The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, written by Don Brown, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: The Unwanted is a heartbreaking look at the Syrian refugee crisis through the eyes of the refugees themselves. Don Brown captures the struggle of the Syrian people so thoughtfully, including perspectives of those who have fled recently, those who have been traveling or living in refugee camps for years, and those who have stayed. The book is a beautiful reminder that despite the fact that these people happen to live in a war torn country, their lives disregarded, or worse, used as pawns in political upheaval, they are still parents, workers, entrepreneurs, and craftsmen who fear for their lives and livelihood. This is a work of nonfiction conveyed in a graphic format, interspersing facts and statistics gathered by Brown with the stories of individuals caught up in the strife. The images range from dark, haunting drawing of weapons, war, and drowning to charts and infographic-style illustrations that help to convey statistical information. The color palette tends toward darker, more muted colors, a fitting choice for a work on such a serious topic.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is the nonfiction that students will actually read. It is a slim volume, only 103 pages, and it covers a current topic that teens will have likely heard about. The graphic format is compelling, adding a layer of interest to the topic that students might pass on if they were strictly reading text. The format also allows for a nice blend of information, giving teens not only the basic information of how the crisis in Syria began and the steps that have led to this moment in time, but also giving them a reason to care about the Syrian people who are caught up in this extremely complicated event. There are a myriad of curricular connections that can be made to this text, most heavily in Social Studies, Government, Visual Arts and International Relations. Serious nonfiction is not always accessible or interesting to all students, but Don Brown has managed to make it both in this incredible graphic volume. It also won the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction and was a Sibert Medal Finalist, so it is as easy to justify as it is to purchase. The Unwanted is a must purchase for middle school and high school libraries.