A review by bethmitcham
Yusra Swims by Sally Deng, Julie Abery

5.0

This is a lovely picture book, with short poems with carefully chosen words (that rhyme) telling the story of a swimmer who flees war, searches for refuge, almost drowns, and finds a home where she can return to swimming. The back matter gives more detail on dates, names, places. It's a great elementary book because it works as a story, as a picture book, and as information, and it leaves the reader wanting more.

I liked how clear the (soft pencil? I don't know art) pictures were, how much detail they gave, showing a wide scene but with our protagonist (and usually her sister) there for our focus. I liked the sparse words which carefully tell the story. And I liked learning about a situation and people I hadn't known.