Hamzat's Journey: A Refugee Diary - Hardcover

Robinson, Anthony; Young, Annemarie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1847800300 ISBN 13: 9781847800305

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2010

Synopsis

This third book in the Refugee Diary series follows the story of a boy from Chechnya. In 2001 when Chechens were at war with Russia, he was on his way to school in the capital of Grozny when he stepped on a landmine. His leg had to be amputated, and eventually he and his father went to the U.K. for expert treatment and fitting of an artificial leg. As it was unsafe for them to return to Chechnya, the family sought asylum in the U.K., where the family is learning to adapt to their new life after the horror of living in a war zone. This poignant and at times harrowing story reveals the bravery of Hamzat and his family in facing and overcoming their circumstances to start a new life.

About this title

About the Author:

JULIAN ROBINSON is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. He worked for fifteen years as a professional fashion designer, with his own label and as a consultant, working with Sir Norman Hartnell, Yves Saint Laurent, Mary Quant and Zandra Rhodes.He worked as a lecturer at colleges and universities in the UK and Australia and is the author of numerous books including The Brilliance of Art Deco (1987), The Fine Art of Fashion (1989) and The Golden Age of Style (1983).June Allan has illustrated many children's books. She lives in Edinburgh, U.K.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 3-6–This British import relates the story of a Chechnyan boy who, at age eight, in 2001, lost his leg in a land-mine accident. Ostensibly narrated by Hamzat himself, the text is printed in an informal font and incorporates a handful of youthful colloquialisms, but Hamzat is not listed as an author. He tells about receiving an artificial leg through UNICEF and about how he later traveled to England with another injured child to be fitted with a better leg. Once there, his family received refugee status, and Hamzat began to adjust to English life. The narrative ends with him speculating about a return to Chechnya, where the fighting has since stopped. An epilogue provides some facts about the country and a brief overview of recent conflicts there. While American students may be confused by a reference to the English school grade system, the writing is otherwise clear and straightforward. The large spreads all have pastel illustrations, though the mostly unexpressive figures and beige background make for a lackluster appearance. Photos of the real-life Hamzat and of his town are the most compelling element of the work. Libraries that own other solid works on the experience of war or of being a refugee, such as Deborah Ellis's Children of War (Groundwood, 2009) or Trisha Marx's One Boy from Kosovo (HarperCollins, 2000) may consider this an additional purchase.–Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1847800300
• ISBN 13: 9781847800305
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Allan June