Status
Coming Soon
Call number
Collection
Genres
Publication
Candlewick (2020), Edition: Illustrated, 256 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Sociology. Geography. Young Adult Nonfiction. HTML: Five refugees recount their courageous journeys to America �?? and the unimaginable struggles that led them to flee their homelands �?? in a powerful work from the author of Beyond Magenta and We Are Here to Stay. "From 1984, when I was born, until July 16, 2017, when I arrived in the United States, I never lived in a place where there was no war." �?? Fraidoon An Iraqi woman who survived capture by ISIS. A Sudanese teen growing up in civil war and famine. An Afghan interpreter for the U.S. Army living under threat of a fatwa. They are among the five refugees who share their stories in award-winning author and photographer Susan Kuklin's latest masterfully crafted narrative. The five, originally from Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Sudan, Iraq, and Burundi, give gripping first-person testimonies about what it is like to flee war, face violent threats, grow up in a refugee camp, be sold into slavery, and resettle in America. Illustrated with full-color photographs of the refugees' new lives in Nebraska, this work is essential reading for understanding the devastating impact of war and persecution �?? and the power of resilience, optimism, and the will to survive. Included in the end matter are chapter notes, information on resettlement and U.S. citizenship, historical time lines of war and political strife in the refugees' countries of origin, resources for further reading, and an… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member lisan.
A brief look into the lives of five immigrants who arrived in this country as refugees. This was a good thing to read during quarantine because it reminds you of the horrors people live through just to survive. Our stay at home orders are nothing compared to running for your life, living in a
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refugee camp, or coming to a foreign country where you don’t know the language or the culture. The story of Shireen is especially terrifying and sobering. I can’t imagine ever being as brave and strong as she is. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carolee888
This is a book to learn from. One of the best ways of learning about where we live and what we take from granted is to talk or read about immigrants to our country. Fridan from Afghanistan echos what one of my friends, an immigrant several times over but recently from Israel. Fraidan said that he
Brave Fridan fought on missions with our country again the Taliban.The invaders who demanded strict allegiance to their rules and horrible treatment of their men, women and children. Women were told to stau at home all the time, there so many things that they were forbidden to do and severe punishment if they refused.
From Northern Iraq, Shireen's story was so terrible that I wonder how she survived. She tells of her and her family's experiences with Isis. She will never return.
i
There is much more in this book, other painful stories, account of how the people in Nebraska welcomed and nurtured the immigrants, how a refugee becomes a citizen and more.
I received an Advance copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from LibraryThing.
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never lived in a country where there was not a war going on. My friend told me that a bomb had been dropped in her backyard! If her family wanted to go to a store, they were stopped over and over again at different checkpoints to make sure that they were not hiding someone. My friend never felt safe.Brave Fridan fought on missions with our country again the Taliban.The invaders who demanded strict allegiance to their rules and horrible treatment of their men, women and children. Women were told to stau at home all the time, there so many things that they were forbidden to do and severe punishment if they refused.
From Northern Iraq, Shireen's story was so terrible that I wonder how she survived. She tells of her and her family's experiences with Isis. She will never return.
i
There is much more in this book, other painful stories, account of how the people in Nebraska welcomed and nurtured the immigrants, how a refugee becomes a citizen and more.
I received an Advance copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from LibraryThing.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bookish59
Of 68m+ people displaced globally, Kuklin describes in detail the lives of five refugees, their families, home countries, the wars, poverty and religious/ethnic conflicts that threaten their lives and cause them to flee. Some have survived kidnappings, and rapes, watching their families killed, and
Proper sanitation, medicine, counseling, education, books, and furnishings are rare. Families are often separated between refugee camps, forcing children to assume responsibilities to care for their younger siblings.
The process to get to the US is long, bureacratically brutal, and unreliable. Even those who have helped the US military, and proven their loyalty again and again must face inane challenges. YEARS of vetting begins with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) which collects basic info. Only 1% of refugees proceed to next step which is to be recommended to the Resettlement Support Center (RSC). They collect biographical date and initiate a prepatory file for refugee. Homeland Security's US Citizenship and Immigrant Services conduct in-depth interviews, get fingerprints to match against FBI, DHS, and US Dep't of Defense databases. People are tested for TB and veneral disease.
