Japanese culture and perspective are treated lovingly and with gentle humor, as are her brother’s eccentricities. Kadohata makes all the right choices in structure and narrative. Summer’s voyage of self-discovery engages readers via her narration, her journal entries and diagrams, and even through her assigned book report of A Separate Peace. Readers who peel back the layers of obsessions and fears will find a character who is determined, compassionate and altogether delightful.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Japanese American

Themes
Bi-racial Identity
Child Labor
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Grandparents & Intergenerational
Identity
Migrant Life
Sibling Relationship
Survival
Trauma

Setting
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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I Lived on Butterfly Hill
By Marjorie Agosin
Illustrated by Lee White
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9781416994022
Age Range: 10+

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“Agosín has woven a historical story that draws on her own life experiences, with themes of exile, the quest for justice, and the power of the written word to preserve history.”  —School Library Journal

Description
Celeste Marconi is a dreamer. She lives peacefully among friends and neighbors and family in the idyllic town of Valparaiso, Chile—until one day when warships are spotted in the harbor and schoolmates start disappearing from class without a word. Celeste doesn’t quite know what is happening, but one thing is clear: no one is safe, not anymore.

The country has been taken over by a government that declares artists, protestors, and anyone who helps the needy to be considered “subversive” and dangerous to Chile’s future. So Celeste’s parents—her educated, generous, kind parents—must go into hiding before they, too, “disappear.” Before they do, however, they send Celeste to America to protect her.

As Celeste adapts to her new life in Maine, she never stops dreaming of Chile. But even after democracy is restored to her home country, questions remain: Will her parents reemerge from hiding? Will she ever be truly safe again?

Accented with interior artwork, steeped in the history of Pinochet’s catastrophic takeover of Chile, and based on many true events, this multicultural ode to the power of revolution, words, and love is both indelibly brave and heartwrenchingly graceful.

Reviews & Accolades
“Agosín’s rich, expansive novel, based on true events in Chile during the 1970s, covers three turbulent years in Celeste Marconi’s life. Sixth-grader Celeste, surrounded by a loving family and lively friends, basks in the natural beauty of coastal Valparaíso, befriending pelicans, dreaming, and writing on her rooftop, which overlooks the harbor. Her idyllic life abruptly ends when a dictatorship takes over Chile, killing the Socialist president and removing his supporters—people like Celeste’s idealistic parents, doctors who run a clinic for the poor. Classmates begin to disappear, her parents go into hiding, and Celeste is sent to a small Maine town to live with her aunt, where she struggles with homesickness, anxiety about her parents, learning English, and making friends. As Celeste slowly comes to feel comfortable in Maine, Agosín explores the relentless mixed emotions of having two homes especially well. “It’s like I have one foot on Juliette Cove and the other in Butterfly Hill,” thinks Celeste. The book’s length and broad scope may intimidate some readers, but the realistically bittersweet ending is rewarding.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Celeste is a sixth-grader living in Valparaíso, Chile. Her life is idyllic, full of a loving, multigenerational family, a home she finds inspiring, and good friends. Things take a drastic turn when Valparaíso starts being affected by what Celeste’s parents call “earthquakes of the soul”—the country falls under the grip of a ruthless dictator who is determined to eliminate dissent. Friends start disappearing, and Celeste’s parents, who are seen as subversives for their work helping the disadvantaged, go into hiding. Celeste is sent to live with her aunt in the United States, where she struggles to acclimate, and to understand the larger picture of what is happening at home. Agosín has woven a historical story that draws on her own life experiences, with themes of exile, the quest for justice, and the power of the written word to preserve history. The story mirrors, but does not directly reference, the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet and its accompanying turmoil. The language is poetic and full of imagery and, while the book is long, it moves at a smooth pace. Occasional illustrations reflect the mood of each phase of the story. This is Agosín’s first book for a younger audience, and she has managed to capture the wide-eyed curiosity and confusion of her narrator. Given its length and weighty themes, this book is best suited for serious readers.”
—School Library Journal

