My Beautiful Birds [Hardcover]

Behind Sami, the Syrian skyline is full of smoke. The boy follows his family and all his neighbours in a long line, as they trudge through the sands and hills to escape the bombs that have destroyed their homes. But all Sami can think of is his pet pigeonswill they escape too? When they reach a refugee camp and are safe at last, everyone settles into the tent city. But though the children start to play and go to school again, Sami can't join in. When he is given paper and paint, all he can do is smear his painting with black. He can't forget his birds and what his family has left behind.

One day a canary, a dove, and a rose finch fly into the camp. They flutter around Sami and settle on his outstretched arms. For Sami it is one step in a long healing process at last.

A gentle yet moving story of refugees of the Syrian civil war,My Beautiful Birdsilluminates the ongoing crisis as it affects its children. It shows the reality of the refugee camps, where people attempt to pick up their lives and carry on. And it reveals the hope of generations of people as they struggle to redefine home.

AboutMy Beautiful Birds

2017New York TimesNotable Children's Books selection

2017 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children's Literature Winner

2018 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada Winner

2017 One Book for Kids, One San Diego selection

2018 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award finalist

2018 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award shortlist

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