REFUGEE: The Graphic Novel, by Alan Gratz, Syd Fini, Graphix, Oct. 7, 2025, Paperback, $14.99 (ages 9-12)
Follow three children through three different time periods as each sets out in search of refuge in Alan Gratz’s Refugee: The Graphic Novel.
JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world…
ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America…
MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe…
All three kids must endure harrowing journeys. All face unimaginable dangers. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end. —Synopsis provided by Graphix
When I first reviewed Refugee in 2017, I called it “… a profoundly moving novel. And it’s particularly poignant against the backdrop of today’s politics around the world.”
Today, it is no less poignant. And the graphic novel once again captures the universal hope for safety and a sense of belonging.
With stunning illustrations by Syd Fini, Refugee: The Graphic Novel will appeal to fans of the original version and new readers alike. Together, Gratz and Fini capture the heart of the story through movement, tension and heart-breaking action.
Refugee in both its forms remains one of my favorite Gratz stories. It’s a moving narrative that forces readers to look at the world around them with new eyes and understanding.
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