“With a loving and financially secure family and a close group of friends, 11-year-old Celeste’s life in Valparaíso, Chile, is relatively carefree—until the coup that unseats the president and establishes a dictatorship. People begin to be disappeared. Her parents, both doctors running a clinic for the poor, are now subversives who must go into hiding in order to keep themselves and Celeste safe. As the situation worsens, Celeste herself must leave her homeland to stay with her aunt in faraway Maine. She spends three years in this cold and solitary land. As she finally begins to fit in, the time comes to return home. She finds her country different, filled with the fog of sadness. But she also finds opportunities: to reconnect, rebuild and forgive. Though the size and scope of this novel may appear daunting, the beautiful language, compelling characters and short chapters make it a captivating read. For some, the extensive denouement may go on a touch too long, but most will be pleased to have a little extra time with Celeste as she and her community rebuild their lives in a new Chile. Award-winning Chilean author and poet Agosín’s debut for young people is a lyrically ambitious tale of exile and reunification.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Groups Represented
Chilean

Themes
#OwnVoices
Cultural Differences
Cultural Identity
Family Relationships
Family Separation
Fleeing Persecution
Historical
Immigration
Learning English
Migrant Life
Separation & Reunion
Survival
Trauma
War

Setting
Chile
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Nowhere Boy
By Katherine Marsh
Published by Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781250307576
Age Range: 10+

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“…well-crafted and suspenseful novel touches on the topics of refugees and immigrant integration, terrorism, Islam, Islamophobia, and the Syrian war with sensitivity and grace.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Description
Nowhere Boy is a timely, poignant tale of family, sacrifice and the friendship between a young Syrian refugee and an American boy living in Brussels.

Fourteen-year-old Ahmed is stuck in a city that wants nothing to do with him. Newly arrived in Brussels, Belgium, Ahmed fled a life of uncertainty and suffering in Syria, only to lose his father on the perilous journey to the shores of Europe. Now Ahmed’s struggling to get by on his own, but with no one left to trust and nowhere to go, he’s starting to lose hope.

Then he meets Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy. Lonely and homesick, Max is struggling at his new school and just can’t seem to do anything right. But with one startling discovery, Max and Ahmed’s lives collide and a friendship begins to grow. Together, Max and Ahmed’ will defy the odds, learning from each other what it means to be brave and how hope can change your destiny.

Set against the backdrop of the Syrian refugee crisis, award-winning author Katherine Marsh delivers a gripping, heartwarming story of resilience, friendship and everyday heroes.

Reviews & Accolades/>
“Uprooted from their homelands through vastly different circumstances, two teenage boys form an unusual friendship in present-day Brussels. After a bomb kills Ahmed’s mother and sisters, he and his father undertake a treacherous journey from Syria to Greece, but Ahmed arrives alone, his father lost at sea and presumed dead. Once in Belgium, desperate to avoid yet another “reception center… human pens where refugees were crowded together, given expired food, and hollered at by impatient guards,” he flees, sneaking into the basement of a house on Avenue Albert Jonnart, named after a man who hid a Jewish teenager during WWII. Max, a misfit American teen who has just arrived at this house with his family, is grudgingly repeating sixth grade at the nearby “School of Misery.” Alternate chapters share each boy’s perspective with humor and pathos, capturing their sense of profound isolation and fear until they meet each other. Soon Max feels inspired to follow Jonnart’s example. Through the boys’ deepening friendship, Marsh (The Night Tourist) offers a timely and entertaining tale of suspense and intrigue while eloquently conveying the courage necessary to trust another person in a climate rife with fear, suspicion, and ethical dilemmas.”
—Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

