Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani
Union Square & Co.
Out of the revolutions across the Arab world comes this inspirational story of hope, freedom, and belonging, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and A Good Kind of Trouble.
Kareem Haddad of Damascus, Syria, never dreamed of becoming a graffiti artist. But when a group of boys from another town tag subversive slogans outside their school, and another boy is killed while in custody, Kareem and his friends are inspired to start secretly tag messages of freedom around their city.
Meanwhile, in the United States, his cousin, Samira, has been trying to make her own mark. Anxious to fit in at school, she joins the Spirit Squad where her natural artistic ability attracts the attention of the popular leader. Then Kareem is sent to live with Sam’s family, and their worlds collide. As graffitied messages appear around town and all eyes turn to Kareem, Sam must make a choice: does she shy away to protect her new social status, or does she stand with her cousin?
Informed by her time as a journalist, author Rhonda Roumani’s Tagging Freedom is a thoughtful look at the intersection between art and activism, infused with rich details and a realistic portrayal of how war affects and inspires children, similar to middle grade books for middle schoolers by Aisha Saeed, The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandi, or Refugee by Alan Gratz.
Sour Cherries: An Afghan Family Story
by Dezh Azaad, Illustrated by Nan Cao
Abrams
Author Dezh Azaadand illustrator Nan Cao’s picture book Sour Cherries is a moving, personal story about an Afghan refugee child and the fruit that connects him to family and home.
My favorite day is in the summer, picking cherries with my mother.
Sour Cherries follows a summer day as an Afghan child learns to make sour cherry jam, stew, and tea with his mother, just like she learned from her mother. Pull the stem, pop the seed—together, they carefully prep their family dishes while sharing stories of his grandmother and the place they come from.
Inspired by the author’s life, this warmhearted companion to The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story celebrates the taste of home.
The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story
by Dezh Azaad, Illustrated by Nan Cao
Abrams
This poignant story, about an Afghan refugee child and the family carpet that connects them to home, inspires readers to live and learn in love, not fear
We sip our tea and talk together,
Ruby cushions of goose feather.
The carpet is for sitting.
The Carpet follows a day in the life of an Afghan refugee child, where every moment revolves around love, family, and the carpet that connects them to home. The carpet is the centerpiece of family life, where meals, stories, laughs, and memories are shared. This moving story, inspired by the author’s life, celebrates what makes a home—no matter where you are.
I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp
by Anthony Del Col, illustrated by Fahmida Azim
WINNER OF THE 2022 PULITZER PRIZE FOR ILLUSTRATED REPORTING!
This graphic novella recounts the true story of Zumrat Dawut, as originally published in the independent online news organization, Insider, through interviews conducted by Anthony Del Col and testimony given to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Zumrat Dawut is a mother of three in the Xinjiang autonomous region in China, who was arrested and sent to a detention facility for simply being a Muslim. There she endured brutal living conditions, torture, interrogations, anti-Muslim propaganda, and sterilization. But that was just the beginning of Zumrat’s troubles, who with her husband would soon hatch a plan to escape to America.
This story, featuring art by Golden Kit Award-Winner Fahmida Azim (Samira Surfs), and adapted by best-selling writer Anthony Del Col (Kill Shakespeare), was originally published online by Insider.
I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp is a harrowing, evocative and important story that will enthrall and enlighten readers worldwide.
The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks Quill Tree / HarperCollins
Wolf Hollow meets The Thing About Jellyfish in Danielle Binks’s debut middle grade novel set in 1999, where a twelve-year-old girl grapples with the meaning of home and family amidst a refugee crisis that has divided her town.
If you asked Fred to draw a map of her family, it would be a bit confusing. Her birth father was never in the picture, her mom died years ago, and her stepfather, Luca, is now expecting a baby with his new girlfriend. According to Fred’s teacher, maps don’t always give the full picture of our history, but more and more it feels like Fred’s family is redrawing the line of their story . . . and Fred is left feeling off the map.
Soon after learning about the baby, Fred hears that the town will be taking in hundreds of refugees seeking safety from war-torn Kosovo. Some people in town, like Luca, think it’s great and want to help. Others, however, feel differently, causing friction within the community. Fred, who has been trying to navigate her own feelings of displacement, ends up befriending a few refugees. But what starts as a few friendly words in Albanian will soon change their lives forever, not to mention completely redraw Fred’s personal map of friends, family, home, and community.
