Gratz, Alan. Refugee. Fiction. Scholastic, 07/2017. 338pp. $16.99. 978-0-545-88083-1. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 6-10.
This powerful novel details the plight of three young refugees—Josef, fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, Isabel, leaving Castro’s Cuba in 1994, and Mahmoud, escaping from the Syrian civil war in 2015. The narrative is direct and honest, never sugarcoating the struggles the children and their families faced. The author manages to connect their stories realistically. By framing the narrative through the experiences of the three children, it successfully humanizes the plight of those so desperate to leave their situations they literally risk their lives in an effort to survive. Maps of each child’s journey and extensive back matter increase the impact of the stories. This book will be a powerful tool for transforming fear of refugees into empathy and understanding.
Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School