SPH Libraries: War and Refugees: Refugees

Borrow this powerful book out from our Senior Library and watch the companion video.

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini

ISBN: 9780525539094

Publication Date: 2018-09-18

An illustrated book on the refugee crisis that will break your heart in under 48 pages, from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Kite Runner. . . Publishers Weekly Review: A short, powerful, illustrated book written by beloved novelist Khaled Hosseini in response to the current refugee crisis, Sea Prayer is composed in the form of a letter, from a father to his son, on the eve of their journey. Watching over his sleeping son, the father reflects on the dangerous sea-crossing that lies before them. It is also a vivid portrait of their life in Homs, Syria, before the war, and of that city's swift transformation from a home into a deadly war zone. Impelled to write this story by the haunting image of young Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed upon the beach in Turkey in September 2015, Hosseini hopes to pay tribute to the millions of families, like Kurdi's, who have been splintered and forced from home...

Before watching the video below think about your experiences:

1. What have you learned about refugees so far

from your own research?
from topics at school?
from parents and the wider community?
from the news and other media?

2. What personal experiences have you had with refugees?

Words that come up in the video that might be helpful to know:

Xenophobia means, "fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners..." (Merriam-Webster, 2019).
Asylum means, "a place of retreat and security" (Merriam-Webster, 2019).
Refoulement means, "the act of forcing a refugee or asylum seeker to return to a country or territory where he or she is likely to face persecution." (Merriam-Webster, 2019).

References:

"Asylum." Merriam-Webster.com, 2019, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asylum, Accessed 29th Oct, 2019.

"Refoulement." Merriam-Webster.com. 2019, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refoulement, Accessed 29th Oct, 2019.

"Xenophobia." Merriam-Webster.com, 2019, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/xenophobia, Accessed 29th Oct, 2019

Take the Quiz.

Do you know the answers to the following questions?

Further Discussion Topics

Can you explain the differences between, and common traits of, refugees and migrants?

Think about a family forced to leave their country to flee war. Explain the main obstacles and challenges they may face along the way.

What can ordinary people (like you and me) do to help families and individuals who have become refugees?

War and Refugees

What is a Refugee?

Further Discussion Topics