The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition
by Shirin Shamsi, illustrated by Tarun Lak
Atheneum / Simon & Schuster
In time for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of British India, this picture book is a stirring account of the harrowing journey faced by millions of migrants in the aftermath of the division of India and Pakistan.
Azra knows that wherever she goes, her doll Gurya will follow. Even if it’s on a train that will take her far away from the house her family has lived in for generations. Even if there is a new flag flying in Dehradun, and no place left in it for Azra. At least she will be taking a piece of home with her.
But when Abba comes home and says they must leave right now, Gurya gets left behind in the scramble. Will Azra be strong enough to face the long journey alone? And what will happen to Gurya, now hundreds of miles behind them?
Inspired by the author’s family story, this lyrical, moving picture book is a testament to the strength, courage, and perseverance of the over 10 million refugees displaced by the largest forced migration in recorded history, and shares a young girl’s journey from her old home to a new one.
Zahra’s Blessing : A Ramadan Story by Shirin Shamsi
Illustrated by Manal Mirza
Barefoot Books
Zahra hugs her cherished teddy bear and prays that Ramadan will bring her a longed-for sister. When her bear subsequently goes missing, Zahra finds herself grappling with intense feelings of loss. Over the next few weeks, as she volunteers with her mother at a local shelter for asylum seekers, Zahra befriends a displaced child, resulting in a newfound sense of gratitude and an unexpected Ramadan blessing.
Samira Surfs
by Rukhsanna Guidroz & illus. by Fahmida Azim
Kokila. Jun. 2021. 288p. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781984816191.
Gr 4-8–It’s been three months since 11-year-old Samira and her family fled persecution in their homeland of Burma; three months since they paid a man to board a boat to cross the Naf River, seeking safety and a better life in Bangladesh; and three months since that same river swallowed her grandparents alive and dragged them to the bottom of the sea. In Bangladesh, Samira and her family do their best to make a life as unregistered refugees living outside of the refugee camps: Samira sells hard-boiled eggs along the beach to tourists; her brother cleans dishes and tables at a local café, and her father performs grueling work on shrimping boats. As refugees, they face resentment, suspicion, and threats of violence by some members of the local Bengali population, who view them as competition for scarce resources. Meanwhile, Samira struggles to pursue her own dreams, which conflict with her parents’ cultural expectations. New friendships along the beach offer community and the opportunity to surf, an activity that gives Samira freedom and the chance to face and overcome her fears. Written in verse, this well-paced novel weaves Burmese history and the plight of the Rohingya, a persecuted predominately Muslim ethnic minority. Characters are multidimensional and are portrayed with nuance and empathy. Illustrations offer additional texture and help bring the plot to life. Although this is a work of fiction, it will hopefully inspire readers to learn more about the “surfer girls of Bangladesh,” the Rohingya people, and Southeast Asian history.
VERDICT A compelling novel that spotlights the history and contemporary circumstances of the Rohingya while tackling universal themes of friendship, belonging, and identity. Pair with other works about trailblazing young women, such as Julie Abery’s Yusra Swims or a biography of Malala Yousafzai.
Our Stories Carried Us Here : A Graphic Novel Anthology
Edited by Tea Rozman Clark & Julie Vang, illustrated by Tom Kaczynski
Green Card Voices
The first national graphic anthology of 10 U.S. immigrants and refugees illustrated by 10 immigrants and refugees from all over the world.
A bold and unconventional collection of first-person stories told and illustrated by immigrants and refugees living across the United States. Stanford scientist, deaf student, indigenous activist, Black entrepreneur—all immigrants and refugees—recount journeys from their home countries in ten vibrantly illustrated stories. Faced by unfamiliar vistas, they are welcomed with possibilities, and confronted by challenges and prejudice. Timely, sobering, and insightful, Our Stories Carried Us Here acts as a mirror and a light to connect us all with immigrant and refugee experiences.
