Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey
By Margriet Ruurs, art by Nizar Ali Badr
Orca, 2016. Picture book.

Nizar Ali Badr is a Syrian artist who collects stones on the beach and uses them to create beautiful art in the midst of a war-torn country, often too poor to afford even the glue that would make his art more permanent. When Canadian author Margriet Ruurs happened upon photographs of Badr’s work on the internet, she knew she wanted to use his art to create a story about refugees who are forced to flee from his homeland and other countries.

Badr’s beautiful and emotional scenes pair nicely with the story of a girl named Rama who is forced to flee her homeland but finds comfort in her family and hope in a new land. With text in both English and Arabic, this is a wonderful introduction for children to the refugee experience. Part of the proceeds of this book go to refugee families.

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