We have just finished reading this book for school. Wow, is it good! It has been very recently published and is by Katherine Marsh, an American who moved to Brussels with her family for work. A lot of it is based on her family's experiences.
In the book there are two main characters, both 13/14 year old boys. As you read, you like the characters more and more and feel really involved in their lives. Max, American, moves with his family to Brussels for his parents' work. He experiences life as an expat child going to French school and meets Ahmed a refugee from Syria. It tells the story of their adventures together, alongside current events that went on in Europe at the time the book was set- including terrorist attacks and the refugee crisis. The descriptions of Ahmed's life in Aleppo are so moving and powerful.
The book explores big issues such as- among other things- racism, immigration and lying. When is it okay to lie? Max lies in order to help Ahmed but the lies get more and more. The author explores the dilemmas Max goes through, in the shadow of a true story from World War II when a neighbour of Max's hid a Jewish boy and died for it.
It really is a brilliant book. If, however, you only want your children to read books with happy and healthy families in then this is not for you. Max's family is not the happiest. There is also the typical playground banter in it.
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