LitPick Review
Thirteen-year-old Ghalib’s life has been turned upside down by the Syrian Civil War. His town is virtually destroyed, and he can't go to school or do the regular teenage-boy things he used to enjoy. One day, when Ghalib is out looting, a bomb explodes nearby and almost kills his cousin Hazma. When the leader of the Protection Units tries to recruit Ghalib and his sister, Bushra, to be soldiers, his parents decide that they need to flee Syria immediately. Although Ghalib’s feet are still burned from the explosion, the family starts walking toward the Turkish border. As they try to reach safety in Greece, Ghalib and his family face a sniper, a closed border, an unsanitary and crowded refugee camp, and a dangerous sea voyage. Will they all survive the journey?
Opinion:
Without Refuge by Jane Mitchell is an eye-opening look into the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, told from the unique perspective of a teenage boy. It is a very fast paced and exciting book. From the first page, I was drawn into Ghalib’s story. The perilous journey of Ghalib and his family had many dramatic twists that kept me turning pages. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but the main characters were well-developed and realistic. The book teaches a very important lesson; NEVER give up on your family, no matter what happens. Because the book describes what life is like during a war, there are some events and scenes that may be disturbing to children under the age of 9. Therefore, I recommend this book to 9-14 year olds looking for an exciting book about current events.
