World Refugee Day

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 20^th, 2017 is the United Nation’s designated day for commemorating refugees who leave their home countries under duress. These are everyday folks seeking safe living conditions and opportunities to improve their lives and those of their children.

This is World Refugee Day. 

In recognition of this day, I’m featuring the amazing book, Stepping Stones: a refugee family’s journey by Margriet Ruurs, artwork by Nizar Ali Badr.

There are a number of reasons why I think this book is amazing

First, what’s going to catch your eye are the illustrations. These have been composed from stones. The composer is a Syrian artist, still living in Syria. The author stumbled across his artwork on Facebook and it inspired her to want to create a story reflecting the refugee experience. She also wanted to use Nizar Ali Badr’s artwork. Though composed of beach-found rocks, the artistry of the images creates scenes of everyday life and events that often occur when people are fleeing war. The stones convey movement and contributes to the narrative in an interesting and unique way.

Next, is reading the forward. The forward tells of the extraordinary lengths Margriet Ruur went to contact Nizar Ali Badr and the amazing collaboration that went into this book.

And then, there’s the story. This is a story that expresses the devastating circumstances that makes a family undertake a perilous journey from their home looking for a life of peace, allowing them and their children to prosper.

The text is in English and Arabic.

I highly recommend Stepping Stones for elementary grades for discussing current events in social studies and for the inspiring artwork.

World Refugee Day – June 20th, 2011

This year’s theme, selected by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), is One Is Too Many.

Every day, millions of refugees face murder, rape and terror. We believe even 1 is too many.

Two resources that capture the refugee experience that I’d recommend are:

Inside out and back again by Thanhha Lai, a first novel based on her experiences living in Vietnam prior to the fall of Saigon, as a refugee and finally, in 1970s Alabama as an immigrant.


Culture shock and homesickness consume Kim Ha and her family as they adjust to their new lives. Though physically safe (well, mostly) the locals are not always welcoming and Kim struggles with finding her place in school, dealing with bullies and feeling ‘dumb’. The short, narrative verse format gives us ‘snapshots’ of Kim’s experiences but does convey the emotional upheaval as well as the physical. What was left behind in Vietnam and all the longing for things to be ‘normal’ are epitomized in Kim’s desire to taste fresh papaya. A very touching story for grades 4-9.

And

War child, (962.4 Wa 208 DVD) a multiple award winning DVD. Emmanuel Jal, a hip-hop artist who sings of his experiences as a Sudanese refugee and child soldier and is driven to make a difference in the lives of people in Sudan and Kenya. We see Emmanuel return to Sudan and reconnect with family members, in concert, and in a Kenyan refugee camp as a seven year old boy. (Rated PG-13).

World Refugee Day – June 20, 2010

The U.N. Refugee Agency has chosen the theme of HOME – “They have taken my home but they can't take my future”, to mark this year’s World Refugee Day on 20 June.

I’ll take any opportunity to make recommendations for some of my favorite books, especially those that touch on social issues.  This June 20^th, the United Nations is looking to increase awareness about the plight of refugees, centered on the theme of home.

The first book I’d strongly recommend is Home of the brave by Katherine Applegate (823 Ap53H FIC).  It’s told using narrative verse, about Kek, a young Sudanese refugee, who has just arrived in the United States with few possessions but, nevertheless, carrying a lot of baggage.  His primary concern is finding his mother who remains missing in Africa.  By nature an optimist, Kek begins to redefine and rediscover his sense of home, as he makes friends, finds a place in the community and takes on the care of sad and lonely cow who reminds him of his community in Sudan.  Humorous, touching, and downright sad at times, we learn a lot about the meaning of home in this novel for ages 10-13.

Four feet, two sandals  by Karen Lynn Williams (823 W6733F PIC BK) is a picture book relating what the daily grind in a refugee camp is like for two Afghani girls, brought together when they each receive one of a pair of sandals.  By sharing the sandals, their friendship grows and we discover what stories and hopes they bring to their new lives.  A really wonderful partnership between story and illustrations.  I recommend this for grades 2-6.

My last suggestion is The Arrival by Shaun Tan (823 T155A FIC) which I recommend every chance I get.  I love the potential this book embodies.  Because this is a story told without words, a graphic novel, kids of varying ages (grades 3/4 and up) and reading abilities can ‘read’ this book.  Topics and themes that could be discussed are: refugees/immigrants, home, family, daily life, relationships, kindness, compassion, adapting to new circumstances, resiliency, community fantasy, storytelling - the list can go on, I’m sure.  The illustrations are incredibly detailed, giving us a sense of a very different place and time that allows for multiple interpretations by individual readers.  Did I mention that I love this book?  Really…

All three books look at what home means, especially when it is threatened and taken away.  All three books give hope that the lives of the books’ characters will change for the better.

To read more about World Refugee Day, please go to The UN Refugee Agency website.