“Fourteen-year-old Ahmed flees war-torn Syria with his father after a bomb kills the rest of their family. His father jumps from the leaky raft he and other escaping refugees are on to prevent it from sinking in the middle of the Mediterranean. A rogue wave sweeps him away and Ahmed’s loss mounts. A fellow refugee takes him in and they eventually join a refugee tent camp in Brussels. But anti-Muslim sentiment is running high in Belgium. When the tent city is shut down, Ahmed, terrified of being returned, runs away and takes shelter in the sub-basement of a home. The home is newly occupied by an American family. Max, the 13-year-old son, is furious with his parents for uprooting him from his friends and forcing him to learn a new language. He becomes intrigued with the history of the house when he learns that a Jewish child was hidden in the basement during World War II. When Max discovers Ahmed and learns his story, the two form a fledgling friendship. Max is not only determined to keep Ahmed hidden, but determined to get him into school. Marsh skillfully weaves the historical parallels with a touching story of friendship. She ratchets up the tension and suspense, until it becomes unbearable; readers will fly through the last hundred pages. VERDICT Thoughtfully touching on immigration, Islamophobia, and terrorism, this novel is a first-purchase. Hands to fans of Alan Gratz’s Refugee.”
—School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

“Two parallel stories, one of a Syrian boy from Aleppo fleeing war, and another of a white American boy, son of a NATO contractor, dealing with the challenges of growing up, intersect at a house in Brussels.Ahmed lost his father while crossing the Mediterranean. Alone and broke in Europe, he takes things into his own hands to get to safety but ends up having to hide in the basement of a residential house. After months of hiding, he is discovered by Max, a boy of similar age and parallel high integrity and courage, who is experiencing his own set of troubles learning a new language, moving to a new country, and being teased at school. In an unexpected turn of events, the two boys and their new friends Farah, a Muslim Belgian girl, and Oscar, a white Belgian boy, successfully scheme for Ahmed to go to school while he remains in hiding the rest of the time. What is at stake for Ahmed is immense, and so is the risk to everyone involved. Marsh invites art and history to motivate her protagonists, drawing parallels to gentiles who protected Jews fleeing Nazi terror and citing present-day political news. This well-crafted and suspenseful novel touches on the topics of refugees and immigrant integration, terrorism, Islam, Islamophobia, and the Syrian war with sensitivity and grace.A captivating book situated in present-day discourse around the refugee crisis, featuring two boys who stand by their high values in the face of grave risk and succeed in drawing goodwill from others.”
—Kirkus Review (STARRED REVIEW)

Groups Represented
Syrian
Moroccan (Secondary Character)

Themes
Civil War
Deportation
Detention
Education & Literacy
Family Death
Family Separation
Immigration
Multicultural Friendship
Refugee Life
Separation & Reunion
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Brussels, Belgium

Engagement Projects & Resources

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Zenobia
By Morten Durr
Illustrated by Lars Horneman
Published by Seven Stories Press
ISBN: 9781609808730
Age Range: 10+

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“Graphic storytelling at its most powerful.”  —Kirkus Reviews

Description
Zenobia was once a great warrior queen of Syria whose reign reached from Egypt to Turkey. She was courageous. No one gave her orders. Once she even went to war against the emperor of Rome.

When things feel overwhelming for Amina, her mother reminds her to think of Zenobia and be strong. Amina is a Syrian girl caught up in a war that reaches her village. To escape the war she boards a small boat crammed with other refugees. The boat is rickety and the turbulent seas send Amina overboard. In the dark water Amina remembers playing hide and seek with her mother and making dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) and the journey she had to undertake with her uncle to escape. And she thinks of the brave warrior Zenobia.

Zenobia is a heartbreaking and all-too-real story of one child’s experience of war. Told with great sensitivity in few words and almost exclusively with pictures, Zenobia is a story for children and adults.

