Finding Home: Words from Kids Seeking Sanctuary

by Gwen Agna, Shelley Rotner (Illustrator), Shelley Rotner

Overview

In this photographic picture book, the authors record and transcribe the words of displaced children, raising up their voices—who they are, where they came from, and the many different reasons that they had to leave their home countries.

My parents told me we had to leave to stay safe. I was scared.

We left in a hurry. We could hardly bring anything. I could only take what fit in my backpack.

One day there was everyone and the next day there was almost no one. We had to go too.

This book celebrates the resilience, hope, and joy of children and their families who are seeking asylum. Stunning photographs capture children doing everyday things like playing on the playground, going to school, and meeting new friends alongside their stories of having to leave to their home countries in order to stay safe. The authors transcribed and photographed children from around the world to share their experiences on moving to a new place under extremely difficult circumstances as a way to raise up their voices and humanize people seeking asylum.

Countries include Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Bosnia, Tibet, Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Mexico, Syria, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Ukraine. The authors have included backmatter with further information for kids, parents, and educators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063304178
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/09/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,139,000
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Gwen Agna has been an educator for more than forty years. Trained in early childhood education, throughout her career she worked to incorporate social justice, anti-bias, and anti-racism in all aspects of classroom practice. She lives in Northampton, MA.

Shelley Rotner is an award-winning author and photo illustrator of more than fifty books for young readers. With a background as an elementary school teacher, museum educational specialist, and UNICEF photographer, Rotner is also a noted freelance photojournalist whose work has appeared in Time magazine, National Geographic’s World magazine, and numerous others. She is best known for portraying diverse children with inclusivity in her books, notably All Kinds of People and Shades of People, where she explores kids’ worlds to raise awareness and to promote curiosity and compassion. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Shelley Rotner is an award-winning author and photo illustrator of more than fifty books for young readers. With a background as an elementary school teacher, museum educational specialist, and UNICEF photographer, Rotner is also a noted freelance photojournalist whose work has appeared in Time magazine, National Geographic’s World magazine, and numerous others. She is best known for portraying diverse children with inclusivity in her books, notably All Kinds of People and Shades of People, where she explores kids’ worlds to raise awareness and to promote curiosity and compassion. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

01/22/2024

Brief quotes from displaced children speak to experiences of seeking asylum in this photojournalistic work by previous collaborators Agna and Rotner. Unembellished text opens: “Kids from all over the world have to leave their homes and countries. They have to escape—fleeing fires, floods, drought, or war—because it’s not safe for them to stay anymore.” Alongside the prose, speech balloons give voice to individual children, of various ages and skin tones, shown in photographed portraits: “One day there was everyone, and the next day there was almost no one. We had to go too.” As the pages turn, running text reflects ideals (“Families belong together.... All kids need a safe place to learn... explore... play”) emphasized by the children’s quotes (“Here we have recess. Yes!”) and reflected in images of kids taking part in everyday activities. More on some children’s individual journeys concludes, along with “ways to help” for kids, grown-ups, and educators. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Geared toward younger readers, illustrated with expressive color photos, and written in accessible prose, this highlights various facets of immigration and its impact from kids’ perspectives… A varied range of experiences and people are showcased, including such challenges of being in a new place as learning a different language and making friends, but so are commonalities—the meaningfulness of being with family, finding connection and community, and having stable, supportive opportunities for education and play. Throughout, abundant photos are both poignant and uplifting... [T]his thought-provoking, affecting volume aims to foster understanding and “hope for a world where everyone is welcome.” — Booklist

A timely and poignant book that addresses the issue of children seeking a safe and welcoming home...A glossary, an author's note, and more resources makes this a good candidate for classroom use, making it an informative and inclusive resource. This short but age-relevant book is a nice introduction for anyone with questions about what they are hearing in the news. — School Library Journal

"A beautiful book which reminds us that those that seek sanctuary are beautiful humans." — Grace Lin

From the Publisher

12/01/2023

PreS-Gr 2—A timely and poignant book that addresses the issue of children seeking a safe and welcoming home. Through a collection of original photographs, Agna and Rotner shed light on the experiences of children from diverse cultural backgrounds (although there is not much about the countries or cultures they come from) who have embarked on journeys in search of safety and belonging in a new place. The book's use of speech bubbles in the images makes it feel as though the children in the photographs are directly communicating with readers. This approach adds a personal touch to the stories, allowing readers to empathize with the challenges these children face. A brief book, with limited text outside the speech bubbles, its target audience would be younger readers; however, they may require adult guidance to fully grasp the complexities of asylum-seeking and migrant challenges in a new country. A glossary, an author's note, and more resources makes this a good candidate for classroom use, making it an informative and inclusive resource. VERDICT This short but age-relevant book is a nice introduction for anyone with questions about what they are hearing in the news.—Erin Olsen

School Library Journal

2023-11-04
Young refugees open up.

Combining photographs with informational text and quotes from the children depicted, this book sheds light on the conditions under which kids migrate far from home, including “fleeing fires, floods, drought, or war.” The featured children are racially diverse, with a range of skin tones, hair textures, and styles of dress. In one photograph, an Asian-presenting child sits on a couch, mouth slightly open; a word bubble reads, “My parents told me we had to leave to be safe. I was scared.” Straightforward narration alternates between the tough realities of immigration (“Most people had to travel a long time—months, even years, moving from place to place before finally finding a new home”) and more uplifting messaging (“Let’s hope for a world where everyone is welcome”). The book is clearly aimed at non-refugees—backmatter includes suggestions on “how to help someone new” and asks readers to “imagine what it would feel like to move to a new country.” The photos are bright and eye-catching, though somewhat stiff and staged-looking. While those new to the topic will gain some insight, refugee children will likely feel that this work is about them—but not for them.

A window into the refugee experience—though not a mirror. (authors’ notes, additional resources, glossary) (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews