Customer Reviews

Home of the Brave

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Having been an arrival to this country at age 12, I've always been interested in books that explore questions such as "What is home?" "What does it mean to be a stranger in a new land?" and "How does one begin to belong?"

A novel written in free verse, Home of the Brave is a poignant story about an African war refugee from Sudan named Kek who arrives in the US in the thick of winter in--of all places--Minnesota. His father and brother have been killed, his mother is missing, and he has lost everything about his life that he has ever known. Welcome to America.

From a dry, hot land where he was part of a nomadic herding tribe, Kek has arrived in a freezing cold country where he must not only learn a new language, but also make friends and cultivate hope for his future. Usually the optimist, even Kek feels distraught upon his arrival at his new home
In the course of this tender tale, Kek makes friends--with a neighbor living in foster care, with an old woman who owns a rundown farm, and with an aging cow named Gol (which means "family" in his native language). His relationship with Gol is critical to his sense of belonging--and interestingly, it's one where language is not important.

Through a combination of touching and humorous vignettes (my favorite being the time when he puts his aunt's dishes in the "washing machine," i.e. the laundry!), Applegate allows us to accompany Kek on his journey to find "home." And, isn't that something we all want to find?

Once in a while a children's story comes along that carries you away with lyrical language, an authentic voice, and a story that allows you to make connections much larger than its plot. For me, Home of the Brave did all of the above. I'd highly recommend it as a companion read to Shaun Tan's Arrival, as well as on reading lists that deal with refugees, immigration, and home.

Author Katherine Applegate's novel HOME OF THE BRAVE is memorable and haunting. In spare verse filled with detailed imagery, she introduces us to Kek, an African refugee struggling to come to terms with the loss of his immediate family and his new life in America. On his trip from the airport to the Minneapolis home of his aunt, he spots a tired old cow on a tiny farm. He names the cow, Gol, and she becomes both his link to the past and his hope for the future.

Kek stays in the home of his aunt and his older cousin, Ganwar, who has lost a hand in the fighting in the Sudan. Kek makes new friends: young Hannah (a foster child), an older woman named Lou who owns the cow Gol, and his new ESL teacher, Ms. Hernandez. He refuses to stop hoping that his missing mother will be found, even though his immigration supervisors tell him she is most likely dead.

There are so many things to love about this story. It's very readable and the action moves quickly, so even reluctant readers will find themselves caught in the story. We see America through the heart and mind of a young immigrant. Kek comes alive for us, and soon we are seeing the world through his eyes. He faces both small and large challenges, but he takes action by finding a job on Lou's farm and urging his older, embittered cousin to join him. He helps his friend Hannah reconnect with her lost mother, and ultimately finds a new home for the cow, Gol, when Lou decides to sell her farm.

There are no wasted words in this story. Every page moves the story forward, and every word paints a vivid picture of Kek's world. By the end of the novel, I felt I'd gained a renewed respect for the idea of America as the "home of the brave."

I recommend this story to readers at all levels. Teachers will find many cross-curricular uses for the novel in the classroom. Young readers will enjoy the story on their own as well. The character Ganwar will catch the attention of high school readers, and adults will find this story a rich and meaninful experience. At a time when immigrant issues are much-debated, this novel provides a personal and heart-rending viewpoint that is sure to provoke a thoughtful response.

An outstanding novel, sure to become a classic.

Katherine Applegate's HOME OF THE BRAVE is another novel in verse that will appeal to boys as well as girls. It may help that plenty of middle grade readers already know Applegate from the ANIMORPHS series, but this book has a completely different feel to it.

HOME OF THE BRAVE is about Kek, a Sudanese immigrant who recently arrived in America after witnessing the death of his father and brother. He left his mother behind and wonders every day if she is alive. The poems that explore Kek's emotional state are poignant and accessible to young readers, and the more traumatic scenes are set alongside lighter stories of Kek adapting to life in America and experiencing new things, from snow to washing machines.

This is a kid-friendly story (those who love animals will have an additional connection) that explores a dramatic issue in current events in a manner that is personal, sensitive, and hopeful.

