Description

Winner of the Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize
Winner of the Indie Book Awards for Children’s Fiction
Winner of the Week Junior Book Award for Older Fiction
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing

‘Safiyyah’s War has the soul of a classic & the urgency of a story for our times. A tale of tolerance, unthinkable bravery, and heart-in-mouth true events. I loved this book’ – Kiran Millwood Hargrave

‘All at once, Safiyyah’s War broke my heart and filled me with immense hope. With its unforgettable characters and exquisite storytelling, this really is an extraordinary book’ – A F Steadman

‘Safiyyah is a protagonist I was rooting for all throughout; a lovely, kind-hearted girl whose story filled me in turns with despair and joy. This book shines through with kindness and empathy at its very heart’ – Nizrana Farook

‘Luminous prose . . . a riveting read for children and adults alike’ – New York Times

War comes to the streets of Paris and Safiyyah’s life changes for ever.
Her best friend’s family have fled, and the bombing makes her afraid to leave the mosque where she lives. But when her father is arrested by the Nazis for his secret Resistance work, it falls to Safiyyah to run the dangerous errands around the city.
It’s not long before hundreds of persecuted Jews seek sanctuary at the mosque. Can Safiyyah find the courage to enter the treacherous catacombs under Paris and lead the Jews to safety?

Publisher Review

"Safiyyah's War has the soul of a classic and the urgency of a story for our times. A tale of tolerance, unthinkable bravery, and heart-in-mouth true events. I loved this book." -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave "All at once, Safiyyah's War broke my heart and filled me with immense hope. With its unforgettable characters and exquisite storytelling, this really is an extraordinary book" -- A F Steadman "Safiyyah is a protagonist I was rooting for all throughout; a lovely, kind-hearted girl whose story filled me in turns with despair and joy. This book shines through with kindness and empathy at its very heart" -- Nizrana Farook "This story of extraordinary bravery, based on little-known events, is both inspiring and uplifting" * The Bookseller, Editor's Choice * "Beautifully written, full of compassion and hope, Safiyyah's War is an important and much needed WWII story that puts a spotlight on a rarely heard part of history. Safiyyah's story is a must-read in schools exploring WWII, to encourage empathy. The story is superbly told, with adorable characters. A special, heartfelt book that I'm glad exists" -- A M Dassu "Beautiful, vivid writing . . . A moving story of resistance and unity, the power of community and faith. I absolutely loved it" -- Radiya Hafiza "Luminously written, this is an extraordinary story of bravery filled with truth and light and hope" -- Katya Balen "I was swept away by this richly evocative and beautifully told story. Heart-wrenching and hopeful, this is a book that shines a bright light in the darkness" -- Rashmi Sirdeshpande "A rich and inspiring story full of courage and resistance at the darkest of times" -- Anna Fargher "I adored this book in all its intricacies. I cheered for and cried with Safiyyah - a testament to Khan's talent for storytelling - and enjoyed every word. Safiyyah's War has the makings of a classic" -- Aisha Bushby "A beautiful and sensitively written story which will stay with me for a very long time" -- A M Howell