ANewYorkTimesNotableChildren’sBooksselection.Themovingstoryofoneboy’srefugeeexperienceintheSyrianCivilWarandthebirdswhohelphimontheroadtoemotionalhealingBehindSami,theSyrianskylineisfullofsmoke.Theboyfollowshisfamilyandallhisneighboursinalongline,astheytrudgethroughthesandsandhillstoescapethebombsthathavedestroyedtheirhomes.ButallSamicanthinkofishispetpigeons--willtheyescapetoo?Whentheyreacharefugeecampandaresafeatlast,everyonesettlesintothetentcity.Butthoughthechildrenstarttoplayandgotoschoolagain,Samican’tjoinin.Whenheisgivenpaperandpaint,allhecandoissmearhispaintingwithblack.Hecan’tforgethisbirdsandwhathisfamilyhasleftbehind.Onedayacanary,adove,andarosefinchflyintothecamp.TheyflutteraroundSamiandsettleonhisoutstretchedarms.ForSamiitisonestepinalonghealingprocessatlast.AgentleyetmovingstoryofrefugeesoftheSyriancivilwar,MyBeautifulBirdsilluminatestheongoingcrisisasitaffectsitschildren.Itshowstherealityoftherefugeecamps,wherepeopleattempttopickuptheirlivesandcarryon.Anditrevealsthehopeofgenerationsofpeopleastheystruggletoredefinehome.
