Refugee Boy: The Social and Emotional Impact of the Shared Experience of a Contemporary Class Novel

“One Day We Had to Run”: The Development of the Refugee Identity in Children’s Literature and its Function in Education

“…English lessons are the obvious vehicle for the introduction of children's literature about the refugee experience, and Sadia Habib (2008) discusses the importance of choosing class novels of contemporary relevance, such as Refugee Boy, for the secondary classroom, through which teaching English can become a political activity. But another area where the genre is at home is in the Citizenship and PSHE curriculum.…”

Using Multicultural Narratives to Explore Loss and Grief

“…Children in primary schools should be introduced to multicultural texts consciously instead of simply exposing them to literature. It can be argued that English lessons are the obvious vehicle for the introduction of children's literature about the refugee experience, and Habib (2008) discusses the importance of choosing class texts of contemporary relevance not only in English but other cross curricular subjects as well. Kruse (2001) proposes that introducing a text implies that you are establishing an acquaintance with that text, along with a possibility that further dialogue will ensue suggesting pleasant and sustained engagements with diversity.…”

Stone Cold: Worthy of Study?

“…In 2007, Elaine Millard argued that prescription in the National Curriculum was having a negative impact on teachers' knowledge of YA fiction and that 'teachers need knowledge of up-to-date writing for young people' in order to engage students with reading (Brettingham 2008). Seven years on, the issue of what books we choose to study in the classroom remains contentious (Guardian 2013;Habib 2008). …”

“…Arguing the case for Zephaniah's Refugee Boy as a contemporary novel which refers 'to the socio-political climate of our world', Habib (2008) highlights how this modern YA fiction text fosters students' social and emotional development by enabling discussion about issues of race, prejudice and diasporas which impact their daily lives. She draws on her students' comments to illustrate that they were gripped because of the 'immediacy' and 'reality' as they 'recognise the characters they meet and the social landscape these characters inhabit' (Habib 2008, 41-2).…”

“…A range of critics are arguing for a broader view of reading to account for the socio-cultural dimension. Habib (2008) calls for honest 'book talk' about how novels influence our students intellectually and emotionally. Yandell's (2013) analysis of a lesson on Animal Farm proposes that the value of a class reader should move beyond simply considering the value of the text and encompass the associated pedagogy.…”