Author: Alan Gratz
Illustrator: Alan Gratz
Awards: Bluebonnet
Grade level: 4th-6th
This is an amazing novel split into three different perspectives from three different time periods. The three perspectives are Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud. The story starts with Josef when his family's home is invaded in Berlin in Germany. His father is sent to a concentration camp, and they are allowed to leave if they leave Germany immediately, so they go on a ship heading to Cuba. Isabel is currently in Cuba (different time period) and watches as a riot unfolds during which her father is badly beaten. Mahmoud is the last to be introduced and one day while he is doing his homework, a missile explodes and tears the walls of his family's apartment. Throughout the book, it continues to switch perspectives and describes the struggles they all go through while seeking refugee. In the end, the stories actually connect in a crazy way. When Mahmoud finally reaches Germany, he stays at the home of a Jewish couple, and the wife actually ends up being Josef's sister. She describes to Mahmoud what Josef went through and did for her, and it makes Mahmoud feel at home.
This book is amazing! Definitely needed the tissues but it is an amazing read for older students and if I teach upper elementary or middle school I will definitely have this book in my classroom. It is definitely meant for older students between 4th and 6th because it is a huge book with large vocabulary for older students. I would use this book during a history unit describing one of the time periods in the story.
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