Home of the Brave ~ Katherine Applegate

And here you see why I need my photographer! But I’m getting impatient and want to post my reads ASAP! When Kek first arrives on the “flying boat” from Sudan, he is immediately taken aback by the snow and biting cold of Minnesota winters.His father and brother were brutally killed in the Sudanese war just months before.Even worse, in an attack on the refugee camp he lived in, he was separated from his mother and they were never reunited.

Though Kek believes he will eventually find his mom, those around him tell him to give up hope. In Minnesota, Kek lives with his cousin and aunt who also escaped the dangers of Sudan and lost family. Though Kek initially is excited by the possibilities in America, he soon becomes discouraged by the language barrier and tremendous cultural differences.Will Kek be able to find joy in America after losing so much and desperately missing his Sudanese life and wonderful family?

Maturity: 1/4

This novel is appropriate for students age 10+.  Though the novel is sad at times, it does not have any mature content and is ultimately a story about perseverance and hope. 

Pages: 249

Lexile: N/A - Often books written in verse do not have a lexile score because the lexile formula is based on standard prose writing. Lexile is a score that helps educators and parents match students with an appropriate text. A Lexile score is a measure of both a child’s reading ability and a text difficulty. However, Lexile does not take into account the content of a novel. So, pairing readers with a text is a complex process, and knowledge of a novel’s themes and plot is necessary to make a high-quality recommendation.If you are curious about the grade-level equivalent to Lexile scores, check out the conversion chart here!

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