Well... I have honestly struggled to put into words how moving and incredibly written this book is but I will try my best. 'No ballet shoes in Syria' centres around Aya, an 11 year old child, who is seeking asylum from her war torn country alongside her mother and baby brother. The beginning of the book shows you Aya taking control and speaking to case workers to help her family as her mother doesn't speak English. Whilst doing this, she bumps into Dotty - whose name fits perfectly - and is offered the chance to join the local ballet class; something she has dreamed of doing as she was an avid dancer in Syria. Aya finds herself in emotional turmoil as she struggles to follow her dancing dreams whilst her family fights to survive. Throughout the book, there are flashbacks to Aya's experiences in Syria and these are truly harrowing as you see war from the eyes of a child. However, Burton balances this well with the happy memories of her home and the positivity coming from some of the characters (particularly Dotty). I enjoyed the language used and found the balance of description spot on. Burton certainly encourages you to put yourself in Aya's shoes which, in my opinion, makes this book so powerful. It is heart-warming, eye-opening and an ultimate page-turner. Everyone should read it. I think this book is suitable for Year 6 upwards. I would link it to the WW2 topic as there are links to this in the book, with comparisons made between Syrian refugees and Jewish refugees (during WW2). It is also a brilliant read for PSHE, especially with the current climate, as you can do lots of work on empathy, tolerance and world events.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Author- Avid Reader Archives
May 2020
Categories |