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In order to help my students learn about the refugee experience and introduce them to the free verse genre, I would like each student in my Language Arts class to have a copy of a free verse book about refugees of their own. The first choice, Home of the Brave, written by Katherine Applegate, is written in a free verse poetic style. It tells the story of Kek, a Sudanese refugee who lands in Minnesota in the dead of winter (in an ESL class as well). Kek has survived many horrors of war and ends up in a new world which he reveals to the reader with beautiful innocence. The novel touches on sadness, loneliness, loss, hope, and happiness while giving interesting perspectives on America. The second novel, Inside Out and Back Again, also written in free verse, tells the story of Ha, a ten year old girl from Vietnam. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls and they board a ship to America. This moving story explores change, dreams, grief, and healing as the protagonist journeys from one country to another and one life to the next. The third free verse novel, Serafina's Promise by Ann Burg tells the story of a young Haitian girl who has a secret dream of becoming a doctor. In order to achieve her dreams, she must overcome the struggles of living in Haiti during and after an earthquake damages her homeland. This is a story of what it takes to keep a dream alive, even in the most challenging circumstances.

About my class

In order to help my students learn about the refugee experience and introduce them to the free verse genre, I would like each student in my Language Arts class to have a copy of a free verse book about refugees of their own. The first choice, Home of the Brave, written by Katherine Applegate, is written in a free verse poetic style. It tells the story of Kek, a Sudanese refugee who lands in Minnesota in the dead of winter (in an ESL class as well). Kek has survived many horrors of war and ends up in a new world which he reveals to the reader with beautiful innocence. The novel touches on sadness, loneliness, loss, hope, and happiness while giving interesting perspectives on America. The second novel, Inside Out and Back Again, also written in free verse, tells the story of Ha, a ten year old girl from Vietnam. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls and they board a ship to America. This moving story explores change, dreams, grief, and healing as the protagonist journeys from one country to another and one life to the next. The third free verse novel, Serafina's Promise by Ann Burg tells the story of a young Haitian girl who has a secret dream of becoming a doctor. In order to achieve her dreams, she must overcome the struggles of living in Haiti during and after an earthquake damages her homeland. This is a story of what it takes to keep a dream alive, even in the most challenging circumstances.

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