Spring 2019, Wild Readers 5 discussion

Refugee by Alan Gratz was a fantastic read that I’d seriously recommend. In this historical fiction, Alan Gratz tells the story of three refugee children on their journey to a new home during three different periods of time. One child, Josef, is a Jewish boy who escapes Nazi Germany with his family in the 1930s, seeking refuge in Cuba. Another, Isabel, is a young girl who flees communist Cuba in the 1990s with her family, by boat, with dreams of a better life in America. The third child, Mahmoud, leaves his home in Syria after active air strikes destroy his home, eventually seeking asylum in Germany. Mahmoud’s story hits closer to home as it takes place in 2015.
What I really loved about the novel are the parallels Gratz creates between the characters and the story lines. While they take place at different times, all of the children face similar obstacles and experiences. They share the same feelings of exhaustion, uncertainty, fear, and loss. My teacher in a previous class had suggested this book as a great source for the experiences and feelings children bring to class when they come from families of refugees or are refugees themselves. I had not read it until now but I'm SO glad I did! It’s really a great book that provides perspectives into why children with these backgrounds may behave the way they do; Students might distrust authority, try to remain quiet or “unseen”, or act out. One of the biggest themes in the book was visibility and I think all the children struggled with that balance between wanting to be seen for who they are, but struggling or unable to express that openly. One of my favorite lines in the book, without giving a lot of context (I really don’t want to spoil it!), was “It was better to be visible. To stand up. To stand out.” (282). I think this could be an inspiring book for teachers as well as students. Children with similar backgrounds can take some great pieces from this book and use it to find a voice, but I also think students of all backgrounds could benefit from this read.
I loved the drama and I felt on edge wondering how each journey would end- which was a successful mechanism in helping me understand just how uncertain each unique situation was and how each child felt. It was heartbreaking in many ways, and I may or may not have shed a few tears, but I really think it was worth the read.


And wow, that ending !!