Cover Reveal for Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai
Happy Monday, N.H. Senzai! Thank you for allowing me to
reveal the extraordinary cover for Escape from Aleppo and for finishing my sentences.
N.H. Senzai: Thank you Mr. Schu, I’m thrilled to be here,
sharing the “face” of my new book!
My pleasure! I’m looking forward to sharing Escape from
Aleppo with children, teachers, librarians, principals, and parents. Thank
you!
Escape from Aleppo’s cover illustration took
my breath away! The artist, Kathrin Honesta, stunningly captured the essence of
the story: the stark desolation of war torn Aleppo as fires rage, bombs fall
and innocent civilians flee. And, perched above the scene, Nadia, the protagonist,
stares down over the ruins of her beloved city.
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Nadia and her family are like families anywhere
around the world. Like parents living in San Francisco, Beijing, Sydney or New
Delhi, Nadia’s mother and father want to give their children a safe and secure
place to grow up, pursue their dreams, get an education and have a family of
their own. At the end of the day, all families, no matter their origin, want
the same things - peace, security and chance at a hopeful future.
I hope Escape from Aleppo allows readers to
walk in the shoes of a child whose life has been turned upside down by the
trauma of war and the loss of everything they know and love, by becoming a
refugee. Many kids have heard about the war in Aleppo, and this book allows
them to further learn about the rich history of Syria, the root causes of the
war, the culture and people of this amazing country. But despite all the
difficulties, the book carries with it the hope that one can find security and happiness
again.
Shooting Kabul, Saving Kabul Corner,
and Ticket to India are all stories that take spunky protagonists and
their families and put them in challenging situations. Whether its escaping the
Taliban, the aftermath of 9/11, impending civil war, forced immigration, family
conflict or bullying at school, these kids overcome their fears and find
creative solutions for their problems.
School libraries are space ships traveling to
exciting new worlds, manned by amazing librarian guides! I would not be a
writer today if it had not been for Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Hackworth, my school
librarians – they always knew which book would spark my curiosity and allow me
to learn new things, in both fiction and non-fiction.
Mr. Schu, you should have asked me what makes me
write about such challenging topics such as conflict and war! I truly believe
that kids are capable of handling “heavy” subjects and if we present such
material in a context they can understand, they will be able to digest the
complexities geopolitics and empathize with the characters through their
stories. My hope is to open their hearts and minds to the world around them so
that they build bridges of understanding with other communities, rather than
walls.
Look for Escape from Aleppo on January 2, 2018.
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