Saving Stella: A Dog's Dramatic Escape from War

by Bassel Abou Fakher, Deborah Blumenthal, Nadine Kaadan (Illustrator)

Overview

For fans of Two Bobbies comes a moving, true story about a young man and his dog who escape the violence of the Syrian War.

Some bonds are stronger than war . . .

Life for musician Bassel and his dog Stella in Damascus, Syria, has changed since the civil war began. Instead of enjoying long walks through their neighborhood, they hear bombs toppling buildings and sharp blasts of gunfire through the night. When it becomes too dangerous for him to stay, Bassel makes the difficult decision to escape, leaving his family, friends—and Stella—behind.

After a long, dangerous journey, Bassel finally finds refuge in Belgium, but misses his family, his home, and most of all . . . Stella. With the help of friends in his new home, Bassel hatches a dramatic plan to rescue his beloved dog.

This remarkable, true story will inspire readers and remind them that even amid the harshest circumstances of war, acts of kindness and humanity will always endure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547601332
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,129,030
Product dimensions:	8.78(w) x 11.35(h) x 0.38(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bassel Abou Fakher is a musician from Damascus, Syria. Having learned to play cello as a young child, he went on to study music in his home city. He released two albums, one in Syria and one in Brussels, with his own Qotob chamber music group. After living through the Syrian civil war for five years, Bassel moved to Brussels, Belgium, at the age of eighteen where he currently lives and plays his music.

Deborah Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and the author of twenty-three books for adults and children. Her thirteen picture books include: The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum; Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cunningham; and Parrots, Pugs, and Pixie Dust: A Book About Fashion Designer Judith Leiber. She has been a regular contributor to the New York Times, and her feature stories have appeared widely in many other newspapers and national magazines. Deborah lives in New York City with her husband, journalist Ralph Blumenthal, and their rescued dog, Nellie, a beagle/pointer mix.

www.deborahblumenthal.com

Nadine Kaadan is an award-winning author-illustrator from Syria. She writes stories inspired by Syria's rich cultural heritage and is committed to helping child refugees in Europe and the Middle East. She currently lives in the United Kingdom.

www.nadinekaadan.com

@NadineKaadan

Editorial Reviews

A good introduction to weightier topics such as refugees or the Syrian civil war.” —School Library Journal

"This true, gritty story. . . teaches children about the Syrian war and the plight of refugees." - Booklist Online

From the Publisher

10/01/2020

Gr 3–5—This picture book, centering on cellist Bassel and his dog Stella, depicts a harrowing journey disguised as a sweet animal survivor story. When war came to Bassel and Stella's town of Damascus, Syria, Bassel made the difficult decision to leave. He couldn't take Stella with him, so he decided to leave her behind. He crossed the Mediterranean Sea in a rubber dinghy with other refugees. Once he reached land, he was held in a refugee camp. Two months later, he left and found safety in Belgium. Bassel worked with friends to bring Stella to him. Stella's journey was just as distressing as Bassel's, but with the help of many generous people, she traveled to Belgium and was reunited with her owner. The picture book format makes the narrative accessible for younger readers, while the note from Bassel and background information about Syria enhance the knowledge of older readers. Kaadan's soft illustrations do not shy away from the harsh reality of life in Syria or the pair's journey. However, the illustrations are not graphic or violent; they are mostly childlike and bright. Kaadan, who was born in France, lived in Syria until she was 27. In an illustrator's note, she shares how the destruction of Damascus led to the darker aspects of her art. VERDICT A good introduction to weightier topics such as refugees or the Syrian civil war.—V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elem. Sch., Raleigh, NC

School Library Journal

2020-07-28
In this book, based on a real-life story, Bassel, a young Syrian man, becomes a refugee because of war and escapes his city for Europe, leaving his beloved dog, Stella, behind.

When gunfire wakes Bassel and Stella up at night, he tells her it is OK but knows that’s not true. Soon, living in his war-torn country is no longer safe, and, like millions of others, he must leave. Saying goodbye to family, friends, and Stella, he makes the arduous journey to Europe—on foot and by rubber dinghy, spending months confined in a refugee camp. A Belgian family opens their arms to him, and his host and friends from back home help him reunite with Stella. The dog’s journey will not be easy either, but the story ends on a happy and hopeful note. Both she and Bassel will have two lives now, one “lost” and a new one “found.” Expressive, softly stylized illustrations pay great attention to Bassel’s and Stella’s emotions throughout the book, and notes by the Syrian co-author and illustrator share details about their lives and the war. An afterword sheds more light on refugees around the world and includes a call to action to support them. It also provides further information about the Syrian conflict but unfortunately contains significant errors: saying that Turkey supports Assad and calling the Kurds (Syria’s largest ethnic minority) a rebel group; moreover it frames the conflict as one waged against Assad by rebel groups with different agendas and elides the role of civilian resistance to an authoritarian government. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 38.7% of actual size.)

An unusual refugee story that may open doors for empathy. (Picture book. 5-11)

Kirkus Reviews