- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: A & C Black Publishers Ltd (July 17 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1408109107
- ISBN-13: 978-1408109106
- Product Dimensions: 20 x 13.4 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 440 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Zephaniah, a London-based performance poet, sends a strong political message in his realistic account of a young refugee's struggles. With both of his parents' homelands at war, 14-year-old Alem is persecuted because of the family's mixed nationality; his Ethiopian father and Eritrean mother decide that their son will be safest abroad. As the novel opens, Alem's father brings him to London "on holiday" and then abandons him, leaving only a letter to explain his reasoning. While Alem's parents fight for the unification of Ethiopia and Eritrea thousands of miles away, Alem must mount a battle for political asylum. After being moved from an institution to a more welcoming foster home, Alem musters an army of friends and compassionate social workers who help him combat a cold and impersonal system. Rather than delving deeply into his protagonist's emotions, the author adopts a relatively objective stance. Readers see Alem's reactions from the outside, not as an internal process, as the government initially refuses to grant him asylum and later, when both of his parents are killed (his mother in Africa, his father in London). While audience members may feel distanced from the young hero, they will be outraged by the injustice he confronts and moved by the tragedies he endures. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-A dust jacket that resembles an airmail envelope complete with stamp cancellation will lure readers to this somewhat disappointing tale. Alem Kelo is caught in the current political disputes raging between Ethiopia and Eritrea. He and his father flee to London where Alem is left alone to seek asylum with British authorities while his father returns to Africa, where he discovers that his wife is missing. The child is caught in the web of the judicial system as his foster care and sanctuary are determined. While the story has all the elements of a gripping tale, it often reads like a first, rough draft. A prelude to the book, titled "Ethiopia," finds soldiers barging into the Kelos' house. Shooting and shouting result, and the family is ordered to leave the country. An almost duplicate scene labeled "Eritrea" follows. In an effort to show that neither country embraces the union of this Ethiopian man and Eritrean woman and its progeny, the question immediately arises, are the soldiers Ethiopian or Eritrean? Throughout the author merely tells, rarely shows. Wording is awkward and often repetitive. The result is the ponderous text of a story about war and refugees that needs to be told; unfortunately, this effort falls short.
Daniel L. Darigan, West Chester University, PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Daniel L. Darigan, West Chester University, PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting topic, wooden characters.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Refugee Boy (Hardcover)
The topic of refugees is timely and pressing. However, the characters in Refugee Boy are, at best, two-dimensional; it is impossible to empathise with them, because they do not feel real.For a book that offers engaging characters, as well as being informative, turn to Beverly Naidoo's The Other Side of Truth. The vitality and depth of the characters makes their situation much more urgent and accessible.
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's all contingent upon your perspective.,
By Amy Ensign (Bemidji, MN United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Refugee Boy (Hardcover)
Refugee Boy is a book that can be great and mediocre. It was interesting learning about Ethiopia and Eritria in this context. The book does provide young people with a necessary world perspective. It can be a great tool for English teachers to humanize the idea of immigration. This author also opens up the world of England to students who know little about it. I think a lot of good cultural and multifaceted global discussions are created through having students read Refugee Boy. It seemed as if there were a lot of opportunities here with the subject matter to make students feel more compassionate, understanding, and interested overall in the story line/topics. Yet, it seems like Zephaniah comes up short here. The story seems to be too surface level at times, and I was never sucked into reading this book. I wonder how interested students will be in reading it in its entirety. It most definitely is not an intimidating book for students to read, so this is a plus! I give this book three stars. Don't overlook the options that this book does create for your classroom or children, but don't expect your ideas and world to be dramatically revolutionized.
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's been done better elsewhere,
By 1.5 Trick Pony "SuperDuper" (Maine, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Refugee Boy (Hardcover)
What I liked about this book: it taught me a lot about the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. So for its educational aspect I enjoyed it. However, the theme of African refugees in England is time-worn and cliched. Naidoo (On the Other Side of Truth, Chain of Fire) does it better and more engagingly. So if you want to have a mini-tutorial on Ethiopian/Eritrean history, read this. If you want a good book about refugees, go somewhere else.
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