Refugee

Refugee
Author: Alan Gratz
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2017
Pages: 352
Lexile Level: 800L

Summary
Refugee by Alan Gratz is a powerful, fast-paced novel that tells the stories of three young refugees from different time periods and regions of the world, all facing life-or-death decisions as they flee violence and seek safety. The book follows:
- Josef, a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany, who embarks on a dangerous escape with his family to Cuba, hoping to avoid the horrors of the Holocaust.
- Isabel, a young Cuban girl in 1994, who sets out with her mother and grandfather to escape the dangers of Fidel Castro's regime and find freedom in the United States.
- Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015, who is forced to leave his home due to the brutal civil war in Syria and begins a perilous journey across Europe to seek asylum.
As the stories of these three children unfold, their paths intersect in unexpected ways, showing readers that the struggles faced by refugees, though unique to their own contexts, are universal. Refugee explores themes of survival, hope, and the power of human resilience in the face of violence and displacement.
Main Themes
1. The Refugee Experience: The novel highlights the difficult, often dangerous journey refugees must undertake to seek safety. Through the stories of Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud, readers gain insight into the reasons people flee their homes and the hardships they endure.
2. Survival and Resilience: Each character demonstrates immense courage and strength as they navigate terrifying circumstances. The theme of survival is central, showing how the human spirit can endure in the face of overwhelming adversity.
3. Hope and Humanity: Despite the dark and harrowing realities of war, persecution, and displacement, the characters in Refugee cling to hope, love, and family as guiding forces that keep them moving forward.
4. Empathy and Understanding: The book fosters empathy for the millions of people worldwide who are forced to flee their homes due to war, political oppression, or persecution. It encourages readers to understand the global refugee crisis and its impact on individuals and families.
5. The Power of Family and Community: The strength of family bonds and solidarity among refugees is a recurring theme, as characters rely on each other for support and survival during their journeys.
Why Refugee Is Appropriate for Grades 6 and Up
Refugee is written in an engaging, fast-paced style that will capture the attention of middle school students while still addressing complex, important themes in an age-appropriate manner.
The novel introduces young readers to the global refugee crisis, exploring both historical and modern-day events. It provides context for discussions on human rights, migration, and the struggles refugees face in different parts of the world. It encourages students to think critically about issues such as war, persecution, displacement, and human rights. It also helps build empathy by providing readers with a personal, human perspective on global issues that are often abstract or distant. The three distinct storylines provide students with a broader understanding of the refugee experience, spanning different time periods and regions. This diverse perspective allows students to compare and contrast the challenges faced by individuals in different situations, deepening their understanding of the common humanity shared by refugees. The novel’s themes of survival, hope, and family lend themselves to deep, meaningful discussions. Students will be able to reflect on how the characters' experiences relate to current global events and their own lives.