Synopses & Reviews
A man I helped to settle heretaught me a saying from Africa.
Ill bet you would like it:
A cow is God with a wet nose.
Kek comes from Africa where he lived with his mother, father, and brother. But only he and his mother have survived. Now shes missing, and Kek has been sent to a new home. In America, he sees snow for the first time, and feels its sting. He wonders if the people in this new place will be like the winter—cold and unkind. But slowly he makes friends: a girl in foster care, an old woman with a rundown farm, and a sweet, sad cow that reminds Kek of home. As he waits for word of his mothers fate, Kek weathers the tough Minnesota winter by finding warmth in his new friendships, strength in his memories, and belief in his new country.
Review
“Beautiful. Thank you for publishing this book. Thank Katherine Applegate for writing it.”—Karen Hesse “Moving . . . Kek is both a representative of all immigrants and a character in his own right.”—
School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Precise, highly accessible language evokes a wide range of emotions and simultaneously tells an initiation story. A memorable inside view of an outsider.”—Publishers Weekly
“This beautiful story of hope and resilience . . . is an almost lyrical story.”—Voice of Youth Advocates
“The boys first-person narrative is immediately accessible. Like Hanna Jansens Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You, the focus on one child gets behind those news images of streaming refugees far away.”—Booklist
“The evocative spareness of the verse narrative will appeal to poetry lovers as well as reluctant readers and ESL students.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“. . . beautifully written in free verse . . . a thought-provoking book about a topic sure to evoke the empathy of readers.”—KLIATT
Synopsis
Bestselling author Katherine Applegate presents Home of the Brave, a beautifully wrought middle grade novel about an immigrant's journey from hardship to hope.
Kek comes from Africa. In America he sees snow for the first time, and feels its sting. He's never walked on ice, and he falls. He wonders if the people in this new place will be like the winter - cold and unkind.
In Africa, Kek lived with his mother, father, and brother. But only he and his mother have survived, and now she's missing. Kek is on his own. Slowly, he makes friends: a girl who is in foster care; an old woman who owns a rundown farm, and a cow whose name means family in Kek's native language. As Kek awaits word of his mother's fate, he weathers the tough Minnesota winter by finding warmth in his new friendships, strength in his memories, and belief in his new country.
Home of the Brave is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
The author of the bestselling Animorphs series (written under the name K.A. Applegate) delivers her first stand-alone literary novel: a beautifully wrought story about an African immigrant to America, who makes a journey from hardship to hope.
Synopsis
A deeply poetic and affecting novel about the contemporary immigrant experience.
Synopsis
Set in Sudan, this is a novel that tells two stories–one about a contemporary child who spends her days fetching water, the other about one of this African country's "lost boys." Simply and economically written, this account of the experiences of a young Sudanese refugee is suspenseful, poignant, and personal. The ending, which brings together the two separate narrative strands, is unexpected and moving. Includes a map, an afterword by the "lost boy" on whose story this is based (now living in Rochester, NY), and an author's note.
About the Author
Set in Sudan, this is a novel that tells two stories–one about a contemporary child who spends her days fetching water, the other about one of this African country's "lost boys." Simply and economically written, this account of the experiences of a young Sudanese refugee is suspenseful, poignant, and personal. The ending, which brings together the two separate narrative strands, is unexpected and moving. Includes a map, an afterword by the "lost boy" on whose story this is based (now living in Rochester, NY), and an author's note."There have been several books about the lost boys of Sudan for adults, teens, and even for elementary-school readers. But [this] spare, immediate account, based on a true story, adds a stirring contemporary dimension. . . . Young readers will be stunned by the triumphant climax."
Booklist, starred review "[This] spare, hard-hitting novel delivers a memorable portrait of two children in Sudan. . . . Tragic and harrowing."
Publishers Weekly, starred review"Two narratives intersect in a quiet conclusion that is filled with hope."School Library Journal, starred review
"This powerful dual narrative packs suspense and introspection into Park's characteristic spare description; while there are lots of details offered to the reader, they come not in long, prosaic lines but in simple, detached observations. Both Salva's and Nya's stories are told with brutal, simple honesty, and they deliver remarkable perspective on the Sudanese conflict. The novel's brevity and factual basis makes the reality of life in Sudan very accessible, and readers will find both the story and the style extremely moving."The Bulletin
"Park simply yet convincingly depicts the chaos of war and an unforgiving landscape. . . . A heartfelt account."Kirkus Reviews
"Brilliant. . . . A touching narrative about strife and survival on a scale most American readers will never see."BookPage
"Riveting."The Horn Book "[A] fast, page-turning read. . . . A great book for high school students and an important novel for young adults who enjoy learning about other world cultures."VOYA
Linda Sue Park is the author of Newbery Medal titleA Single Shardas well as numerous other novels, picture books, and poetry. She lives in Rochester, NY, with her family, and has a friend who was one of Sudan's "lost boys." His story was the inspiration for this book.