Reviews & Accolades
“As Amina, a young Syrian refugee journeying by sea, is thrown off a boat by a huge wave and sinks into the deep water, she reflects on what brought her here. She remembers playing hide-and-seek and making dolmas with her mother. Her parents left, saying they would be home soon, and her mother reminded her to be strong like Zenobia, the queen of Syria in the old days. When her parents didn’t return, her uncle took her away. Scenes of Amina in the water are illustrated in full color, while her memories are depicted in sepia tones, and striking hues of peach and indigo are used for the story of Zenobia. The comic alternates between large panels and full-page illustrations and is paired with spare text, making it a quick read. Owing to the difference in lengths between the Danish and English translations, some text boxes contain extra white space. Readers may not feel that invested in this moving but slight narrative. There’s little context about the war in Syria, but educators might want to use the book as a jumping-off point for a more detailed discussion. The tale ends on a hopeless note that may be upsetting to sensitive readers. Pair with Eoin Colfer’s Illegal to start a dialogue on refugees and immigration.”  —School Library Journal

“A young Syrian refugee tries to flee the horrors of war in this Danish import. In this nearly wordless graphic novel, Amina is a young Syrian girl living in the midst of violent conflict. Instructed by her parents to wait as they venture out for help, she remains home for days when they don’t come back, as the tanks and fighter planes thunder around her small home. An uncle arrives to inform her that her parents will not be returning and she must leave immediately. With only enough money for a single passage, Amina finds herself alone on an overcrowded boat. In one heart-stopping moment, the congested vessel capsizes, throwing her overboard. While descending into the waves, she recalls happy memories of her parents, playing hide-and-seek and making sarmas with her mother. She also remembers their stories of Zenobia, an ancient Syrian queen who defeated the Romans, and the strength that she signifies. Amina’s journey is tragic and will leave readers with much to reflect upon and discuss. Horneman’s large, compelling, and evocative panels brilliantly portray Amina’s struggles, infusing recollections of joy into moments of terror. Panels alternate between past and present, with the past rendered in a two-color earth-toned scheme and the present depicted in vivid full color. Deceptively spare, this timely and important offering is a must-read, helping bring greater understanding and empathy to a situation that for many feels far away. Graphic storytelling at its most powerful.”
—Kirkus Reviews  (Starred Review)

Groups Represented
Syrian

Themes
Civil War
Family Death
Family Separation
Loss of Childhood
Refugee Life
Survival
Trauma

Setting
Syria

Engagement Projects & Resources
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The Only Road
By Alexandra Diaz
Published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
ISBN-13: 9781481457514
Age Range: 10+

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“An important, must-have addition to the growing body of literature with immigrant themes.”  —School Library Journal

Description
Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead.

Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed—like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Ángela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico.

Inspired by true events, The Only Road is an individual story of a boy who feels that leaving his home and risking everything is his only chance for a better life. The story is “told with heartbreaking honesty,” Booklist raved, and “will bring readers face to face with the harsh realities immigrants go through in the hope of finding a better, safer life, and it will likely cause them to reflect on what it means to be human.”

Reviews & Accolades
“After the murder of their cousin/brother Miguel, Jaime and Ángela (ages 12 and 15) are given the “option” to join the powerful gang controlling their Guatemalan village. A refusal means certain death, so their families make the difficult decision to send the pair north, secretly gathering resources, paying smugglers, and identifying safe houses—all the while aware that their children might not survive the journey. The cousins depart hidden in the bed of a truck with small bags of food and cash concealed in their waistbands. After crossing the Mexican border, they take a bus further north, barely escaping border guards, and briefly stay at a safe church from which they are transported in a locked, airless freight train car. Throughout, the young people experience mercy and loss and observe violence and its results as they walk or ride atop a train, finally reaching a border town. After working to acquire additional cash necessary for a reputable coyote, they cross the Río Bravo and border wall and finally arrive at another refuge center. There are references to violence and sexual abuse, but these are handled in an age-appropriate manner while also reflecting the experiences of many immigrants. Jaime’s first person perspective enables readers to begin to comprehend the realities of undocumented youth immigration, its underlying causes, and the sacrifices and hardships made to reach safety in the United States. An important, must-have addition to the growing body of literature with immigrant themes.”  —School Library Journal  (Starred Review)

