Refugee Boy

by Benjamin Zephaniah

Book Overview

An eye for an eye. It's very simple. You choose your homeland like a hyena picking and choosing where he steals his next meal from. Scavenger. Yes you grovel to the feet of Mengistu and when his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582349088
• ISBN13: 9781582349084
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
• Length: 291 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Alem Kelo: The Refugee Boy

This story is about a boy, Alem Kelo. Alem lived in Africa. He lived there with his two parents. His father was Ethopian and his mother was Eritrean. At the time of this story, Ethopia and Eritrea are at war with each other. So the Kelo family are welcome nowhere. In Ethopia, people would tell Alem's father to leave his wife and child. And Alem was picked on and beat up with school. So they went to Eritrea. Where they actually found similar situations. Alem's parents decided it would be best if we were out of Africa during the war. So that he could be in a safer environment, where his parents do not have to fear for his life. So Alem's father, Mr. Kelo, takes Alem on a "holiday" to England. Pays for four days at a hotel and for two days they go out and look around. But on the morning of the third day, Mr. Kelo leaves without telling Alem. Though he does leave a letter. Mr. Kelo left to go back to Africa to try to stop the war between Ethopia and Eritrea. If he could not success, him and Mrs. Kelo would come back to England and they'd stay there with Alem until the war was over. Eventually Alem lives with foster parents. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald. While his stay with them, a letter his father wrote him reached Alem. And it told him that his mother was dead. Of course Alem is overcome with grief and filled with pain and sorrow. But he doesn't let it get in the way of school, or make him forget his manners. While developing a very warm relationship with the Fitzgeralds, especially their daughter Ruth (who becomes like a sister), Mr. Kelo comes to England to be with Alem. But the government wants to send them both back to Africa. During the attempt to try to have them accepted into England, Alem's father is shot and dies. Alem's request to stay in England is granted and he stays with the Fitzgeralds. Though I do not think he recovered quickly over time his heart begins to heal. And he becomes a man that I am very sure his parents would feel very proud of.