Today I’m sharing my Refuge Book Review. Last week, Nosy Crow published an amazing book, called Refuge by Anne Booth and illustrated by Sam Usher. It has been published to help the children of Syria.
Refuge Book Review
Nosy Crow boss, Kate Wilson was looking for a way to offer a little help to the Syrian Refugees… When Anne Booth’s manuscript arrived on her desk, Kate knew what had to be done. With beautiful illustrations from Sam Usher, the book was put together and available to buy just 7 weeks after the manuscript arrived on Kate’s desk.
This book tells the Christmas Story from the Donkey’s perspective, and it is very poignant at the moment. The story reminds us how Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to flee Bethlehem and take refuge in Egypt to keep safe.
Given what is happening in Syria at the moment, I read this story with a lump in my throat. It really humbled me to hear that Nosy Crow won’t make any money on the sale of this book. For every copy sold (at £7.99), £5 will go straight to War Child – a registered charity which helps children caught up in war. The money will help War Child to care for Syrian refugee children and their families in camps, and other children who are displaced, orphaned and suffering as a result of war too.
Others Thoughts on Refuge by Anne Booth
The Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell, has called Refuge… “An important Christmas book.” He says it is “a book to share with a lump in your throat and an ache in your heart. Until the beauty and hope of the very last page.” I agree, and I hope you will too.
This hardback book measures 17x21cm and is aimed at children aged 2-5 years old. I think older children will learn a lot from this story too though. The book can be a useful tool for teaching our children about refugees, and how we should help them as much as possible.
“An excellent way to help children make sense of what they are seeing on news bulletins every day … It’s a simple but important story about the kindness of strangers that refuses to preach and – amid all the policy-changing bluster – reminds us to remind our children that there is more to consider this Christmas than the looming Lego crisis.”
“…makes the connection between the story of Mary, Joseph and Jesus seeking refuge in Egypt, and today’s refugees fleeing their own King Herod with delicacy and beauty.”
“The nativity and the flight to Egypt, an simply recounted by Anne Booth and tenderly drawn in line and wash by Sam Usher, connect with the plight of modern refugees, in Refuge from which £5 for every copy sold goes to the charity War Child. A stocking filler about Christmas that fulfils its spirit.”
– The Sunday Times
My Thoughts
I personally feel this is a beautiful book, which should be on all young children’s bookshelves. It’s a stunning version of the Nativity story, with a real emphasis on what Mary and Joseph were actually enduring. Suddenly the reason why they rode a Donkey to Bethlehem when Mary was 9 months pregnant makes sense! Something which 5 year old me was really bamboozled by.
It is available to buy now from good bookshops, and online – directly from Nosy Crow. So I hope my Refuge Book Review has been useful.
Finally, read more of my reviews here.
This Refuge Book Review is not a sponsored post. I just wanted to share this beautiful book with my readers.
