Refugee

Oh my goodness. This book. These characters. Refugee by Alan Gratz is middle grade literature at its finest, and once again, my mind is blown by the quality and richness of the stories that are available to our children. Kid lit has come such a long way since I was little, and I love it so much! I’d heard huge accolades about Refugee, and I’m always a bit nervous to read something when my expectations are set so high. But this book didn't let me down. To the contrary, Refugee exceeded my expectations. Simply put: it was absolutely phenomenal. Refugee tells three seemingly separate stories that all merge in beautiful ways at the end. Josef is a young Jewish boy living in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. With the horrific threat of concentration camps on the near horizon, he boards the St. Louis with his family, seeking refuge on the other side of the world. Isabel is a Cuban girl, and her story is set in 1994 as riots and unrest plague her community and her country. She and her family set out on a scrappy raft for Miami, hoping for freedom and safety. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. When a bomb strikes his home and his entire world is torn apart by violence, he and his family begin a harrowing journey to Europe. All three kids are driven from their homes due to extreme danger, and all embark on unimaginable voyages towards refuge and freedom. I cannot get over this book. The characterization was stellar. The settings were vivid and authentic, and though the stories shared many similarities, the uniqueness of each journey was made evident through the authors meticulously researched details. The pacing was terrific, the pages begged to be read, and the suspense left me with my heart in my throat. This is a must read -- for learning about world history, for providing windows into the harrowing experiences so many children face on a regular basis, and for recognizing that, despite our differences, we all long for the same things: safety, security, and a welcoming homeland in which to establish our roots. Two trunks up.

The quality of the product exceeds expectations. Even though it is labeled as used, it appears to be brand new. I can confidently recommend purchasing books from this seller.

I'm halfway through Alan Gratz' REFUGEE, and I can say, even before I finish, that if you asked, I would give this book 5 stars. More if they were available. But if you asked me why, I'm not sure I could explain. When I stop to think, I can see the craft elements he wields so beautifully--the tight structure of each short chapters, the clarity with which he switches stories, the bits of power he gives to the young children, the slivers of hope he weaves in so subtly that you don't see them, only feel them. But I can't tell you what he does to make me catch my breath at least once in every chapter. How he makes my heart hurt for every character, but most painfully for the three young heroes. How he keeps me reading even as I worry about and fear who will survive and who won't. Josef's story of fleeing the Nazis is the hardest for me, because it hits closest to home, but both Isabel and Mahmoud have me absolutely trapped with love and pain as well. This is a must-read for all of us, kids or adults. This is a book that absolutely ignites understanding and empathy.

Gratz takes a political concept and gives it a face, a story, and a heart. In Refugee, we read the stories of three refuges from three time periods. A Jewish boy on the cusp of manhood, Josef finds himself boarding a luxury cruise ship with his family in hopes of outrunning Hitler's army in 1938. Isabel and her family board a homemade boat to flee Castro's Cuba in 1994. Mahmoud and his family risk life and limb fleeing 2015 Syria after the wall of their apartment is literally blown away. Each story is told by a child who must leave all he or she has ever known, take a deadly journey, see horrors no child should ever experience, and fight for their lives and freedom at every turn. As each makes the hopeful and terrifying journey toward freedom, they remind us that refugees are not monsters or threats to society, but people who only long for peace, safety, and comfort. Each story is based on true historical events, which Gratz discusses at the end of the novel. A fantastic read that can lead to much discussion. Suitable for middle grades and up, but be aware that there is plenty of war violence, brutality, and incivility suffered by these children as they struggle to reach safety.

Gift, well liked

Builds up the understanding and empathy in the right measure towards the plight of the suffering humanity.

Very well written and engaging book. Brings the plight of migrants to a very personal level. I bought it for my kids but I wanted to read it first. It's engaging for adults and quite powerful for kids.

Tudo ok.

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