Having recently read WISHTREE and being a lover of THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, I picked up a copy of one of Katherine Applegate's older books. Published in 2007, HOME OF THE BRAVE is a perfect read for our current state of affairs. Kek is a refugee from Africa. He lost his father and older brother in the fighting there and has no idea if his mother has made it to safety.
Now in America, Kek doesn't understand the language, the food, or the culture. Thrust into the world of a Minnesota winter, Kek sees snow for the first time. He and his cousin Ganwar explore Kek's new surroundings. With the help of his ESL teacher, he begins to understand the language enough to deal with the bullies and make a few friends.
What Kek misses most about Africa is the herd of cattle he helped his father tended. When he is introduced to an old woman who lives on a small farm a bus ride from Kek's new home, he is thrilled to see she has one old cow and a few other stray farm animals. Scratching the cow he names Gol behind the ears gives not only the cow pleasure, but also Kek.
Author Katherine Applegate captures the spirit of the immigrant perfectly. HOME OF THE BRAVE is written in verse making it an easy read with characters that are sure to tug readers' heart strings.
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