Review: Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan. Illus. by Anna Bron. 40 pp. Annick Press. Released 3/10/2020. Tr $21.95. ISBN 978-1773213750. Preschool to Grade 3.
Salma and her mother are Syrian Muslim refugees living at the Welcome Center for new immigrants in Vancouver, Canada. They both miss home and hope that one day soon Salma’s papa will be able to join them. Mama’s long days are filled with English classes and job interviews. Her fatigue and sadness, juxtaposed to Salma’s youthful joy and hope are viscerally heart-wrenching and the reader feels deeply for Salma in her efforts to make her Mama smile, let alone elicit a happy laugh. Salma attempts a joke but Mama only responds with a “sad smile, full of love, but empty of joy.”
Encouraged by Nancy, assumed to be a Welcome Center employee or coordinator, Salma draws back on her good memories. Though Salma realizes that she can’t bring her Papa to be with them sooner, or rebuild their own home in Damascus, there is something she can do to make her Mama happy.
Salma wants to make her mother’s favorite dish, foul shami, but doesn’t have the recipe. Jad, the Jordanian translator helps find a recipe for her, but Salma realizes that she doesn’t know the English names of the vegetables she will need. Creatively, she finds a way to get around the language barrier by drawing pictures of the ingredients she needs. With the encouragement and help of other friends at the Welcome Center—Amir and Malek, a couple from Lebanon; Granny Donya, an older Iranian woman who wears a headscarf, and Ayesha, wearing a pink headscarf and jeans, Salma gets most of the ingredients for the recipe. It’s implied that Ayesha is Somali as she brings Salma home-baked Somalian sweets.
Ramadan captures Salma’s range of emotions and seamlessly weaves in bits of information about the other kids at the Welcome Center through their interactions with Salma—i.e. Ayman misses kushari; Riya misses the masala dosas her mama made in India; and Evan, who recently arrived from Venezuela, misses arepas— highlighting the commonality of the refugee and immigrant experience, and the complexity of feelings of loss, adjustment, and belonging. The interactions between the new immigrants give off feelings of familial warmth, where in moments of frustration Salma is encouraged to see that this home is “beautiful in its own ways.” These interactions are also intentional and powerful; through them Salma’s agency is highlighted while giving fortification and joy to each individual. Bron’s bright, detailed illustrations enrich the text, through character movement and evoking palpable emotions. Bron uses Syrian-inspired geometric patterns to frame illustrations adding cultural depth to each spread. The resulting work is a poignant and universal tale of finding home and belonging, emphasizing the importance of people and community.
Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani
Sour Cherries: An Afghan Family Story
The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story
The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks
The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition
Zahra’s Blessing : A Ramadan Story by Shirin Shamsi
This review was originally published in 
Gr 4-8–It’s been three months since 11-year-old Samira and her family fled persecution in their homeland of Burma; three months since they paid a man to board a boat to cross the Naf River, seeking safety and a better life in Bangladesh; and three months since that same river swallowed her grandparents alive and dragged them to the bottom of the sea. In Bangladesh, Samira and her family do their best to make a life as unregistered refugees living outside of the refugee camps: Samira sells hard-boiled eggs along the beach to tourists; her brother cleans dishes and tables at a local café, and her father performs grueling work on shrimping boats. As refugees, they face resentment, suspicion, and threats of violence by some members of the local Bengali population, who view them as competition for scarce resources. Meanwhile, Samira struggles to pursue her own dreams, which conflict with her parents’ cultural expectations. New friendships along the beach offer community and the opportunity to surf, an activity that gives Samira freedom and the chance to face and overcome her fears. Written in verse, this well-paced novel weaves Burmese history and the plight of the Rohingya, a persecuted predominately Muslim ethnic minority. Characters are multidimensional and are portrayed with nuance and empathy. Illustrations offer additional texture and help bring the plot to life. Although this is a work of fiction, it will hopefully inspire readers to learn more about the “surfer girls of Bangladesh,” the Rohingya people, and Southeast Asian history.
Our Stories Carried Us Here : A Graphic Novel Anthology
Review: Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan. Illus. by Anna Bron. 40 pp. Annick Press. Released 3/10/2020. Tr $21.95. ISBN 978-1773213750. Preschool to Grade 3.
