Nowhere Boy

It is the year 2015 in Belgium, and the world is in the midst of the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy who recently moved to Brussels, discovers that a Syrian orphan named Ahmed is hiding in his basement, and the two begin to build an unlikely friendship. A compassionate story about multiculturalism, war, acceptance, and belonging, “Nowhere Boy” weaves this historical fiction story with real-life parallels that may complement the Grade 5–10 curriculum. Suitable as a read-aloud or in a small-group novel study, this book can inspire further research about the refugee crisis, Islam, Syria, and the terrorist attacks, or the two boys’ unique perspectives can segue into an analysis of point of view.