A review by worldlibraries
Escape from Syria by Samya Kullab
5.0
This book takes a half hour to read. In half an hour, Escape From Syria takes you into the intensity of the revolution and refugee experience. Some families in Syria were just trying to pursue normal life, living lives rich in intellectual pursuit, surrounded by extended family, sometimes even in the same multi-floor apartment building before revolution broke out.
But because Syria had no freedom and no democracy, when the Arab Spring began in Arab lands, revolution naturally started to foment in Syria. It was dealt with mercilessly by the regime in power. No reforms were allowed. Citizens serving in the Syrian Army were ordered to kill their own people and did so.
Amina, a top female student, sees her life fall apart. Her family decides they must leave and they go to Lebanon. The author consistently shows the young reader just how hard it is to survive as a refugee. One way the author does this is by showing a monthly budget for refugee life and how income doesn't match expenses. Another way the author does this is by showing the anguish of a refugee family that needs medicine that will instantly heal their son, but what are they to do when they have no money to pay for that medicine? Another way the author did this was to show how young daughters, often as young as 13, were married off by their families in the camp because they had no possible way of protecting them. Another way the author shows the refugee experience is Amina's reaction to walking by windows of families living normal lives, just like she used to have, as if nothing has happened.
This book helps children see the real deep impact for families around the world whose governments would rather retain power among a ruling elite than allow for more freedom and democracy. The author, a working journalist who reported on the refugee and migration crisis for years, backs up every situation described in her book with citations in the back. I say thank you to author Samya Kullab, for giving voice to the powerless. Thanks also to the rest of the publishing team that brought this book to the public.
But because Syria had no freedom and no democracy, when the Arab Spring began in Arab lands, revolution naturally started to foment in Syria. It was dealt with mercilessly by the regime in power. No reforms were allowed. Citizens serving in the Syrian Army were ordered to kill their own people and did so.
Amina, a top female student, sees her life fall apart. Her family decides they must leave and they go to Lebanon. The author consistently shows the young reader just how hard it is to survive as a refugee. One way the author does this is by showing a monthly budget for refugee life and how income doesn't match expenses. Another way the author does this is by showing the anguish of a refugee family that needs medicine that will instantly heal their son, but what are they to do when they have no money to pay for that medicine? Another way the author did this was to show how young daughters, often as young as 13, were married off by their families in the camp because they had no possible way of protecting them. Another way the author shows the refugee experience is Amina's reaction to walking by windows of families living normal lives, just like she used to have, as if nothing has happened.
This book helps children see the real deep impact for families around the world whose governments would rather retain power among a ruling elite than allow for more freedom and democracy. The author, a working journalist who reported on the refugee and migration crisis for years, backs up every situation described in her book with citations in the back. I say thank you to author Samya Kullab, for giving voice to the powerless. Thanks also to the rest of the publishing team that brought this book to the public.