Book details
These links show the original reading lists. Inclusion is not a guarantee of suitability for your child.
Hiba Noor Khan - Author
A tense wartime adventure about a young Muslim protagonist whose family and community face Nazi occupation. Safiyyah undertakes dangerous errands, while the mosque becomes a place of sanctuary for persecuted Jewish people.
Book Analysis
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Sign in for personalised guidanceHow the book presents it: The book presents this favourably.
Talk about: How does the story balance admiration for Safiyyah’s courage with the risks she faces?
How the book presents it: The book presents this favourably.
Talk about: What helps people act together across religious differences when persecution threatens their neighbours?
How the book presents it: The book is described as honest about war’s effects while also making room for compassion, connection and hope.
Talk about: Which quieter moments, if any, help characters respond to fear and loss?
It offers a perspective on a lesser-known episode of the Second World War, placing Muslim–Jewish cooperation, human dignity and moral courage at the centre of a child’s story.
The wartime material includes bombing, arrest, hunger, family separation, persecution, dangerous journeys and children affected by trauma. These elements may feel intense, particularly for readers sensitive to war stories.
How does Safiyyah understand courage when helping others puts her own safety and family at risk? You might also discuss what cooperation between different faith communities makes possible.
Read alongside a trusted adult if wartime danger or persecution may be upsetting. Pause after major developments to distinguish historical events from Safiyyah’s fictionalised experiences and to talk about her choices.
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
Limited information
Checked: 19 September 2026.
Relevant to: Courage under occupation; Interfaith solidarity
Safiyyah's War - Andersen Press
Limited information
Checked: 19 September 2026.
Relevant to: Courage under occupation; Interfaith solidarity; Children and wartime trauma
Limited information
Checked: 19 September 2026.
Relevant to: Children and wartime trauma
Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.
Suitabook