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Staff Pick
Refugee is a powerful, timely novel that spans World War II, the Cuban exile, and the ongoing Syrian civil war. It follows three children and their families as they escape to safety, facing storms, deceit, loss, and other hardships. This is a story that both adults and children should read and discuss. Recommended By Richard C., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Three different kids.
One mission in common: ESCAPE.
Josef is a Jewish boy 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 and freedom 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 young people will go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers – from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But for each of them, there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, surprising connections will tie their stories together in the end.
Review
"With urgent, clear-eyed storytelling, Gratz’s Refugee compellingly explores the desperation and strength that unites those struggling for a place to call home." Eliot Schrefer, two-time National Book Award finalist
Review
"Impossible odds and families in peril make for vivid and unrelenting suspense in these stories of flight and daring. This heart-stopping novel is not only compelling — it is necessary." Judy Blundell, National Book Award winning author of What I Saw and How I Lied
Review
"Filled with both tragic loss and ample evidence of resilience, these memorable and tightly plotted stories contextualize and give voice to current refugee crises…" Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
"Gratz accomplishes a feat that is nothing short of brilliant…Poignant, respectful, and historically accurate while pulsating with emotional turmoil, adventure, and suspense." Kirkus (Starred Review)
About the Author
Alan Gratz is the acclaimed author of several books for young readers, including Prisoner B-3087, which was named to YALSA's 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults list; Code of Honor, a YALSA 2016 Quick Pick; Projekt 1065; and The Brooklyn Nine, which was among Booklist's Top Ten Sports Books. Alan lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughter.