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Recommended fiction teacher notes for primary and secondary schools by Amnesty International has notes for fiction books on human rights themes, including several relating to refugees
List of Fiction Books
KS = Key Stage
KS1= 5-7 yrs old
KS2 = 7-11yrs old
KS 3 = 11-14yrs old
KS4= 14-16yrs old
New releases
Boy 87 – Ele Fountain
BOY 87 transports us into the world of one child refugee, fourteen-year-old Shif – bringing to life and giving humanity to the thousands of children forced to flee their homes every day. Seen through his eyes, BOY 87 is Shif’s moving and challenging adventure in search of a better life. For readers aged 10+
Ks1/Ks2
Little Bird Flies – Karen McCombie
The first book in a gripping, dramatic new series set during the Scottish clearances of the 19th century. Little Bird Flies classroom resource pack for age 9+ available to download from Nosy Crow here
A Picture Book of Anne Frank – David D. Adler
Amina’s Blanket – Helen Dunmore
Bilingual Folk Tales
A series of colourful illustrated books, each telling a popular folk tale from a different country, matching the English translation against the tale told in its original language. Suitable for early years and primary schools.Each book carries details of the country where the folk tale originated
Boy Overboard (Football and Afghan refugees moving to Australia) – Morris Gleitzma
Dia’s Story Cloth (Picture Book – China to Thailand) – Dia Cha
Kosovan Journeys (Big Book) – Howard Davies & Jill Rutter
My Name was Hussein – Hristo Kyuchukov
Illustrated story sharing the life of a young Roma boy in Bulgaria, who is forced to give up his identity and his name as a result of government oppression. Suitable for ages 7 – 11.
Petar’s Song (Picture Book) – Pratima Mitchell
Beautifully illustrated story of family separation caused by war. Suitable for ages 7 – 11.
Playing War – Kathy Beckwith
Illustrated story about understanding what war can be like for families, and that war is not a game. It’s also a sensitive story about the power of friendship and how children can learn from one another. Suitable for ages 7 – 11.
Ten Thousand Bowls of Soup – Ross Frowen
A poetic picture book encouraging children to engage with adults on the vitally important migrant issue that is beginning to define the times in which we live.
The Colour of Home – Mary Hoffman
The story of Hassan’s first day at an English school, after his family flee the war in Somalia. It describes his sadness, and how the school helps him to feel welcome and settled. A beautiful picture book, suitable for ages 5 – 11.
The Weight of Water – Sarah Crossan
The Librarian of Basra – Jeanette Winter
The true story about a librarian’s struggle to save her community’s priceless collection of books during the war in Iraq. Beautifully illustrated and inspiring. suitable for ages 5 – 11
The Silver Path – Christine Harris, Helen Ong
The Whispering Cloth (Picture Book -Thailand) – Pegi Deitz Shea
Zlata’s Diary – Zlata Filipovic
Real diary of a young girl trapped in Sarajevo when war broke out in 1992. For nearly 2 years she recorded how war touched her daily life and robbed her of her childhood. Very useful for Years 5 – 9, particularly in comparison with Anne Franks’ Diary.
KS2/KS3
A Fight to Belong – Alan Gibbons
And The Stars Were Gold – Gaye Hiςyilmaz
The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
Girl of Kosovo – Alice Mead
Hitler’s Daughter – Jackie French
Home Is A Place Called Nowhere – Leon Rosselson
Lost For Words (A newcomer from Bangladesh) – Elizabeth Lu
No Guns for Asmir – Christobel Mattingley
Number the Stars – Lois Lowry
On the Run (civil war) – Elizabeth Laird
One Day We Had to Run – Sybella Wilkes
Samik and Yonatan (Israel/Palestine) – Daniella Cakmi
Smiling for Strangers (escaping from the former Yugoslavia) – Gaye Hiçyilmaz
Somali Journeys
The Breadwinner (A girl’s life under Taliban rule) – Deborah Ellis
The Cinnamon Tree (Landmine victim) – Aubrey Flegg
The Frozen Waterfall (From Turkey to Switzerland) – Gaye Hiςyilma
The Kites Are Flying – Michael Morpurgo
The Other Side of Truth – Beverly Naidoo
A fast and vivid account of a family’s flight from threat and murder seen through the eyes of 12 year old Sade and her 10 year old brother Femi. It traces their frightening experiences in both Nigeria and England.
The Silver Sword – Ian Serraillier
The Unforgotten Coat – Frank Cottrell Boyce
Too Black Too Strong – Benjamin Zephaniah
Waiting for Anya – Michael Morpurgo
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit – Judith Kerr
KS3/KS4
Adem’s Cross – Alice Mead
AK – Peter Dickinson
Deeply sympathetic story of a boy soldier in a fictional African country. Raises many questions about war and rebellion. Suitable for ages 11 and above.
Alpha – Bessora, Illustrated by Barroux
Dark Parties – Sara Grant
Dreamland – Lily Hyde
Girl in Red (Roma) – Gaye Hiςyilmaz A booklet of memories collected from asylum seeker and refugee families in the local area. It has some ideas for classroom use and has teacher perspectives with in it.
Hana’ s Suitcase – Karen A biography of a Czech girl who died in the Holocaust, told in alternating chapters with an account of how the curator of a Japanese holocaust Centre learned about her life, after Hana’s suitcase was sent to her. Moving and beautifully told.
Levine Little Soldier – Bernard Ashley
My Forbidden Face (Growing Up Under the Taliban) – Latifa
Only a Matter of Time (Albanian & Serb teenagers become friends) – Stewart Ross
Playing With Fire (Mozambique) – Henning Mankell
Run (On the run from immigration & the past) – Farrukh Dhondy
Secrets in the Fire (Mozambique) – Henning Mankell
Shadow – Micheal Murpurgo
The Bone Sparrow – Zana Fraillon
The Road From Rome (Turkey/Armenia early 20th century) – David Kherdian
Voices Of Silence – Bel Mooney
Zoya’s Story – Zoya with John Follain & Rita Cristofari