BOY, EVERYWHERE by A.M. Dassu

Boy, Everywhere by A.M. Dassu

Realistic Fiction, Immigration & Emigration, Refugees, Syria, Family, Friendship, courage

2021; 397 pages
 

Description

Sami loves his life in Damascus, Syria, but when war breaks out his parents decide they must flee their home for the safety of the UK.

School Library Journal Xpress (February 12, 2021)

Gr 5 Up-"I didn't realize how good life was until it all went wrong" Eighth grader Sami al-Hafez leads a privileged life in Damascus, Syria. His biggest concern used to be whether he and his best friend would make the soccer team. But when his mother and younger sister are injured in a bombing of a local shopping mall, Sami and his family realize that the Syrian civil war is now at their doorstep and they must leave their home. The author not only chronicles Sami's perilous journey from Syria, through Turkey and Greece, and eventually to England, but the difficulty of leaving loved ones behind and starting anew in a country where the laws and people aren't so welcoming. Short chapters help keep the pace of this first-person narrative moving, even when we see Sami waiting for circumstances to change-a situation that is reinforced throughout the story as common to being a refugee. For readers who enjoyed Katherine Marsh's Nowhere Boy or Jasmine Warga's Other Words for Home, this book also offers a fresh perspective and a relatable main character. The text could be paired with Don Brown's graphic nonfiction title The Unwanted for academic purposes. VERDICT Dassu provides a fresh perspective on the Syrian refugee experience, giving readers a glimpse at a range of ordeals. Recommended for purchase.-Monisha Blair, formerly at Rutgers Univ., NJ © Copyright 2021. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments

This is a page-turner with an important perspective. Highly recommended.

A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES by Atia Abawi

A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi

Realistic Fiction, Refugees, Bombings, Civil War

2018: 285 pages

Description
School Library Journal (December 1, 2017)

Gr 7 Up-Told from the point of view of Destiny, this novel focuses on one Syrian family tragically affected by a senseless and brutal war. Tareq, the eldest son, along with his father and young sister, are the only members of their immediate family still alive after their village is bombed. The only practical means of survival is to flee their homeland for Turkey, Greece, and ultimately, Germany, to evade persecution and probable (if not inevitable) death. Abawi presents a gripping, heartbreaking story about the refugee crisis in Syria, and how all wars cruelly impact people, society, and nations. The author does not shy away from many of the barbaric acts of terrorism perpetrated against the anti-establishment Muslim citizens: beheadings followed by vacant-eyed human heads posted on metal spikes to terrorize nonbelievers into compliance. She contrasts this poignantly, memorably, and poetically with the endearing way she describes Tareq and his loving family. Several other characters are introduced. Alexia, an American on vacation in Greece, decides to stay in the country to help. Her story is an integral one as it merges with Tareq's arrival, though the thread ends somewhat abruptly. Overall, Abawi skillfully places humanity enmeshed in war into two sides: the "hunters" who feed on the suffering and the "helpers" who lend a hand. VERDICT An inspiring, timely, and must-have account about the Syrian refugee disaster and the perils of all wars; best supplemented with nonfiction information for research purposes.-Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments

This is an unforgettable book that can do much to inspire compassion and understanding in readers. It can also encourage curiosity to learn more about global unrest. Although there is no gratuitous violence, there are disturbing descriptions as described in the review above, including the implication of rape. These scenes are not dwelled upon and are part of the fabric of the refugee experience. The overwhelming takeaway is the refugees' fear, uncertainty, hunger, cold, loss, and grief. Highly recommended for grades 8 and up.

 

ACROSS SO MANY SEAS by Ruth Behar

Across Many Seas by Ruth Behar

Historical Fiction, Discrimination, Immigration, Refugees, Sephardic Jews

2024; 258 pages

Description Kirkus Reviews starred (December 1, 2023)

Four 12-year-old Sephardic Jewish girls in different time periods leave their homelands but carry their religion, culture, language, music, and heritage with them. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella’s expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 sends Benvenida fleeing from Toledo with her family, though she promises to remember where she came from. In 1923, Reina celebrates Turkish independence with her longtime friend and neighbor, a Muslim boy, causing her strict father to disown her and send her to live with an aunt in Cuba as punishment. Reina brings her mother’s oud with her and passes it on to Alegra, her daughter, who serves as a brigadista in Castro’s literacy campaign before fleeing to the U.S. in 1961. In Miami in 2003, Paloma, Alegra’s daughter, who has an Afro-Cuban dad, is excited to travel to Spain with her family to explore their roots. They find a miraculous connection in Toledo. Woven through all four girls’ stories is the same Ladino song (included with an English translation); as Paloma says, “I’m connected to those who came before me through the power of the words we speak, the words we write, the words we sing, the words in which we tell our dreams.” Behar’s diligent research and her personal connection to this history, as described in a moving author’s note, shine through this story of generations of girls who use music and language to survive, tell their stories, and connect with past and future. Powerful and resonant. (sources) (Historical fiction. 10-15)

My Comments
An informative, accessible book. The plot offers a window into a wide span of history that encompasses the world. I learned so much from this book and was moved by the courage of its characters. Highly recommend for grades 6-8.

