The Gloabl Refugee Crisis by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

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The Global Refugee Crisis by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson. Published 2019 by Twenty-First Century Books.

Transcript

The Global Refugee Crisis by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Albert Einstein is one of the most famous scientists in history, but did you know that he was also a refugee? Einstein had to flee Germany in the 1930’s because he was a victim of religious prosecution for being Jewish. This is just one of many interesting facts about refugees throughout the world that is explained in McPherson’s expository Nonfiction book, The Global Refugee Crisis.

The book contains 8 chapters. Notable chapter include chapter 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8. Chapter two is “Displaced by World Wars” and discusses reasons for refugees throughout history, starting with the exodus of Jews from Egypt, and then refugees from World War I and II. Then the book explains how the UN adopted the 1951 Refugee Convention and defined refugees as people who have a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality or membership of a particular social group or political opinion. Chapter three is “Those who seek Refuge here in America” which discusses how the United States helped refugees from Hungary in 1958, Cuba in 1959, and Vietnam in 1965. The chapter then discusses how the process of accepting refugees became much stricter after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Chapter five is “Crowded Camps and Dangerous Journeys.” In this chapter readers discover what life is like in camps, how hard it is for refugees to get placed for resettlement, the dangers refugees face when traveling, and the risks of sexual assault for refugees. Chapter six is “Welcome to the United States” goes through the extensive 14 step process of vetting refugees before they are allowed in the United States. The chapter then discusses finding employment in American and how is can be difficult for refugees. Chapter eight is “Handling the Crisis” and talks about different groups and organizations that have assisted refugees. At the end of this chapter is a section called “How You Can Help” that lists things students can do to help refugees or raise awareness, such as volunteering to help tutor refugee students.

With clear chapter and section headings, highlighted facts, pictures with detailed captions, and separated sections with extra details, this book is easily browsable and could be read in full or used to find more information about a specific subject.

The book includes a table of contents, glossary, bibliography, and a section of further information where you can find books, films, and websites with more information about refugees. This book is a great starting point when faced with the question: What is life like for children and teen refugees and how can we help because it covers a wide range of topics about refugees and touches on a few specific experiences. It can give readers a good overview and help them narrow their curiosities. This book has accurate information but doesn’t dive as deep into the struggles of refugees as other resources. It also focuses a lot on the United States’ relationship with refugees and doesn’t discuss resettlement into other countries.