Grade 5-8-Marx and Karp document the life of ethnic Albanian Edi Fejzullahu, 12, and his family as they resided in a refugee camp in Macedonia. A brief introduction gives some background on the conflict in Kosovo, but includes erroneous statements such as, "Shortly before hostilities broke out, the new Yugoslavia had joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-." Then readers are introduced to Edi and given a cursory view of his happy pre-refugee life. They learn that he went to school with Serbian children, but not how he was treated by them or what language they spoke. The remainder of the book focuses on the family's flight from their home in Gnjilane and details their stay in Brazda. The pluck and positive attitudes of the family are emphasized as they endured the monotony of life and chores while worrying about the fate of their relatives. Although the writing is clear, the narrative lacks immediacy. The full-color photos are sharp and often show the joy that a family can find even under dire circumstances, and this is important. However, the grim side of refugee life has to be surmised mainly from a few sad and stoic-looking faces. There is no sense of the spring mud or the summer dust and all of the photos are shot under sunny, blue skies. Nonetheless, the author and photographer are to be commended for bringing the topic to the attention of middle school students.
Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
As ethnic Albanians, twelve-year-old Edi Fejzullahus, his parents, and older brother and sister were driven from their comfortable home in Kosovo by Serbian soldiers. They are sent to a refugee camp in Macedonia. This book is a compassionate pictorial essay of this family's experiences. The text is straightforward, the photographs are eloquent and the book ends with hope as we picture Edi jumping into the arms of his long lost beloved uncle. A 2000 Parents' Choice® Recommended winner.
Reviewed by Kemie Nix, Parents' Choice® 2000 -- From Parents' Choice®
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