“Terrorized and threatened by a local drug gang, a 12-year-old boy and his 15-year-old cousin flee their Guatemalan village and seek refuge in the United States. After the Alphas murder his cousin Miguel for refusing to join, Jaime Rivera receives an ultimatum: join the Alphas or else suffer the same fate. Ángela, Miguel’s older sister, also falls prey to the violent gang’s demands. With little recourse, Jaime and Ángela must journey north to los Estados Unidos, where Jaime’s older brother awaits them. Crossing into Mexico after a nighttime getaway, Jaime and Ángela meet fellow runaway teens, each with different reasons for fleeing home. Their passage, nevertheless, proves treacherous for everyone, child or adult. “La migra, trains, bandits, and more gangs. Everything seemed worse than what they had left behind.” Though Jaime and Ángela’s story features dizzying acts of violence and abuse, Diaz explores such complex, grim matters with great care. The author’s use of third-person narration situates readers at a distance from the horrors that assail the protagonists while at the same time allowing opportunities to dig into Jaime’s grief during crucial moments. It’s Jaime’s sorrow over Miguel’s death that best defines Diaz’s novel, reminding readers of the real-life struggles afflicting many Latin American immigrants every day. Still, not many people get the happy ending served here. A deft, harrowing, yet formulaic sketch of a complex subject.”
—Kirkus Review

Groups Represented
Guatemalan

Themes
Community
Family Death
Family Separation
Gangs
Identity
Immigration
Loss of Childhood
Refugee Life
Survival
Trauma
Undocumented Immigration

Setting
Guatamala
Mexico
United States

Engagement Projects & Resources
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Sea Prayer
By Khaled Hosseini
Published by Penguin Publishing Group
ISBN-13: 9780525539094
Age Range: 10+

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“It is impossible to read without feeling intense compassion for those—and there are thousands—whose lives resemble those of the characters in the book.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Description
A short, powerful, illustrated book written by beloved novelist Khaled Hosseini in response to the current refugee crisis, Sea Prayer is composed in the form of a letter, from a father to his son, on the eve of their journey. Watching over his sleeping son, the father reflects on the dangerous sea-crossing that lies before them. It is also a vivid portrait of their life in Homs, Syria, before the war, and of that city’s swift transformation from a home into a deadly war zone.

Impelled to write this story by the haunting image of young Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed upon the beach in Turkey in September 2015, Hosseini hopes to pay tribute to the millions of families, like Kurdi’s, who have been splintered and forced from home by war and persecution, and he will donate author proceeds from this book to the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) and The Khaled Hosseini Foundation to help fund lifesaving relief efforts to help refugees around the globe.

Khaled Hosseini is one of the most widely read writers in the world, with more than fifty-five million copies of his novels sold worldwide in more than seventy countries. Hosseini is also a Goodwill Envoy to the UNHCR, and the founder of The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

Reviews & Accolades
“Hosseini (The Kite Runner) says he was compelled to write about the refugee crisis after seeing the photograph of Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian who drowned off the coast of Turkey in 2015. Yet Hosseini’s story, aimed at readers of all ages, does not dwell on nightmarish fates; instead, its emotional power flows from the love of a father for his son. Written as a letter, the father begins slowly, recalling for his son, Marwan, the beauty of the Syrian town of Homs as it once was (“We woke in the mornings/ to the stirring of olive trees in the breeze”), then describing the war that destroyed it (“First came the protests./ Then the siege”). Now Marwan and his family sit on a beach, waiting for a boat. The father reassures Marwan: “Hold my hand./ Nothing bad will happen.” Inside, though, he is in turmoil: “These are only words… all I can think tonight is/ how deep the sea,/ and how vast, how indifferent.” In Williams’s loosely stroked ink-and-wash spreads, the corals and greens of the Syrian countryside give way to war’s gray shadows and the sea’s blue hues. Expansive views of sky and water both temper the text’s emotional build and render the figures in them small and fragile. Together, the evocative illustrations and graceful, compelling prose make it clear that Marwan and his parents have no choice but to trust the sea.”
—Publishers Weekly  (Starred Review)