OTHER WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga

 

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Realistic Fiction, Novels in Verse, Syrian Immigration, Multicultural, Family

342 pages

Description

Publishers Weekly (February 25, 2019)

Written in first-person free verse, this timely book traces the internal journey of a young Syrian refugee adjusting to a new home and culture in the U.S. When violence erupts near their seaside city, Jude and her pregnant mother flee to Cincinnati to stay with Jude's uncle and his family while her shopkeeper father and activist brother ("He is always talking about change") stay behind. In the U.S., Jude is warmly welcomed by her aunt and uncle but treated with cool indifference by her cousin, who abandons her at school, leaving Jude to navigate seventh grade in a new environment on her own. Jude struggles to fit in among students who "don't look like me," but she remembers her brother's parting words-"Be brave"-and finds comfort with her new friend Layla, whose parents are from Lebanon. Rhythmic lines distill Jude's deepest emotions-homesickness, fear when her brother enters a war zone, shock over prejudice in the U.S., and a sense of victory when she receives a speaking role in the school play. Warga (My Heart and Other Black Holes) effectively shows, as she writes in an author's note, that "children who are fleeing from a war zone... want the same things all of us do-love, understanding, safety, a chance at happiness." Ages 8-12. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

My Comments

A book that will help people of all ages to understand how it feels to be new in a country, to be lonely, homesick and the target of prejudice. It is a book that inspires bravery and kindness.

An accessible read for middle school. Excellent! Highly recommended.

EFREN DIVIDED by Ernesto Cisneros

Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Immigration, Children of Immigrants, Deportation, Mexican-Americans

263 pages

Description
Booklist starred (February 1, 2020 (Vol. 116, No. 11))
Efrén Nava has a tight-knit family—Max and Mia, his younger twin siblings; his hard-working father, Apá; and his mom, Queen of the Best Sopes, Amá (otherwise known as "Soperwoman" in Efrén’s mind), who is the glue that keeps the family together. 
Efrén is happy with the way his life is going—he's working hard at school, spending time with his best friend David, and visiting his school library. But one day, Efrén’s world comes crashing down when his beloved Amá gets deported. Now he must do his part in supporting his family, which means helping take care of his siblings, managing money, and being strong for his father, all while keeping up at school and helping David become class president. How long, he wonders, can the family go on without Amá? With matter-of-fact storytelling from Efrén’s point of view, Cisneros' debut offers a vivid glimpse into the difficult, tenuous lives of immigrant families, succinctly communicates the heartbreaking impact of deportations, and demonstrates the resiliency of those affected, all grounded in the perspective of a relatable protagonist. This timely middle-grade novel will not only open dialogue with children on the issue of immigration but also encourage conversations on the subjects of kindness, empathy, and activism. A moving novel perfectly pitched to its audience.

My Comments

This accessible novel provides material for book group or class discussions on empathy and cultural perspectives. Cisneros shows how fear keeps children of immigrants from sharing their difficulties and heartbreaks with teachers or adults who could help them. Some background information on the Mexico-United States border would be helpful, but Cisneros does a wonderful job portraying the experience of one family that is easily understood by a middle school reader.

 

LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar

 

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

Realistic Fiction, Cuban-Americans, Immigration, Grief, Loss, Coming of Age

243 pages, Pura Belpre Award

ruthbehar.com

Description

Horn Book Magazine (July/August, 2017)

In this novel based on the author’s childhood, Ruthie is just ten years old in 1966 when she arrives in Queens from Cuba with her little brother and parents. Because she only speaks Spanish, she is placed in the fifth-grade “dumb” class. Over the next eight months Ruthie’s English improves, she becomes the neighborhood hopscotch queen, and she’s ready to move out of the remedial class. Life is looking up, but then everything comes crashing down when she breaks her leg in a car accident, requiring a full-body cast. Immobile in bed for almost a year, Ruthie is dependent on her mother for everything, and as the months pass, feelings of anger, loneliness, and despair fill her heart. When her next-door neighbor introduces her to drawing and painting, her attention refocuses and she begins to heal emotionally. As she attempts to learn how to walk again, Ruthie finds that friends, family, and the ability to look beyond the present into the future can help turn her “brokenness” into wholeness. Through an unflinchingly honest first-person narrative, readers are taken through a traumatic period in the author’s life (an appended note provides more context and encourages readers to “speak up. Tell your story”). Effectively scattered Spanish phrases lend authenticity, while period references evoke the 1960s setting. alma ramos-mcdermott

My Comments

Author's inscription: "For my son Gabriel, who was also wounded and recovered, and for children everywhere who suffer and look for hope." This is a lovely portrayal of Cuban culture and a loving family who have been forced to leave a country that they love due to political upheaval. The aftermath of a terrible car accident only adds to Ruthie's feeling of isolation. I love how she found art as a way to deal with feelings. This is accessible for all readers.  Highly recommended for grades 6-8.

