Rating: **** 4 stars

Sybella Wilkes,
Out of Iraq: Refugees' Stories in Words, Paintings and Music
Evans Brothers. 2009.

NON FICTION

 Ages 10-14

Since 2006 hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the terror and confusion of war. Many of these families are still living in exile, unable or unwilling to return home until there is some hope of safety and stability. This book tells the stories of some of these displaced people – children, young adults, painters and musicians. Background history to the First Gulf War and Saddam Hussein’s rise to power are included, illustrated with photographs and paintings by both children and adults. But it is the personal accounts that tell the most powerful and painful stories, of young lives defined by war, families torn apart because of religious backgrounds, and memories of kidnapping and gunfights in the street, linked by a continuing theme of displacement and longing for home. A powerful and evocative book, for every copy sold the publisher makes a donation to UNHCR, the UN agency committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of refugees. A final section includes useful suggestions on using the book in school as well as resources for both teachers and pupils. An excellent source of information to prompt discussion about the Iraq war or the nature of any war and its effects on civilians.

Sue Unstead
January 2010, No. 180

Guide to the rating system:
***** 5 stars, unmissable
**** 4 stars, very good
*** 3 stars, good
** 2 stars, fair
* 1 star, poor