“Short yet powerful, this beautifully illustrated work conveys a heartfelt message about the plight of displaced populations. On a moonlit beach on the eve of a perilous journey across the sea to a better life, a father cradles his sleeping son as he reflects on their life in Homs, Syria, and awaits a boat they hope will take them to safety. He recalls the city’s swift transformation from a peaceful home to a deadly war zone. Written as a fictional letter from a father to his son, Marwan, this poetic story is enhanced by Williams’s moving, ink-washed, watercolor art. Stunning coral/green landscapes are replaced by ominous dull gray images that represent the deterioration of Syria. The combination of text and illustrations, expressed as a prayer, evokes the father’s compassion more than his fear. Although briefer than Hosseini’s other works, this vivid portrait of refugees who left everything behind and endured heartache and loss is no less potent. A poignant offering that will encourage serious conversation about the refugee crisis among readers of all ages. Pair with The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah, Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai, and A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi.”
—School Library Journal

“A poignant letter written by a fearful Syrian father to his son on the eve of a treacherous sea crossing to Europe. Commemorating the third anniversary of the death of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, whose lifeless body, captured on camera, washed up on shore in September 2015, sparking worldwide outrage, this intensely moving story opens with the father’s recollection of the family’s peaceful life in Homs, Syria, before the city was turned into a deadly war zone. Writing in the first person, Hosseini successfully contrasts the father’s Homs, a bustling and lively city before the war, with the one his son has known, a ravaged city marked with bombings, starvation, and burials. The contrast is rendered through Hosseini’s unmatchable lyrical style—but also effectively portrayed on a graphic level through a pronounced change in Williams’ palette, warm greens and ochers modulating to slate-blues and grays in the loose, affecting watercolors. The second portion of the letter is a prayer for a safe journey. It is powerfully evocative of the plight in which displaced populations find themselves, having to undertake a journey known to be unsafe—yet, for many, it is an option they cannot afford not to take. The book reads like an emotional gut-punch…an excruciating one. It is impossible to read without feeling intense compassion for those—and there are thousands—whose lives resemble those of the characters in the book.”
—Kirkus Reviews  (Starred Review)

“Who better than Kite Runner author Hosseini to capture world attention in a work clarifying our understanding of the refugee’s awful yearning and sometimes awful fate? Inspired by the heartrending image of three-year-old Syrian Alan Kurdi, found drowned on Turkey’s shore in September 2015, this brief, illustrated work is presented as a letter from a father to his son, reflecting on the dangerous life they’re leaving behind and the dangerous sea voyage they face.”  —Library Journal

Groups Represented
Syrian

Themes
Civil War
Community
Family Relationships
Historical
Immigration
Loss of Childhood
Refugee Life
Survival
Trauma

Setting
Syria

Engagement Projects & Resources
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A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea
By Melissa Fleming
Published by Flatiron Books
ISBN: 9781250312068
Age Range: 10+

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“Doaa’s eye-opening story, as told by Melissa Fleming, represents the millions of unheard voices of refugees who risk everything in a desperate search for a safe future.”

Description
A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea tells the story of Doaa Al-Zamel, a Syrian girl whose life was upended in 2011 by her country’s brutal civil war. She and her family escape to Egypt, but life soon quickly becomes dangerous for Syrians in that country. Doaa and her fiancé decide to flee to Europe to seek safety and an education, but four days after setting sail on a smuggler’s dilapidated fishing vessel along with five hundred other refugees, their boat is struck and begins to sink…

Doaa’s eye-opening story, as told by Melissa Fleming, represents the millions of unheard voices of refugees who risk everything in a desperate search for a safe future.

Groups Represented
Syrian

Themes
#OwnVoices
Civil War
Immigration
Refugee Life
Survival
Trauma

Setting
Syria
Egypt

Engagement Projects & Resources
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