The middle grade novel, Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story), is written by Daniel Nayeri. Daniel was a refugee himself, leaving Iran and coming to Oklahoma at age eight. The book is his story, how he remembers it. Daniel’s story is heart-breaking but beautiful in the same moment. So many difficult and unfair things happen to Daniel and his family, but through it all he is resilient--something he learns from his mother. The way Daniel is treated will remind readers of the value of kindness and will make them think before they judge another for being different. This book is a great opportunity to discuss how we treat others, whether we are kind like some of the characters or whether we are cruel like others. It gives the reader the opportunity to empathize with Daniel’s experiences and is perspective altering. I would recommend it for 5th-grade readers and above. There are mentions of drugs at several points in the story, just to warn sensitive readers.
Reading is something that has brought me joy and helped me relate to others and the world around me throughout my life. I believe that sharing books together is one of the quickest and most effective ways to connect with one another. Sharing books about life experiences can bring us closer even when our experiences are vastly different. On this blog, I share some of my favorite books that help me connect with my refugee friends. I hope as you find out about great books about refugees you and your children will feel a connection with their experiences and recognize that we are all more similar than we realize. I also share books that might help you to teach the children in your sphere of influence more about compassion, tolerance, and kindness as these traits help bring us all a little closer in the world.