Tomorrow by Nadine Kaadan reviewed by Chitra Soundar

Tomorrow by Nadine Kaadan (published by Lantana Publishing) is a story of reality and hope.

Nadine Kaadan brings to life the story of Yazan, a Syrian boy who is stuck inside the house – no school, no play and parents distracted by war. Parents naturally are focussed on the reality, while the children miss their childhood – playing, being with friends, learning and getting to know the world. But what do you do when your world is literally crumbling around you and your life is restricted to the four walls of your house?

While the war has worsened in Syria, since Nadine left the country, tomorrow is a message of hope. We need to hope that tomorrow will be different, better, and more peaceful. Tomorrow is what many children are waiting for – because tomorrow might bring medicines, food, peace, and play.

Tomorrow is a story from young Yazan’s viewpoint – what is important to a young boy? Meeting his friends, playing with his new bike that has a special bell that goes TINGALINGALING! He even misses school and his friends. This is a story for every child in every part of the world – because this is a tragedy of our contemporary world. Children who are growing up now in the UK or in any other continent should be given the opportunity to understand and empathise with their peers in war-torn cities and countries.

Yazan’s story will initiate discussions at home and in schools. Not just about war, but also about what would they paint on their walls, if they could paint anything? Tomorrow ends with hope for a better future not just for Yazan but for all children in all parts of the world where strife has stolen their childhood.

Find out more about the book. And read Nadine's interview here.

And if you're a teacher or a parent looking to introduce your children to more books about refugees, here are some wonderful books. But many of them are published in the US.

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Chitra Soundar is an Indian-born British writer of children's books and storyteller. Find out more at www.chitrasoundar.com or follow her on Twitter @csoundar.

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The Wooden Camel by Wanuri Kahiu and Manuela Adreani reviewed by Chitra Soundar

I am a big believer in dreams and visualising the future. Although that wasn’t the reason I picked up The Wooden Camel written by Wanuri Kahiu and illustratedby Manuela Adreani published by Lantana Publishing. What drew me into the book was the amazing cover illustration that shows a boy racing a camel. Juxtaposed against the title The Wooden Camel, it alerted me to the dream, the aspiration of the young boy.

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.

Anais Nin

Etabo has a hard life and like any other child he takes it in his stride. His ambition and dream is to become a camel racer. But difficult circumstances lead them to selling all their camels almost closing the door on Etabo’s dreams.

But as Paul Coelho once said, only fear of failure can stop one from achieving his dreams. It is true in Etabo’s case. However dire the circumstances, he doesn’t give up and neither does his sister allow him to let go of his dreams. When you lose what you have and all you have left is family, you learn to look after them and keep their dreams alive, even at the cost of your own. In this story Etabo’s sister demonstrates her love by making him a wooden camel.

Will it assuage Etabo’s  hunger for racing and allow him to let go or would it keep the flame alive? Knowing Etabo, I think his dreams will come true one day.

 This book was chosen as one of the 21 Must-Reads for Empathy by Empathy Lab UK and The Sunday Times. I love the vastness of the desert, the resting goat on the acacia tree and the hope in every page in spite of the troubles the characters face.

Is it a story just for those in troubled parts of the world? Then perhaps it is for all of us – we all live in troubled spots. There are many children in the UK who live in poverty, there are children in refugee camps across the world and there are children who seemingly have everything, but perhaps still are dreaming about something else. It is for all these children, wherever they are. Today’s dreamers are tomorrow’s leaders, creators and peacemakers. And may they all have the courage to dream a world that is full of love, peace and a well-looked after nature.

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Chitra Soundar is an Indian-born British writer of children's books. Find out more at www.chitrasoundar.com or follow her on Twitter @csoundar.

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