Recommended by Speckie

Max is an American boy whose parents have sprung a triple surprise on him: they're moving to Belgium for a year, and instead of going to an American school, he's going to a Belgian (French) one, and he's going to be repeating sixth grade. Alternating chapters tell Ahmed's story: a Syrian refugee whose family is dead, Ahmed finds temporary refuge in the wine cellar in Max's house. He cares for the orchids Max's mom abandoned, and dreams of going to school. When Max discovers Ahmed, he displays the one thing he truly is good at: kindness. Max listens to Ahmed's story, helps by bringing food and books, and ultimately - with two friends from school - helps forge documents so that Ahmed can attend school as well. But terrorist attacks throughout Europe, including in Paris and Brussels, mean heightened tension and additional police presence, and Max's older sister Claire might not keep their secret for much longer.

Characters display a range of attitudes toward immigrants, particularly Muslim immigrants, and not everyone is able to see the parallels to Jewish refugees from Germany during WWII the way that Max is. Max and Ahmed refuse to give up hope, and when they discover that Ahmed's father is alive, they concoct a plan to reunite them...via a 14-hour multi-train trip to a detention center in Hungary.

Quotes

"Allah judges what is fair. You must judge what is kind." (Ahmed's dad, 53)

The compassion Max felt calmed him. (77)

"But what's political about helping someone?" (84)

Maybe he wasn't smart like Claire, maybe he would never be the best at anything. But he knew the difference between cruelty and kindness; he knew how to protect a friend. (89)

The song of fear was a familiar one. And so too was its chorus: The world does not care about you. (177)

What mattered wasn't who you were. It was who you could be. (204)

It felt very grown-up to protect someone by not telling them the entire truth. But Max wasn't sure he liked it. (222)

...even the illusion of normal life could help you put one foot in front of the other and walk the tightrope of disaster. (240)

He was tempted to shout that being smart wasn't everything, that being kind counted for just as much, if not more. (250)

"It's weird how Germans used to be the bad guys. And now they're the good ones."
"Maybe they learn." (Max and Ahmed, 295)

Perhaps death was just another border, a line his body couldn't cross but that his heart kept slipping over. (299)

"It's a prison for people who haven't committed a crime." (315)

"You can't know what anyone's worth unless you give them a chance." (327)

People were always weighing their suffering against others', not using it to form bonds. (351) ( )

This is a book about two teenage boys who come from very different backgrounds, but who both are looking for a friend in a strange country. Max is from the U.S. and has moved unwillingly to Belgium for a year with his family. Ahmed is from Syria and has been forced to leave his home after a bomb falls on their apartment building, leaving only he and his father alive. When Ahmed arrives in Belgium alone and desperate, he needs to find shelter. He discovers that Max's house has an open basement door and a space the family doesn't use. What if he were to hide there for a while? But what if someone finds him? ( )

Ahmed is a 14-year old Syrian boy on a boat with his father, fleeing Aleppo following the bombing of their home, killing the rest of his family. As the sea gets rough, his father and two others try to swim the boat ashore, drowning in the process. On the precipice of being separated from the Syrian family caring for him in Belgium, he is robbed and abandoned by smugglers. Miraculously, he finds his way into the basement of an American ex-pat family, where he hides until he is discovered by the teenage son, Max. Max is miserable in Belgium, attending a school where he does not understand much French, and babysat by a biased biddy. The two form a strong bond, eventually fleeing together to avoid police arrest. I also liked the teenage characters from the school, including the bully and Farah, who help Ahmed, and the local policeman, who grew up in the house being rented by the American family. 4.5 stars.

This book does a nice job of describing the terrible plight of refugees, who will accept them and at what cost in addition to the rampant fears in Europe (an elsewhere) of Muslims, who have different and not well understood beliefs. ( )

12-year-old Max can't believe his parents moved their family to Belgium for a year! And he has to go to a school where they only speak French! While he's busy feeling sorry for himself, 14-year-old Ahmed is fleeing Syria in a boat with his father and other survivors after his mother and sisters were killed in a bombing. As the boat begins to fill with water, his father tries to help everyone and drowns. Ahmed makes it to shore, but hides in a basement (Max's) to avoid being sent back to the horrendous refugee center. When Max discovers Ahmed, he decides to keep his secret, but all around him are people who fear Syrian Muslims and view them all as terrorists. How can he get Ahmed somewhere safe? ( )

12-year-old Max can't believe his parents moved their family to Belgium for a year! And he has to go to a school where they only speak French! While he's busy feeling sorry for himself, 14-year-old Ahmed is fleeing Syria in a boat with his father and other survivors after his mother and sisters were killed in a bombing. As the boat begins to fill with water, his father tries to help everyone and drowns. Ahmed makes it to shore, but hides in a basement (Max's) to avoid being sent back to the horrendous refugee center. When Max discovers Ahmed, he decides to keep his secret, but all around him are people who fear Syrian Muslims and view them all as terrorists. How can he get Ahmed somewhere safe? ( )