Review Detail

The Light of Home is the story of one family’s journey to safety and finding a home in a new place. Nur loves her home and her artwork, but when the bad men came, they didn’t have time to pack before she left her home and country forever. In their new home, her parents tried to buy her replacements for the things she lost, but they weren’t the same. Then art supplies were purchased, and she reclaimed her home in her memories through all her drawings.
This book finds an age-appropriate way to explain forced migration and makes the character relatable for children who have never experienced such trauma. It also highlights the power of art to aid in healing. While the words talk about how she can draw from her memories we can also see that some of the art on the wall is dark violent scribbles which emphasize how she feels sometimes about what happened. Overall, this is a good read for children trying to understand the new kid in class and develop empathy or put words to the feelings displaced children may be having.