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR

Romance, Immigration, Emigration, Poetry, Middle-High School



My Comments
A favorite! 5 Stars! This is more than romance and heartbreak; it portrays people who fight for their dreams in the face of obstacles completely out of their control, the importance of enduring self belief and love. This is high school, but appropriate for mature middle schoolers. The message is positive, the characters human and inspiring.

"Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts. Daniel has always been a good son and good student. But when he sees Natasha he forgets all that and believes there is something extraordinary in store for both of them"--OCLC.

From the Publisher

Natasha: I'm a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I'm definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won't be my story.

Daniel:I've always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents' high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store--for both of us.

The Universe:Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

***

A 2016 National Book AwardFinalist
A New York Times Notable Book
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year
A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Editor's Choice
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
An Amazon Best Book of the Year

"Beautifully crafted."--People Magazine

"A book that is very much about the many factors that affect falling in love, as much as it is about the very act itself . . . fans of Yoon's first novel, Everything Everything, will find much to love--if not, more--in what is easily an even stronger follow up." --Entertainment Weekly
"Transcends the limits of YA as a human story about falling in love and seeking out our futures."--POPSUGAR.com

★"An exhilarating, hopeful novel exploring identity, family, the love of science and the science of love, dark matter and interconnectedness--is about seeing and being seen and the possibility of love... and it shines."--Shelf Awareness, starred review 

★"Moving and suspenseful." --Publishers Weekly, starred review 

★ "Fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars are destined to fall for Daniel and Natasha." --The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Lyrical and sweeping, full of hope, heartbreak, fate. . . and the universal beating of the human heart." --Booklist, starred review

★"Profound . . . both deeply moving and satisfying."--Kirkus, starred review

CHILD SOLDIER: When Boys and Girls are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine

Graphic Novel, Refugees, War, Africa, Memoir

47 pages.

From the Publisher

"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 Davila'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.'"

My Comments

Powerful storytelling. Extremely successful in portraying the tragedy and injustice of using children as soldiers - the cruelty, the evilness of this practice. Teachers and parents should read first to be aware of the contents, but the authors manage to be truthful in an age appropriate delivery. They offer valuable resources for more information and ideas for young people to take action. A valuable addition to the library collection.

There are not many middle school age appropriate books written on this extremely disturbing topic, but portions of A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beal may be useful. Another memoir,  Facing the Lion: Growing Up Masaii in the African Savannah by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton tells the inspiring story of how a village in Kenya supported a young boy in his quest for education.  

REFUGEE by Alan Gratz

Survival, Holocaust, Courage, Family, Immigration
Historical Fiction
338 pages

From the publisher:
"JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . .
ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America . . .
MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe . . .
All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers -- from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.

This action-packed novel tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home."

My Comments
These stories are primarily targeted to the middle school audience although the material could easily be used in high school. The juxtaposition of the three lives drives home the common experience of heartbreak, loss, and great courage faced by refugees throughout time and country. Highly recommended.

TROUBLE by Gary Schmidt

Horn Book (May/June, 2008)
" 'If you build your house far enough from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.' Such is the credo of the fortunate Smith family of Blythbury-by-the-Sea, a (fictional) WASP-y outpost of Boston. But when Trouble arrives, it just keeps on coming. First, oldest son Franklin lies in a coma after being hit by a car; a young Cambodian immigrant is identified as the driver. Daughter Louisa, hugely distraught, retreats to her bedroom, and fourteen-year-old Henry is left on his own. With the newly adopted Black Dog, whom he's rescued from the sea, Henry sets off to climb Maine's Mt. Katahdin (as he and Franklin had planned to do together) and is joined by unexpected companions. Schmidt embarks on a road trip that limns the growing friendship of three unforgettable boys -- Henry; his honest, aggravating best friend Sanborn; and the accused Cambodian boy, Chay Chuan. A host of coincidences strains credulity at times but also allows for an extraordinary breadth, widening themes and resolving plot lines. Like Chaucer's pilgrims, Henry, Chay, and Louisa all have to find their way to grace. The accident that brings trouble to Henry and his family also brings self-realization and the uncomfortable knowledge that both Henry's idolized brother and the vaunted history of the Smith family are not what they seem. Along with the pivotal role played by the enthusiastic Black Dog, rich secondary characters enhance a 1970s-set story that adds much to the discussion of how tragedy and racism affect individuals, families, and whole communities.' (titlewave.com)

Many issues that would be excellent classroom discussion topics are raised in this book. Racism, immigration, honor, honesty, kindness, and courage are some of the themes running through this thoughtful book, which is lightened with humorous exchanges between friends. A slow beginning, but satisfying once the stage is set.