Refugee

The novel follows three alternating timelines: Josef, escaping Nazi Germany in 1939 on the MS St. Louis; Isabel, fleeing the 1994 Cuban riot crisis on a makeshift raft; and Mahmoud, trekking from war-torn Syria to Germany in 2015. Their paths are linked by the universal struggle for safety and a clever, late-book narrative connection. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals with death, trauma, and political persecution directly and realistically. It is a secular approach to historical and modern tragedy. The resolution is bittersweet: while there is survival and hope, there is also significant loss and the reality that not everyone makes it. EMOTIONAL ARC: It is high-tension from the first chapter. The emotional weight builds steadily as the characters face mounting obstacles, ending on a note of profound, hard-won hope and interconnectedness. IDEAL READER: A mature 10 to 12-year-old who enjoys high-stakes adventure but is starting to engage with social justice or historical non-fiction. PARENT TRIGGER: The parent may hear their child asking, 'Why didn't anyone help them?' or 'Is this real?' Trigger moments include scenes of a parent's mental breakdown due to trauma (Josef's father) and the life-altering choice to give away a baby to save it from drowning (Mahmoud's story). PARENT PREP: Parents should be aware of the 'invisible' character trope: Mahmoud's realization that people choose not to see refugees. Preview the scenes involving the Cuban Coast Guard and the Hungarian border for intensity. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers (9-10) will focus on the survival adventure and the bravery of the kids. Older readers (12-14) will better grasp the political ironies and the cycle of history. DIFFERENTIATOR: Gratz's ability to weave three disparate centuries/cultures into a singular, cohesive narrative about the universal human right to safety is unmatched in middle-grade fiction.