Mustafa by Marie-Louise Gay

Mustafa, a child refugee from an unnamed country in crisis, finds a friend in his new home. That's the storyline in this simple, elegant picture book by Marie-Louise Gay of Stella and Sam fame.The setting in Mustafa is urban, offering the relief of a green park safe enough for a child to venture into on his own. The delight of this book lies in its close adherence to its small hero’s perspective, both in the choice of words and in the finely rendered multi-media illustrations.Marie-Louise Gay is the gifted author-illustrator of numerous fine books. She shines a loving light on many facets of a new immigrant’s experience—the hugging hijabi mother, the lively younger sibling, the trail of leaf-cutter ants in the park that parallel the family's own difficult journey, the feeling of being a stranger and invisible.At a time when more and more countries are resisting immigration and there are forces pushing against the acceptance of refugees in Western countries, this is an important book. It shows not only how children cope with the traumas of displacement but also where the ingredients of comfort might be found.