Mustafa

Starred review from July 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 3-A young boy has traveled a long way to this new country from his old one, where the trees were dusty and gray and there was not a lot of extra food. But here, in this new country, people feed the birds and the squirrels, and the trees magically turn from lush green to bright jewel-toned colors. Mustafa is amazed by all he sees around him and learns about the culture of this new place through observation; but when he tries to engage with a little wave or a smile, he goes unnoticed. Mustafa wonders if he is invisible, but his mother assures him that he is not. One day, a little girl that Mustafa has observed multiple times in the park reaches out to him, making a connection and a lasting impression. This latest from Gay is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book for elementary-aged children. The story of a young boy moving to an unfamiliar place and finding his way, even when another language is spoken, is one that all children should hear. His experience is one that many kids can relate to and others should be aware of. Mustafa is brave and courageous, putting himself out there to learn about the world around him and make a new friend. The mixed-media illustrations are drawn delicately but filled in with rich, bold colors. Even young children not yet able to read will be able to look at the pictures, follow the story line, and feel the emotions. VERDICT One for the must-be-purchased list.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2018
A touching story about adjustment, recovery, love, and friendship, told of a boy whose family moves to a new country due to war.As Mustafa, a black-haired, brown-skinned boy who seems to be from Syria or Iraq, settles into his new environment, he observes everything around him: In the nearby park, there are green trees, flowers that look like his grandmother's teacups, and bugs that resemble jewels. He also sees a blonde, white girl with a cat and runs away after she talks to him with words he cannot understand. When he visits the park the next day, he finds many new interesting things, among which is a perfect stick for drawing. He draws an airplane and a burning house and runs away again when the girl comes. She creates butterflies and flowers that erase the previous drawing. Mustafa later sees children playing and waves to them, but they don't notice him. One day he hears a tune he already knows, but no one pays attention when he whistles along with it. "Am I invisible?" he asks his mom. "If you were invisible, I couldn't hug you, could I?" she says. Eventually, the girl succeeds in communicating with Mustafa, and a new friendship is born. Gay's customarily splashy, scratchy illustrations effectively depict Mustafa's isolation and yearning even as her text carefully delineates what about his new home is familiar and what is strange.An invaluable resource for those working with children from resettled refugee families as well as host communities. (Picture book. 3-8)

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June 1, 2018
Grades K-3 Gay's latest picture book opens with a vast landscape peopled with tiny figures who carry bundles and board a small boat to a city in the distance. Nonspecific references to old and new countries identify Mustafa and his family as immigrants, and his dreams and drawings suggest that they left because of war. Small details provide contrast between the two places. Mustafa enjoys the green space of a park, where he is amazed to see an old woman scatter crumbs for birds: there was no food to spare before. Mustafa finds comfort in noticing the moon, ants, caterpillars, and bees look the same in both places. With people, though, Mustafa feels invisible. One day a girl in the park offers him a welcome, and over time the two learn to communicate with their drawings. A variety of media, including watercolor, ink, colored pencil, and crayon, are used to produce nuanced illustrations depicting changing seasons and shifting perspectives. Perfectly pitched to help young children explore empathy in a thoughtful, nonthreatening manner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2018
In this touching picture book, a boy travels a very, very long way to live in a new country. While it's never explicitly stated, visual clues indicate that he's a Syrian refugee (his mother wears a headscarf, and shoes are left outside the front door?an Arab custom). Mustafa shows signs of trauma. Dreams of smoke and fire and loud noises wake him; he hides when he meets someone new; and during his daily trips to the park he picks up a stick and draws scenes from his former life: He draws the house he used to live in. He draws clouds of smoke and fire. He draws broken trees. A silent observer who is never noticed by others, Mustafa asks his mother, Am I invisible? Finally, one girl coaxes Mustafa out of his isolation by inviting him to feed fish in a koi pond. The book ends with a satisfying feeling that this fish-out-of-water may have found a kindred spirit with whom to connect. The exuberant, colorful watercolor, ink, colored-pencil, crayon, and collage illustrations lighten the story considerably but shift to moments of contemplation in Mustafa's renderings of war and despair. This nuanced book shows the necessity of friendship for those who carry unseen emotional scars from war. julie hakim azzam

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2019
Refugee Mustafa, who has traveled "a very, very long way" to live in a new country, shows signs of trauma: dreams of "smoke and fire and loud noises" wake him; he hides when he meets someone new. Finally, Mustafa meets a kindred spirit when a girl invites him to feed fish in a koi pond. The touching book ends with a satisfying feeling, reinforced by exuberant mixed-media illustrations.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)