SuitabookSafiyyah’s War
Hiba Noor Khan
- Reading
- 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.
- Themes
- Courage under occupation: Safiyyah takes on dangerous errands after her father’s arrest and tries to help people during the occupation. The book presents this favourably.
- Interfaith solidarity: Safiyyah’s Muslim community and the Grand Mosque are connected with efforts to protect Jewish people from Nazi persecution. The book presents this favourably.
- Children and wartime trauma: Safiyyah lives through bombing, hunger, separation and the dangers of occupation, with quieter elements such as kittens, plants and libraries offering respite. The book is described as honest about war’s effects while also making room for compassion, connection and hope.
- Worth knowing
- 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.