Seeking Refuge: Ali's Story - A Journey from Afghanistan

It's fine. It gets the message across

Beautiful

This is a beautiful, accessible and very moving book. I read it with my 5 year old daughter, who was very engaged by the story and also very touched by the message. She asked if the story were true, and if it really happened, and I told her that these things do happen and that it's our duty to help. She went quiet and I asked her how she felt - she said sad - we talked about it, about how we can make a difference, and she felt better - I think that this was a valuable learning point.In a time when popularism (nay fascism?), narcism and plain ignorance seems to be on the rise in politics and popular culture, these books are an important part of the fight back.

This is an excellent starting point for discussion of refugees with children. The text is told in Ali's own words and describes having to leave his home due to war and coming to the UK with his grandmother. We read this to our mature 3 year old and she was really affected, especially by the part where he describes dreaming that his mum will pick him up from school. It isn't an easy read (emotionally) but the language and imagery are simple enough for even nursery aged children to understand.As a teacher I feel this would be excellent for use in infant or junior settings - There are loads of questions which can be promoted from this book from discussions about morality of war, to very specific "what could we do to make someone like Ali's life better?"

What drew me to this book is that it is the Winner of the Information Book Award in 2015.It tells the touching, true story of 10-year-old Ali from Afghanistan, a war torn country.Ali and his grandmother travel to Britain leaving his parents behind.I am a primary school teacher in a school with a high number of EAL children and many of the children in my care relate to this story, finding similarities from Ali's life and their own. The local children began to understand what some of the children in their school have went through.The story is told in Ali's own words- which is great for children to engage with.A wonderful story that captures the life of Ali.

This is a stunning book, beautifully and sensitively illustrated. It tells the true story of an ordinary boy who leaves Afghanistan with his gran. His parents are not allowed to board the plane. When he gets to England he dreams of his parents.A poignant and educational book which is very emotive.I think ever school library should have a copy of these books. The BBC have done a fantastic job here in fighting prejudice and helping understanding of what refugees go through.

This is a harrowing tale, but one which children should be exposed to, as it tells the story of someone who is around their age and the what they have to go through just to survive. Whilst we endeavour to ensure our own children and grandchildren have a childhood and can do so safely, there is a generation of children who do not have that luxury, in fact; generations now, who have adult responsibilities and have never really known the luxury of just being able to be a child. Whilst this is described as being in the 0-7 year old category, my grandson read this and  Rachel's Story - A Journey from a country in Eurasia (Seeking Refuge)  and was moved by the everyday struggles of children his age. He's taken both books with him to school and they've been discussed in class. These are very emotive issues that are discussed within this series of books and there are arguments for protecting children from them, however, I don't believe it's a bad thing that children are exposed to this type of material to gain some understanding in what children their age have to do just to survive. That it's told in the child's own words is powerful indeed.