Beautifully written, fast-paced, and moving, this book is a winner. Applegate has created a strong, admirable character in Kek, a recent Sudan immigrant to Minnesota, who bravely faces his new and often strange life. An ideal book for class discussions, both young people and adults will also enjoy it as a memorable story. Like many of the best books, it widens my understanding of others while also providing a good story. I'm not surprised it was recommended to me by several friends; I'll be recommending it to many others.

WOW! This is what I said when I reached the end of HOME OF THE BRAVE; full of emotion and admiration for Katherine Applegate's amazing writing talent.

This verse novel is a gentle, wise page-turner. It's an insightful window into the experience of an immigrant and a subtle lesson on appreciation for being an American. It's also a story of family, friendship, honor and bravery. All told in lyrical language.

WOW. I now know what book I'm rooting for as a Newbery choice in 2009.

This was one of the best books that I have read. Once I picked it up and began reading I just couldn't put it down. Home of the brave is about a young boy named Kek. Kek just came on what he believed to be a flying boat to the United States. He arrived in Minnesota to live with his aunt and his cousin because he lost his family back in Africa. His father and brother had been killed, and he was unsure if his mother was still alive.
In the book you can picture the challenges that Kek goes through when he is suddenly thrown into his new life. Reading the book made me feel grateful for the little things like education, friends, family, but most importantly a safe place to call home. I would recommend this book to anyone in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade who likes to read.

I liked Home of the Brave because it was written completely in poetry; Katherine Applegate's words were as sweet as a lily. The story is about a boy from Africa who comes to America, and Applegate uses humor to describe Kek's experiences. Even though the topic was serious, there were funny parts, including when Kek put his aunt's dishes in the washing machine and when Kek rode Gol, his cow, to the zoo and stopped traffic as he went through a red light.

Kek is a young boy from Sudan who comes to America because people with guns came to his village. He now lives with his aunt and his cousin Ganwar. Kek does not know what modern American things are, and he learns the hard way when he can't understand why someone wouldn't wash his clothes in the toilet. He also searches for chocolate cows for the source of his chocolate milk.

After one week in America, Kek gets a job taking care of Gol, the only cow on a nearby farm, owned by Lou. This is the only job he knows how to do, and this is the closest he can get to his home back in Africa where he and his family were herdsmen.

The main characters in the story are Kek, Hannah, Gol, Lou, Ganwar, Kek's aunt, and Dave. Except for Dave, each character is separated from someone in his or her family, so they come together through their similarities.

Home of the Brave is good for readers ages 8 and up to read on their own because the words are simple enough for children, but younger children might have trouble with the words and the concepts.

This was a wonderful and touching book about a boy Kek who comes from Africa to winter in Minnesota because his father and brother have been killed and his mother is missing. He tries to adjust to life in the US where there is such abundance of everything while knowing back in Africa people are dying and starving. It's beautifully written and I cried at the end. It's one of those juvenile novels that is just a pleasure for adults as well. I highly recommend this book.

My daughter will be teaching 'Home of the Brave' to her 4th and 5th grade class this year. She recommended this book after she took a class on teaching this book. When I first looked at the reviews on Amazon, I was put off by the subject matter. Don't be. It is like a written tone poem. Katherine Applegate's use of language is delightful.

My favorite part of the book is: "You can have your dogs and cat,
your gerbils and hamsters
and sleek sparkling fish.
But you will have lived
just half a life
if you never love a cow."

Katherine Applegate's gorgeous Home of the Brave tells the story of Kek, a Sudanese refugee who moves to Minnesota to start his new bittersweet life. Almost everyone in his family is dead and his mother is missing, so he stays with his aunt and a cousin who lost a hand in the war.

There are so many beautiful details in the story, such as Kek's friendship with Gol, a cow that he adopts. It has funny moments too, such as when he puts his aunt's dishes in the washing machine, shattering them all. I found myself rooting for Kek, hoping that his mother would return, that he would make friends, that he would have the happy ending that he deserves.

The free verse writing makes it a quick read, although I found myself pausing to reflect on the story or just admire Applegate's word choice. I think that some of my quiet students will really connect with Kek but I think anyone will enjoy it. Put it on your bookshelf now.