The Endless Sea by Chi Thai & Linh Dao (Walker Studio)
The Endless Sea paints an honest and sobering, yet hopeful, picture of the reality faced by those who are forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in another land. Based on the author’s true life story, readers are taken from the safety of a beautiful home near the jungle to a sinking ship in the middle of the South China Sea. The courage and desperation of those onboard is compelling as they describe themselves as “The Lucky Ones”. They’re lucky because they found a new life. They’re lucky because they survived. Others were not so lucky.
The Endless Sea must be handled with care. It should be shared with children by adults who approach issues of displacement and refuge with compassion. There is much to unpack and try to understand on these powerful pages. Although a picture book, it is best suited to older readers who will be able to empathise with the characters and not become frightened by the peril at sea.
Linh Dao’s illustrations add so much to the strength of story. As the soft greens change to the black of night and the deep greys of the sea, it becomes clear just how much they are leaving behind and the hope they have for the future.
The Bicycle by Patricia McCormick, Mevan Babakar & Yas Imamura (Farshore)
Based on the true story of Mevan Babakar’s childhood, The Bicycle is a powerful story of resilience and hope. As a young refugee from Kurdistan, she moved from place to place, trying to make herself small and invisible. She was different from everyone else and worried she would never feel at home again. Eventually, her family arrived in the Netherlands and the gift of a bicycle changed everything. Feeling a hundred feet tall and with the wind in her hair, Marvan was overjoyed to be just like everyone else. This one act of kindness made all the difference in the world.
Sometimes we underestimate how important it is to feel the same as everyone else – to have the same toy, the same piece of clothing or the same hairstyle. Being different can be so difficult. The empowerment of the bicycle shares a powerful message with readers
Books by Kate Heap:
Click on the image to purchase from Bookshop.org:
Purchase from Amazon:
Disclosure: If you buy books using the links above, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org whose fees support independent bookshops. As an Amazon Associate, Scope for Imagination earns from qualifying purchases.
Scope for Imagination 