Once a refugee accepted, one of 9 non-gov't organizations (NGO's) step in to coordinate and handle re-settlement process. They provide orientation, decided on best city/town, arrrange travel, have NGO reps and volunteers meet refugees at airports. Welcomed, driven to apartments, shown how to use, kitchen, bathroom, how to travel locally, where to shop, how to register for school, find jobs, etc. Refugees are expected to pick all this up within 90 days!
Mostly a success story but its always better when a refugee comes with his/her family rather than alone. Not having that normal support system is emotionally taxing. Refugees need to be tested in basic English, American history, demonstrate good moral character and swear allegiance to US to become full citizens.
These new American citizens are loyal, grateful, law abiding and work hard to give their families better lives.
Good read; I learned much about human resilience and determination in the face of political corruption, power and greed. The US should be rescuing and re-settling many more refugees who need to get out of abysmal conditions.
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many are forced into slavery. Some manage to escape. They run to neighboring countries which locate them in refugee camps with no privacy, and only the bare basics, tents, some water and food. Proper sanitation, medicine, counseling, education, books, and furnishings are rare. Families are often separated between refugee camps, forcing children to assume responsibilities to care for their younger siblings.
The process to get to the US is long, bureacratically brutal, and unreliable. Even those who have helped the US military, and proven their loyalty again and again must face inane challenges. YEARS of vetting begins with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) which collects basic info. Only 1% of refugees proceed to next step which is to be recommended to the Resettlement Support Center (RSC). They collect biographical date and initiate a prepatory file for refugee. Homeland Security's US Citizenship and Immigrant Services conduct in-depth interviews, get fingerprints to match against FBI, DHS, and US Dep't of Defense databases. People are tested for TB and veneral disease.
Once a refugee accepted, one of 9 non-gov't organizations (NGO's) step in to coordinate and handle re-settlement process. They provide orientation, decided on best city/town, arrrange travel, have NGO reps and volunteers meet refugees at airports. Welcomed, driven to apartments, shown how to use, kitchen, bathroom, how to travel locally, where to shop, how to register for school, find jobs, etc. Refugees are expected to pick all this up within 90 days!
Mostly a success story but its always better when a refugee comes with his/her family rather than alone. Not having that normal support system is emotionally taxing. Refugees need to be tested in basic English, American history, demonstrate good moral character and swear allegiance to US to become full citizens.
These new American citizens are loyal, grateful, law abiding and work hard to give their families better lives.
Good read; I learned much about human resilience and determination in the face of political corruption, power and greed. The US should be rescuing and re-settling many more refugees who need to get out of abysmal conditions.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
In Search of Safety is comprised of five refugee stories from five different parts of the world yet all have two common threads. All five stories are of individuals seeking safety despite varying circumstances. They all end up in the United States in, of all places, Nebraska.
Fraidoon from
Fraidoon from
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Afghanistan, Nathan from Myanmar, Nyarout from South Sudan, Shireen from Northern Iraq, and Dieudonne from Burundi. Each refugee demonstrates remarkable courage, strength and, above all, trust to journey to America. In Search of Safety is compassionate and Kuklin is respectful in telling each harrowing story. The book's hidden strength is the amount of information in Part VI: Notes and Resources. Show Less
LibraryThing member nancyadair
"It's just a choir," Dieudonne replied to the parents of the youth choir he created. And I was in tears.
You see, Dieudonne had spent twelve years of his childhood in a refugee camp. His parents were a mixed marriage of Hutus and Tutsis. When soldiers told his father that he had to kill his wife,
When Dieudonne was fifteen, he and his siblings were able to immigrate to the United States. Dieudonne joined a storefront church that became the church home for the refugee community. He knew the children needed direction and connection to their new home while embracing their heritage. He started a choir that combined Bible and cultural teachings. The children showed improvement in their behavior and their parents were amazed.
It's just a choir.
I was surprised to be so moved by the five stories shared by Susan Kuklin's In Search of Safety. When I won the book on LibraryThing I had no idea how this book would impact me. The stories of why these people left their homeland was troubling and horrifying, But telling of their new life in safety, I was uplifted and joyful.
