Summary: Alan Gratz’s Refugee tells three riveting tales about 3 different children and their escape as refugees to freedom. The book jumps between the stories of these children, telling truly bone chilling tales of their escapes, sacrifices, and hardships to get to freedom.
There is Josef, a 12-year-old Jewish boy desperate to prove himself a man. After his father comes back from a concentration camp after 6 months, the family is ordered to leave Germany and find somewhere else to live. They board the St. Louis in search of a better life in the Americas. Yet, Josef’s father didn’t come back the same. No, he came back paranoid and frail, constantly looking over his shoulder like a madman. Will Josef and his family be able to escape? Or will they just end up in the grips of the Nazis’ brutal regime?
The next story is of an eleven-year-old girl named Isabel Fernandez in Cuba in 1994. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Cua’s biggest ally, keeping it economically afloat, is gone, leading to an even harder life for its citizens. Isabel has had enough, but has heard of a boat her friend Ivan is building with her father. Cuba has become too unsafe, so after trading in her beloved trumpet for some gasoline, Isabel buys her way onto the boat, to an escape to America.
Finally there is Mahmoud Bishara, a twelve-year-old Syrian whose family is in a desperate escape from the violent civil war between all sorts of factions in Syria in 2015. After Mahmoud’s home is destroyed, his family escapes to Turkey, yet has to walk all the way to Europe after another fight. Mahmoud has to give up his sister to another group of refugees that were able to leave, and they are eventually able to make it to Greece, with the help of a smuggler. They travel across eastern Europe, trying to find a country to take them in, yet with little luck. Will he be able to find a new home for his family? Will he ever find his sister?
Opinion: Refugee by Alan Gratz is a powerful and engaging read that masterfully weaves together the stories of three young refugees from different time periods. Gratz tackles heavy topics with sensitivity, making them accessible to younger readers without losing their impact. The book's fast-paced narrative, filled with tense moments and cliffhangers, keeps you hooked from start to finish.
What really shines is how Gratz connects historical events to current issues, encouraging readers to think critically about the world around them. The characters are relatable and well-developed, making it easy to become invested in their journeys.
Rating: 5 out of 5