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Out
I'm called an asylum seeker; but that's not my name ...
A little girl flees her homeland, making a long and treacherous boat journey with her mother to seek asylum in Australia. Starting a new life is challenging, but they work hard to create a new home. Told from the little girl's point of view, the story is both heartbreaking and triumphant, allowing timely and sensitive discussion of what drives people to become refugees and the challenges they face.
A little girl flees her homeland, making a long and treacherous boat journey with her mother to seek asylum in Australia. Starting a new life is challenging, but they work hard to create a new home. Told from the little girl's point of view, the story is both heartbreaking and triumphant, allowing timely and sensitive discussion of what drives people to become refugees and the challenges they face.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2016
4 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 10, 2017
A beautiful story!
July 10, 2016
Heartbreakingly beautiful. A small girl and her mother flee war and conflict, boarding a boat and spending an eternity at sea. They settle and begin a new life. Perhaps it's Australia, though that isn't said - and they are living in the community, so... Throughout the girl carries a yellow thread like a lifeline. And the ending brings a tear to your eye. a beautiful look through the eyes of a young asylum seeker. A must read.
March 6, 2017
Everyone I know should read this book! It was incredible. I can't gush about it enough. It's like borrowing it from the library just isn't enough. I need to own it. It moved me to the point of tears and I made my boyfriend and coworker read it just so we could talk about it. Anyone out there who opposes accepting refugees into Canada should read this book. An absolutely stunning read.
February 17, 2017
This is a great book to share with young children to discuss refugees. Perhaps they have some in their school or are struggling themselves to fit in. A simple text address the subject of why people must leave their home countries, how they feel amongst strangers, and how they can enjoy a new life and a new culture.
February 21, 2017
Just read this to my class of mostly refugees and almost started crying at the end. I let them guess the ending and they were so happy to find out what happened. Many of my students are refugees themselves so we were able to have a really good discussion about the book.
September 10, 2023
Wonderful book to introduce young children to asylum seekers and refugees. The illustrations are full of emotion and tell the story to children more than the words do.
June 12, 2017
This has been shortlisted for the Australian Children's Book Council Picture Book of the Year.
This beautiful picture book tells the story of a young girl and her mother making a new life in Australia having fled their country. You are never told which country, but the story would suit so many these days.
The little girl describes their journey on a boat and how she now feels safe and free in Australia, although she is still worried about her dad. Angela May George captures the voice of the young girl beautifully, avoiding over complicated langauage or imagery.
Owen Swan's pictures are stunning. Muted to begin with, as our protagonist finds safety, the colour move back into the pictures, lightening the mood, giving you hope. The spots of colour when the girl is with her mum on the boat let you know that while she is with her mum she feels secure.
A beautiful book, well worthy of making the short list.
This beautiful picture book tells the story of a young girl and her mother making a new life in Australia having fled their country. You are never told which country, but the story would suit so many these days.
The little girl describes their journey on a boat and how she now feels safe and free in Australia, although she is still worried about her dad. Angela May George captures the voice of the young girl beautifully, avoiding over complicated langauage or imagery.
Owen Swan's pictures are stunning. Muted to begin with, as our protagonist finds safety, the colour move back into the pictures, lightening the mood, giving you hope. The spots of colour when the girl is with her mum on the boat let you know that while she is with her mum she feels secure.
A beautiful book, well worthy of making the short list.
August 3, 2017
I usually don't cry when reading children's books. By the end of this one, I was sobbing. It's so well written and poignant and heartfelt. Every page has enough narrative and illustrations to fill you in on the major events in the story, but there's enough blank spaces for you to imagine your own details.
I'm not sure how I'm going to read this book to my own kids, as my eyes will probably be full of tears. But I think I'm okay with that...
I'm not sure how I'm going to read this book to my own kids, as my eyes will probably be full of tears. But I think I'm okay with that...
April 4, 2017
A simple graphic story about refugees starting life in a new country after arriving by boat. Books like this one are extremely important nowadays and they have to be read and spread.
March 16, 2018
Created great discussion for my 5/6 studebts with prompting questions looking deeper into the text and inferring.
January 18, 2020
‘Out’ is a story told from the eyes of a young girl who is looking back on her asylum seeker journey. The story begins with the unnamed girl and she is telling us the story of how she came to be here – from their home country to the boat journey.
“I’ve seen horrible things, they’ve shown be what it is to be brave, Brave is waiting and believing in your heart that everything will be okay”.
It is a powerful emotional book that does have quite dark themes, but it is also filled with light and hope. It teaches children and any adult reading in the most simple way what it is like to be an asylum seeker.
I liked the simplicity of the story, and the fact it is written from the child’s perspective. The illustrations are lovely and suit the story well. I liked how all the other asylum seekers aren’t really shown – and are only colourless sketches, while the girl and her mother are normal. It is emotive and encourages more empathy for all the nameless people who have to undertake a journey like this family. It is a book that every family should read so they can better understand what these people go through, and realise that although they are different, they still want the same things we want.
An important book that everyone should read – one that will raise important conversations with children who need to understand this better. Highly recommend this award winning book – will suit slightly older children who are ready for with tougher conversations.
“I’ve seen horrible things, they’ve shown be what it is to be brave, Brave is waiting and believing in your heart that everything will be okay”.
It is a powerful emotional book that does have quite dark themes, but it is also filled with light and hope. It teaches children and any adult reading in the most simple way what it is like to be an asylum seeker.
