Journal of Language and Literacy Education Vol. 13 Issue 2—Fall 2017
Review of Refugee By Alan Gratz
Adult/ Educator Reviewer: Ean Fulks NYOS Charter School Student Review: Nadeen Al Rifaei, 7th Grade
Gratz, A. (2017). Refuge. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
ISBN: 9780545880831
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Journal of Language and Literacy Education Vol. 13 Issue 2—Fall 2017
Adult Review: Ean Fulks also believe it is our duty to bring stories to our students that help them see the world efugee tells “It is books like through others’ eyes. the three Refugee that help distinct us see the world Josef, Isabel and Mahmoud’s stories will draw R through others’ stories of Josef, a readers in. Even if the reader has never been Jewish boy fleeing eyes and that in their exact situations, their love for their Nazi Germany during will ultimately families and friends, their desire for freedom World War II, Isabel, help us to push and safety, and the ways in which they cling a young girl fleeing forward toward to hope in the midst of chaos and tragedy are communist Cuba led kindness and all aspects of their lives that readers will be by military dictator justice and help able to make connections with. Students Fidel Castro in the us to create a should know that there are moments of great better world ” 1990s, and Mahmoud, . tragedy and despair in Refugee (there were a fleeing his home in number of times when I held the book in front war-torn Syria in 2015. Each story follows its of me with tears in my eyes), but that there are own plot line, but Gratz weaves them together also beautiful, life-affirming moments that stir beautifully to show the ways in which people the heart and make a more just world feel impact one another and the ways in which possible again. Refugee is one of those great human beings are connected. Each young books that can incite deep, meaningful person faces tragedy and hardship on their conversations about our shared humanity, journey, learning lessons as they push toward regardless of any difference and help us see safety and freedom. that we are all more alike than unalike. It is books like Refugee that help us see the world As a seventh grade teacher, I am always through others’ eyes and that will ultimately looking for books for my students that are help us to push forward toward kindness and both engaging and that tell the stories of justice and help us to create a better world. diverse characters. Reading stories is one of the ways we develop empathy and a drive to Student Review: Nadeen Al Rifaei change our world for the better. Refugee is one of those books that keeps the reader on The book Refugee by Alan Gratz is the edge of their seat with its engaging plot important because it talks about people and cliffhangers, while also telling the stories T around the world who have terrible of characters the reader can’t help but feel like problems and have to leave their homes they know and love. For these reasons, because of war. Knowing about people’s Refugee is a book that will appeal to upper problems is really important because we can elementary and middle grades students as well see things happen that most likely have not as young adults and adults. I believe it is our happened to us. I think the author's message is duty as educators to help students find books that the world has many terrible things and they love and develop their reading lives. I that we should help people. Another one of
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Journal of Language and Literacy Education Vol. 13 Issue 2—Fall 2017 the author’s messages is that we should help One of my favorite parts in the books is when the world be a better place. CNN news comes up to Isabel as her family is getting ready to leave Cuba. It’s interesting I can relate to Mahmoud. “Refugee doesn’t because Isabel and her family are trying to run He left his home in Syria let you stop away from Cuba, and a newscaster tries to because of war. The way reading because find out why they were running away and how I’m similar to Mahmoud it is too good to they were going to do it. The thing that I love is that I left my home in stop.” most about this book is that there are good Iraq because of war as moments even in bad situations. What I don’t well. When I moved, I went to Jordan and I like about this book is that there are really bad stayed there for two and a half years. The next moments that happen in the characters’ lives. time I moved, I came to the United States. Refugee doesn’t let you stop reading because The reason I left Jordan was because many it is too good to stop. I would recommend this people were racist and sexist towards us and book to people who like adventures, a lot of because I had a health problem that could only plots, and learning about other people in the be solved in the United States. I’m fine now world. So if you want to know more about this because I have been treated, and I have been book and want to be excited about something in the United States for five years. I’m really then read Refugee. happy.
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