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#Refugees ❤️ #NewYearNewBooks 🎆🥳📖

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

Three stories of 3 different refugees in 3 different times: 1930s, 1994, and 2015. But they all have connections that tie the stories together…I like how all his book covers have dramatic red-white-black theme

#Refugees

#NewYearNewBooks

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Not a book I‘d read on my own, but my middle schoolers are going to love it. Plot driven and action packed, this book follows three young teen refugees, each one during different fight for survival (Holocaust, Cuban Refugee Crisis, Syrian Refugee Crisis). Gratz is a super popular author if you have a young readers in your life.

A timely story of three young refugees: Josef, Germany, 1939; Isabel, Cuba, 1994; and Mahmoud, Syria, 2015. Each story describes vastly different people in vastly different situations with shocking similarities.

Unpopular opinion: I loathe this book. It‘s beloved by middle graders and teachers especially, and I don‘t get it. The author has turned real world struggles faced by refugee children into a page turning thriller. Also, shouldn‘t this story have been written by multiple authors to do the unique cultures justice?

All the stars! You will cry tears of sorrow and joy along with 3 children as they journey with their families from Germany to Cuba (1939), Cuba to the US (1994), and Syria to Germany (2015) seeking refuge. This belongs in every middle grade and young adult classroom.

Next up for my #audiocommute

I really struggled with this and had to put it down, read something light and come back. On the one hand, I want to read for perspective. I want to know what my students are reading. The big take away for me that I believe I already carry is, I don't want to ever hear myself say, "I was just doing my job." I have 12 social justice goals that I need to revisit. Not TOMORROW. today

#Readathon #NutsInMay update
I'm about to finish refugee and I can't stand the cliff hangers, especially all the potential for drowning (my biggest fear). I need a feel good palette cleaner. #whatshouldireadnext?

#NutsInMay update.I am going to need something funny after this.

This book absolutely broke my heart. Josef is a Jewish boy living in 1930 Nazi Germany. Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. All go on a harrowing journey in search of a refuge. Listening to their journey made me realize that families have to live through this just to found a safe place to live. I loved how even thou all these stories happened during different time periods they were all tied together.

Masterfully blends fictional characters around true and tragic events to illustrate the plight of refugees through recent history. Written for children but enjoyable as an adult with an interest in history, politics or current affairs. Helps the reader realise how lucky they are not to live through such events but how those who have are often just like them but living in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Heartbreaking

#popsugarchallenge

Book 5: A book set in multiple countries

I‘m gonna admit that I‘m a conservative and that I‘m not always on board with open boarders. But reading this book opened my eyes and made me really think about how there are times when we must abandon that and be willing to help out. 3 different stories. All with the same goal. I loved this book and it was such an easy read. Again. For book club. Older middle schoolers would fit this book a little better just so they can understand.

Joining in to share 12 great reads from this year. I‘m not sure exactly which 12 I‘ll end up picking, but this was a clear favorite this spring. Gratz writes great historical fiction and this book weaves together the story of three refugee families from different points in history.

#12BooksOf2020 #MiddleGrade #YA

I feel that Josef's story was rushed near the end. It slowly built up while they waited to see if they would be allowed in Cuba, but then it went in fast forward. They went from an attempt to take over the ship to being in France then told Germany invaded in 1 chapter. It frustrates me & I am an adult who knows about WWII so I can imagine how confusing this could be to a 13 year old. It almost went over my kids head...I had to stop and explain.

" Don't you see? Lito said. "The Jewish people on the ship or seeking asylum, just like us. They needed a place to hide from Hitler. From the Nazis. Mañana, we told them. We'll let you in mañana. But we never did." Little was crying now distraught.
"We sent him back to Europe and Hitler and the Holocaust. Back to their deaths. How many of them died because we turned them away? Because I was just doing my job?"

(Pg. 182 cont.) Isabel has been most lucky of the three in that she has both parents and a grandfather to take care of her but she has made some smart and mature decisions. It must have been a huge let down getting to land and realizing they were in the Bahamas and couldn't stay but she was smart enough to ask people for medication for her mother.

(Pg. 182) I am glad Mahmoud's mother was able to get a life vest on since she was at the point of giving up on life. Josef is also being put in the role of adult and caretaker being left alone to take her of his poor father who is losing his mind and his little sister.

I started this book with my son who is in 8th grade. He hates reading so I literally have to sit and make him read. After reading the first 33 pages, he started to say it didn't suck. I am glad he liked it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Would be a fantastic classroom read or parent/child read because it would offer endless discussion. The subject matter was well handled and it was an engaging read. Written for middle grade or tween but can be read by all ages. ❤️

This turned into a better reading month than I expected, but it is very heavy on audio. My clear favorite this month was Refugee by Alan Gratz, but I also really appreciated Rage Becomes Her and a reread of The Screwtape Letters on audio.

#ReadingStats #MonthlyStats

Powerful and eye-opening. I love the way the refugees‘ stories connect through multiple generations. ❤️ Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #oregonbattleofthebooks

#mgbuddyread

@Lmstraubie @JaclynW @mrp27 @sblbooks @LibrarianRyan @Peddler410 @megnews @TheBookHippie @cwarnier @Daisey @Lifeisasnap @SamanthaMarie @SaturnDoo @AnneCecilie @Sace

And anyone else who‘d like to join is welcome to do so!

This book was fantastic if often heartbreaking! It is a combination of three parallel refugee stories from different times and places that forces the reader to feel the characters‘ desperation. It doesn‘t shy away from the violence, yet it also maintains hope in the end. I enjoyed how the stories were woven together.

#MGBuddyRead #middlegrade #YA #MsDsLibrary

Here is the #mgbuddyread schedule through August. We now have rotating hosts (thank you everyone 🥰) The tagged book is this month's read.

Mar. Host @Chelsibno
Apr. Host @LibrarianRyan
May Host @TheBookHippie
Jun. Host @Chelsibno
Jul. Host @JaclynW
Aug. Host @sblbooks

All are welcome to join. March's meeting is Sun. 4/5 @ 4 EST.

@mrp27 @Peddler410 @megnews @cwarnier @Daisey @Lifeisasnap @SamanthaMarie @SaturnDoo @AnneCecilie @Sace

This month's #mgbuddyread Discussion to take place on Sunday, April 5th hosted by @Chelsibno Questions posted around 4:00 EST. Join in when you can!

Upcoming schedule will be posted soon 😬

@JaclynW @mrp27 @sblbooks @LibrarianRyan @Peddler410 @megnews @Chelsibno @TheBookHippie @cwarnier @Daisey @Lifeisasnap @SamanthaMarie @SaturnDoo @AnneCecilie @Sace

#2020Book14
#ProjectLIT
#2017to2018

The story of three refugees - Josef, from Germany in 1939, Isabel, from Cuba in 1994 and Mahmood, from Syria in 2015. I literally just spent 10 minutes ugly crying after finishing this book, but it was so worth it.

Sitting on the couch next to my son was exactly where I needed to be as I read one of Mahmoud‘s chapters 😭

So far, this book has not disappointed and I totally get why it‘s been all over my IG feed.