The stories are in the words of the people featured, revealing their personality and showing the depth of their emotional and physical experiences. Although they come from different countries each settled in Nebraska.
From Afghanistan, Fraidoon was a translator for the US army. He was under threat of death by the Taliban and sought to immigrate to America. US soldiers confirmed his unwavering loyalty and bravery.
From Myanmar, Nathan was raised in a refugee camp in Thailand and came to America at age twelve. His father worked factory jobs and as a meatpacker, moving to cities that provided his son with the best educational opportunities. Nathan earned a scholarship to college and became an American citizen.
Shireen from Northern Iraq was part of an ethnic minority group that has survived seventy-three genocides before ISIS attacked them. To avoid rape and sexual slavery, Shireen poised as her cousin's wife and later pretended to be paralyzed. She was rescued and taken to a refugee camp before coming to America.
And last there is Dieudonne from Burundi who came from a comfortable home, his father able to raise everything they needed.
This is a marvelous resource for age 14 and up.
The book is filled with color photographs and includes maps.
I won a free book from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
You see, Dieudonne had spent twelve years of his childhood in a refugee camp. His parents were a mixed marriage of Hutus and Tutsis. When soldiers told his father that he had to kill his wife,
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they ran, making their way to Tanzania. They ended up in a UN refugee camp. When Dieudonne was fifteen, he and his siblings were able to immigrate to the United States. Dieudonne joined a storefront church that became the church home for the refugee community. He knew the children needed direction and connection to their new home while embracing their heritage. He started a choir that combined Bible and cultural teachings. The children showed improvement in their behavior and their parents were amazed.
It's just a choir.
I was surprised to be so moved by the five stories shared by Susan Kuklin's In Search of Safety. When I won the book on LibraryThing I had no idea how this book would impact me. The stories of why these people left their homeland was troubling and horrifying, But telling of their new life in safety, I was uplifted and joyful.
The stories are in the words of the people featured, revealing their personality and showing the depth of their emotional and physical experiences. Although they come from different countries each settled in Nebraska.
From Afghanistan, Fraidoon was a translator for the US army. He was under threat of death by the Taliban and sought to immigrate to America. US soldiers confirmed his unwavering loyalty and bravery.
From Myanmar, Nathan was raised in a refugee camp in Thailand and came to America at age twelve. His father worked factory jobs and as a meatpacker, moving to cities that provided his son with the best educational opportunities. Nathan earned a scholarship to college and became an American citizen.
Shireen from Northern Iraq was part of an ethnic minority group that has survived seventy-three genocides before ISIS attacked them. To avoid rape and sexual slavery, Shireen poised as her cousin's wife and later pretended to be paralyzed. She was rescued and taken to a refugee camp before coming to America.
And last there is Dieudonne from Burundi who came from a comfortable home, his father able to raise everything they needed.
This is a marvelous resource for age 14 and up.
The book is filled with color photographs and includes maps.
I won a free book from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
Show Less
LibraryThing member HAUMC
The stories of 5 refugees who immigrated to Nebraska are presented in text and photos. Fraidoon had been a translator for the US military in Afghanistan, Nathan was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, war in Sudan forced young Nyarout's family to leave their home, Shireen escaped from a brutal life
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in Iraq, and Dieudonne's family fled the genocide in Burundi. Kuklin puts a human face on the issues that force people to leave their homes in search of a better life in the United States. Very moving book. Show Less
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
The personal stories of five refugees. They tell their own stories. I received an advanced readers copy which has black and white pictures. Per the notes the final copy will have colored pictures and maps. This would be a great book to have teens to read to understand what is happening around the
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world. Show Less
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Five inspiring stories of refugees escaping war, political or ethnic persecution in their homelands and successfully settling in America. It’s much more interesting to learn about immigration experiences when the details are about specific people. This book should be in classrooms.
LibraryThing member reakendera
An inspiring and eye-opening account. It was very real, personal, harrowing and hard to read at times. I'm honestly having some trouble getting through it for personal reasons but I think this a very important book so I'm leaving this review now and will continue to make my way through it. 2020 is
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a strange time to read something like this, it certainly puts things in perspective. Show Less
Awards
CCBC Choices (2021)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
9.38 inches
ISBN
0763679607 / 9780763679606