I liked the simplicity of the story, and the fact it is written from the child’s perspective. The illustrations are lovely and suit the story well. I liked how all the other asylum seekers aren’t really shown – and are only colourless sketches, while the girl and her mother are normal. It is emotive and encourages more empathy for all the nameless people who have to undertake a journey like this family. It is a book that every family should read so they can better understand what these people go through, and realise that although they are different, they still want the same things we want.
An important book that everyone should read – one that will raise important conversations with children who need to understand this better. Highly recommend this award winning book – will suit slightly older children who are ready for with tougher conversations.
April 16, 2017
With the line "I'm called an asylum seeker, but that's not my name", you immediately know that Out is a story that attempts to humanize refugees. Too often these people are just seen as a number. Oddly enough, we never learn the name of the little girl who narrates the book. We just know that she came from a war torn country with her mother, lives with a kind woman named Sahraya who also arrived on the same boat, and that her father is missing. For the most part, the little girl happily enjoys her new life, her school, and friends, but some trauma still exists. Danger is spoken about in the text, but only implied in the illustrations, and the tone speaks less to the sad past, and more to the better future... that their new home will be a safe place, and that families will be reunited. Some of the culture and language acclimation is addressed, but again does so with optimism. This feel is further supported by the art with its soft pencils, hues, and cream backgrounds. Life moves on even when atrocities happen, and while this book does not reflect the darker shades of a refugee's reality, it does so because the creators have different purposes in mind... to humanize and deliver hope.
November 10, 2017
Out by Angela May George (Published by Scholastic Australia) is a sad yet heartwarming story about a young refugee girl who has settled in a new country with her mother.
This beautiful story follows how the girls feels in her new home and the fears she still faces because of what she has been through.
out
Owen Swan’s illustrations provide the gentle and moving touch needed to really allow the reader to feel like they are moving along with the girl and feeling what she is feeling.
I shed a tear at the end of this story.
This week is Refugee Week and really, we should always be thinking of the refugees that are in Australia and those who want to be in Australia. Many hold terrible memories like the young girl and her mother and need support to start fresh.
I hope that you can share this story with others, showing the refugees are not the enemy but just like you and me. They too need love, support, friends and family. They too hold memories of fear and hope.
This beautiful story follows how the girls feels in her new home and the fears she still faces because of what she has been through.
out
Owen Swan’s illustrations provide the gentle and moving touch needed to really allow the reader to feel like they are moving along with the girl and feeling what she is feeling.
I shed a tear at the end of this story.
This week is Refugee Week and really, we should always be thinking of the refugees that are in Australia and those who want to be in Australia. Many hold terrible memories like the young girl and her mother and need support to start fresh.
I hope that you can share this story with others, showing the refugees are not the enemy but just like you and me. They too need love, support, friends and family. They too hold memories of fear and hope.
January 26, 2019
This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a young refugee. It's perfect for primary students because it reveals the main ideas of what she has been through without detail that would make it too disturbing. It's the kind of book that foster empathy for refugee students in their classrooms.
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January 30, 2017a lovely picture book
April 11, 2017
Don't read this without a tissue.
May 3, 2017
What an amazing story. Beautiful symbolism with the yellow string. So excited to present this for children's book week.
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May 23, 2017A short but poignant account of the plight of a refugee child. Wonderfully illustrated. A great picture book to nurture empathy and understanding.
July 20, 2017
Asylum seeker story; if only real life could have such a happy ending. Wonderful illustrations especially like the yellow ribbon
October 6, 2017
a beautiful book about a family's journey to a safe country and their life once they arrive. Have some tissues handy.
January 11, 2018
Beautiful and meaningful story about a young refugee girl adjusting to her new life.
August 12, 2019
A touching story about an asylum seeker. Perfect for the current global discussion to introduce young people to the notion of the human family. Nicely illustrated.
September 13, 2019
Beautiful illustrations and a heartwarming story of a young refugee girl.
June 27, 2020
Good book and illustrations.
Nice story
Nice story
August 17, 2020
Heartbreaking, poignant and stunningly beautiful.
November 14, 2020
Almost a 5... Bravery. Inspiration from this family
May 9, 2017
Written in the first person, this is the tale of a young girl and her mother who have fled danger to seek refuge in another country. Living in a flat with another refugee, the girl shares the perils of their flight and her daily existence hoping for the safe arrival of her father. The illustrations are wonderful - suing a combination of muted colours and black and grey to draw the eye in to the main players. I felt that the story is somewhat whitewashed and overly hopeful rather than truly reflective of the plight of many refugees that come to foreign shores. Shortlisted for the CBCA 2017 Picture Book of the Year Award.
August 28, 2017
#refugee beautifully illustrated and simply narrated story of a young girl's journey and first encounters after fleeing.
The story has some very "neat" resolutions, the family quickly finds friends, one of the friends can afford a car, the post-trauma is swiftly dealt with and the father is reconciled with the family - while the reality is that such families may spend months or years in camps, may not find work easily and may lose one or more family members in the process.
However for young children first encountering the idea of refugees and fleeing a country and re-entering another this may be enough. As long as they're not lulled into thinking it's the whole story.
The story has some very "neat" resolutions, the family quickly finds friends, one of the friends can afford a car, the post-trauma is swiftly dealt with and the father is reconciled with the family - while the reality is that such families may spend months or years in camps, may not find work easily and may lose one or more family members in the process.
However for young children first encountering the idea of refugees and fleeing a country and re-entering another this may be enough. As long as they're not lulled into thinking it's the whole story.
February 19, 2024
A gentle introduction to the idea of living life as a refugee and asylum seeker. Beautifully told and illustrated. My young readers enjoyed predicting why the Mum was happy at the end of the story.
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August 24, 2016Excellent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews