Refugee

Tough issues tackled with a fast-paced plot to pull you in!

Alan Gratz is a huge hit with middle schoolers--even the ones who aren't crazy about reading--so what kind of librarian would I be if I didn't see what the fuss was all about. Gratz does a great job of connecting the three characters' timelines and plights. While some adult readers may see the connections and be like, "ah, I see where he's going with this..." I think for younger readers, it hits harder. I like that he doesn't skirt around real issues like racism, xenophobia, and bullying on the individual as well as the political scale. Characters experience real consequences in this story (i.e. death and separation) and the stories are not all tied up with a neat bow at the end. There are some unanswered questions and sadness and tragedy. It's not exactly a tear-jerker, but it's close, and some of the character's endings are happier than others. The author's note at the end wisely explains which truths were stretched or altered for storytelling, and which parts were shocking enough to sound like fiction but were factual. This is a great way to expose young readers to important and not-so-glorious parts of history (great for teachers!) but it doesn't sacrifice a moving and tension-filled, suspenseful plot for the educational elements.

While I would give this book a 4-star for my own enjoyment (come on, tell me what happened to Hana! And I would have been fine with the stories connecting less) I think for middle grade readers, this is perfection. I did have to restrain myself from looking up what happened to the St. Louis until after I finished the book because I didn't want to spoil the ending.

The audiobook may help readers to keep the different story lines straight because there is a different #OwnVoices narrator for each character (bravo!)--and there are a lot of characters in this book to keep straight, so that was helpful.