Azzi in Between

by Sarah Garland

Azzi and her parents are in danger. They have to leave their home and escape to another country on a frightening journey by car and boat. In the new country they must learn to speak a new language, find a new home and Azzi must start a new school. With a kind helper at the school, Azzi begins to learn English and understand that she is not the only one who has had to flee her home. She makes a new friend, and with courage and resourcefulness, begins to adapt to her new life. But Grandma has been left behind and Azzi misses her more than anything. Will Azzi ever see her grandma again? Drawing on her own experience of working among refugee families, renowned author and illustrator Sarah Garland tells, with tenderness and humour, an exciting adventure story to be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Endorsed by Amnesty International.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Graphic Novels, War, Childrens, Friendship, Graphic Novels Comics

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2012

About the author

There is more than one author with this name.

Sarah Garland has written and illustrated over forty picture books and adventure stories for young children. She is best known for her warm and witty portrayals of family relationships, and for her outstanding work for preschool picture books.

She lives in the beautiful village of Chedworth in the Cotswolds with
her husband, artist David Garland.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent perspective on what it means to be a refuge from the experience of a little girl who can't understand why her grandmother is no longer with her. This is going on all over the world; it seems as if many situations seem to separate families and make a hard life even harder. Heartfelt and honest with wonderful art.

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Azzi In Between first came to my attention following it winning the inaugural Little Rebels Children’s Book Award . This, coupled with the review it got over at Playing By The Book meant that it was one book that was very much on my radar.

And I'm so glad it was.

There's a problem (do I mean problem? issue, maybe, concern, maybe) with books of this nature sometimes becoming too overly didactic. I don't mind that at times but I do mind it when the ideology becomes overwhelming for the reader. There's a fine line between questioning an issue, between highlighting the awfulness of something, through to trying to impose your authorial ideology upon another.

This is something Garland handles very well here. She's crafted a kind, warm-hearted and very very quietly provocative book centred around the journey of the titular Azzi. Azzi lives in a un-named country where her father 'worked as a doctor', her mother 'made beautiful clothes' and her grandma 'wove warm blankets.' One day her father receives a phonecall that they are in terrible danger and 'at that moment Azzi's life changed for ever.'

We follow the family through their journey the United Kingdom (un-named, but recognisable by the white cliffs of Dover) and watch Azzi adopt her new life. This is where the title becomes more pertinent; Azzi's caught in between two worlds and she's neither one or the other. It's in how she bridges that gap and starts to weave the two together, that's where the vibrant heart of this book kicks in.

Graphically, it's very simply done. Garland's style has a warmth about it that's shaded in shadowy, light-caught colours that never seem quite solid or still on the page. That's interesting and reflects the main narrative; Azzi is never really still on her journey. She's always changing and moving and never quite feeling rooted where she is. It's noticeable that in the latter half of the book, the colours start to feel a lot more solid and rooted, and the images feel more constructed around the people as opposed to around the world. Azzi is in her panels, owning her space, and surrounded by the people she loves.

It's a charming, moving story and one that's well worth checking out.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

The winner of 2013's Little Rebels prize for radical children's book, this graphic novel tells the story of Azzi and her family who leave their war-torn country, and manage a difficult and dangerous journey to safety. They leave behind all their possessions, and worse, they leave Azzi's beloved grandmother. The family have left a beautiful house and garden, but in the new country they live in one room. Eventually, Azzi makes friends and learns the language, and the book ends on an optimistic note.

I'd recommend this book to share with Y2 upwards, particularly in PHSE lessons, and it would be a good resource for Refugee Week.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice introductory story about refugees. I love the hopeful ending of Azzi and her family reunited and settling in. However, it lost one star for not including the spicy bean recipe.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

1/25/14 ** This picture book, written and illustrated in frames, as a graphic novel would be, tells the story of Azzi, a refugee from an unspecified* middle-eastern country to a western country. The story is a little more nuanced than some, with several moves, leaving a grandmother behind and then having her come join then. It seemed to go longer than I intuitively expected, with two narrative peaks. The structure fit "real life" better than some fiction does.

This book would help American children understand the perspective of some refugee children coming to our schools and might help those refugees feel that they're not alone.

* Or if the text did say where Azzi moved from, I missed it.

[Sean Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work with lots of refugee kids and this gave me a real insight to what it is like for them.

From the perspective of a little girl (age not determined but early primary school), it paints a picture of what it was like for one so innocent, just having fun as kids do but watching the soldiers and listening to helicopters and guns, then the escape. But most of the story is focussing on her life in a new country, where everything is different but all she wants is for her family to be happy and together. So she works hard and plants surprise beans for her father, all the while wishing that her grandmother was there.

Overall it is a story of hope, despite the heartbreak.

[Becca Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I think that it is very relevant at the moment, and it would be a good book to address any ideas or misconceptions children may have about refugees. It has been written in such a way, that children could read it and understand it alone, and the illustrations can also be used to help children understand the story. It shows the differences in countries and cultures, and children would be able to notice similarities and differences between Azzi's life and their own lives.

The story would need to be approached in a sensitive manner, and may need to be explained further, but would be brilliant to use in the classroom. :)

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

There should be more children's books/graphic novels along these lines. Telling the story of real-life issues that many young people go through all over the world- living through war, having to flee, moving to a country where they do not speak the language. I enjoyed the art & story but wish the structure of the comic had been more creative, but understand that it is likely serving as an introduction to the genre.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very highly recommended for children, teachers and parents. My children loved the story, found it exciting and interesting and have a much better understanding now of the experience of refugees. This is a long book compared with most picture books and this length allows the author to explore Azzi's journey in detail. It's not just about a perilous journey to a new country, but also her struggles with a new language and culture.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Azzi and her parents escape from an unnamed country at war, leaving behind her beloved Grandma. They find refuge in another country, and Azzi starts school and learn to speak English. But, life is hard for the little family. Azzi's father especially misses his garden. And then, Azzi thinks of a way to bring a bit of home to their new country.

The warm, bright colors depict the destruction of war, as well as the warmth of welcome of a new country.

[Quasar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed with this book--it showed just enough of the child's view on war and on being a refugee to make the reader anxious and afraid, but not so much that it would overwhelm or trigger a kid. I especially liked how the effort to learn English was described throughout the book. I look forward to seeing what my graphic novel gurus think of this one at the library.

[Jack Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book that clearly displays the emotions and events that could take a place for a family who have to leave a country. This follows the story with more detail then 'The Journey' and would be more usual to share with a class. This would be perfect for a class that has a new starter in their class, or just to help a child's own moral compass.

[Lamis Gabr · Rating 5 out of 5]

very touchy story and very expressive illustrations, a lot to tell and to explain to your kids behind its lines , about war, homeland meaning , the refugee's suffering, family and hope. My son and I really enjoyed reading this deep story together.

[Philippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quite brilliant and sensitively written account of a child's journey as a refugee. It prompts many good discussions about how one might feel as a refugee with the hardships possibly encountered when having to escape from war and other dangers. A must read for every child and parent.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gentle, strong, thought provoking, hopeful - a lovely book indeed.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensitive, hopeful story about a refugee family told from a young child's perspective in graphic format.

[Atiqer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart warming

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant to read with children to get a sense of some of what it is like to be a child refugee. Sensitively told and a message of hope

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book to help young readers understand what it would be like to be a refugee.

[Ellie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that follows a child named Azzi, who is forced to seek safety by fleeing her home within a war-torn country, and yet remains unstable and uncertain. Similarly to other refugee stories that I have read, Garland highlights the underlying sense of unfamiliarity within a country speaking a different language. However, I felt that there was greater emphasis placed upon yearning for familiarity through familial love, rather than craving the culture present in the home country. To me, it was the barrier created by Azzi's internal worries about her father's emotional well being, and the whereabouts of her absent grandmother, that resulted in her settling in a space between security and insecurity. Told through comic strips, this is a really accessible story for children to dissect, and an important one at that. Exploration of the facets that build a sense of belonging would be so essential to discuss, helping to increase awareness that a journey to safety is not over through the mere crossing of territory, and worries do not always heal by distancing oneself from the place of danger.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic picture book which is set out similarly to a comic strip which provides so much extra detail and tells the narrative in its own way. It tells the story of Azzi, a refugee who fled from her own country which was experiencing war to come and live in England. It's very emotive and it's a sensitive topic, children may be refugees themselves who may want to share their experiences or what they went through could be too difficult to talk about so as a teacher, you would have to know the individuals in the class very well. It promotes inclusion fantastically through representing realities, with Lucy being Azzi's friend, and how they later both helped Jamaal when he came to England and didn't know the language. It would help other children to understand what refugees go through which links to citizenship and could help them to develop empathy. It also has strong themes of family which makes the book even more moving when Grandma is left behind before she comes to England. The text is so rich and would be brilliant to use in KS2 classrooms where it could be explored and enjoyed to its full potential.

[Megan Bamforth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garland's book about Azzi and her family will be relatable to many children and families in the UK. This book will be great to show children to widen their understanding of the variety of backgrounds, cultures and experiences others have. It would be great to point out the similarities to Azzi's life to their own, to be able to empathise with Azzi and how the journey she has had is tough. The graphic novel-style picture book is heartbreaking but something children need to recognise as normal in some people's lives, even pupils in their own class.

[Ben Cooke]

A really engaging, touching story. The reader must only feel joy when Azzi begins life at her new school and is reunited with Grandma, as a happy family. It is important to understand that this is similar to events which are happening in the world right now. The comic book esc layout allows younger children to engage with the story even without the words, and provides a layout of which they will probably be familiar with, allowing them to interact further with the story.

[Felicity Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be great to read to a class that has children who have recently moved to England due to war in their home country. It shows the challenges experienced by these children in leaving their home country and settling down in a new one, as well as how we can make these children feel welcome at school. It offers many discussion points in PSHE; drama and writing opportunities in Literacy; and learning about plants in Science.

[Claire (Book Blog Bird) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve given this 5stars, but really it’s like 4.5. This is a beautifully told, beautifully drawn story of a young girl who becomes a refugee and flees her home country with her parents. It’s aimed at children so I can see why some of the more horrific aspects of life as a refugee are left out, but this meant it didn’t have the punch-in-the-gut impact I was hoping for. It was still a very good book for kids to read to gain an understanding of what other children are going through.

[Erin Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book about a refugee and her family seeking refuge in a new country, the themes discussed are done so in a very good manner to not only facilitate discussion but children who read this to have empathy for others. I thought the layout of the book in a 'comic book' manner was a unique element which really complimented the book.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

this story ,about this girl named azzie escaping her country because of war and leaving her grandmother behing, she has to learn new language and her dad has to find a job or they won't have enough money to stay and they will have to go back to their country at war, is very good because i like adventure books and this one is very exiting, i do recommend this book!!!!!!

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 5 out of 5]

War is a tough topic to communicate with children and Sarah Garland does a phenomenal job with the story and the illustrations. The tapestry of themes around inclusion, helping others, family love, starting anew in a foreign country are wonderfully depicted.

[Sirak]

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[Lucas Fogaça · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Lido para o trabalho]
Quase chorei no escritório, rs.