This is an emotional, heartbreaking and heartwarming children's book, which really touched me. I loved it and highly recommend it. The story is about a boy called Faisal, who lives in a refugee camp. One day he finds an injured bird and he takes it to his family. They all take care of it and give it love. Faisal also injures himself, and both him and the bird heal themselves together. When it is time for the bird to be released back into nature, will Faisal be able to let it go? This story is so sweet and the images in the book are beautiful.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A heartwarming and interesting story based on the lives of real children living in refugee camps in Bangladesh, with beautiful illustrations.

My favorite part of the book were the front and end pages, actual photos of the homes of the Rohingya in Cox's Bazar. Those details give more context than the actual illustrations of the story, although they too accurately show details of camp life. I liked that the story itself presents life in the camp without feeling a need to over-explain. The actual story and the style of illustrations is very predictable. I couldn't help but comparing it with another recent picture book about camp life, "From the Tops of the Trees" by Kao Kalia Yang. That story stayed with me long after I read it; I had to reread this book to remind myself of the story before writing this review. This is an ok choice if a book specifically about the Rohingya is needed.

The Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar are often referred to as the most persecuted people on the planet. The ethnic discrimination has lasted generations, and culminated in a mass forced exodus in 2017. Many refugees, and many of them children, now live in neighbouring Bangladesh.

‘The Unexpected Friend’, a collaboration between @gubabooks and @savethechildren, brings the lives of Rohingya children to the page, in a tale of hope in the camp.

Faisal discovers an injured bird, and with the help of friends in the camp, he nurses it back to health. In the telling, we see the realities of community and support among the Rohingya.

The story is well-told by Raya Rahman, with lively mixed-media illustration from Inshra Sakhawat Russell.

Follow @gubabooks to learn more about the book, and to get hold of it.

I accessed my copy through @netgalley

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the surface I am thrilled that there is a story highlighting the plight of the Rohingya for children and that it includes some character depth and relatability to global readers. On the flip side, the book is very vague and could be any refugee in any camp and is not Rohingya specific. Additionally, I feel that it is too idyllic. I am no expert by any means, I wouldn't even say that I am well-versed, but the book paints an impression of a thriving organized camp with medical help, orderly food lines and a vibrant school. Yes, it talks about the lines being long, and naturally if you are out collecting firewood, it is a bit rugged, but I don't know that the lasting impression is a humanitarian crises. I understand that in a 36 page, kindergarten to 2nd grade book, political complexities and horrors are not a natural platform, but I worry that the aim of bringing attention to the situation will miss its mark by not capturing its truth more clearly.

Faisal has just finished his afternoon prayer and while outside the mosque he hears a faint chirping and discovers a small bird with a hurt wing.  He and his friend Rahim take the bird to the learning center to be cared for while the boys head to the forest to collect firewood.

The forest can be dangerous, but in order to cook, they must have wood to burn.  While in the forest, the boys encounter an elephant and remark on how they are depleting the animals' natural habitat.  When leaving Faisal trips and falls, scattering his collected firewood and breaking his arm.

Rahim offers to share his firewood with Faisal and the two head back to camp to get Faisal to the doctor.    Like the bird, who's wing has been bandaged, Faisal now too has a hurt appendage.  The two spend every minute together for weeks, and when both have healed, Faisal admits he doesn't want to let the bird free. He knows it is the right thing to do and alas allows the bird to go.

The book has an afterword regarding Cox's Bazar and information about the author and Save the Children Foundation.

What an unexpected surprise to find an ARC on @netgalley of this book, and I was so touched I had to share!⁠
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This book powerfully displays the innocent voice of a young Rohingya refugee and his struggles in the refugee camp.⁠
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The book does not explore any politics of Myanmar, or Rohingya refugees…rather, it just delves straight into the humanity of these innocent children in the camps and their experiences within.⁠
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Faisal is finished praying at the Mosque when he finds an injured bird. He takes the bird and runs through the camp to find someone to help, but the medical station and food supply station are full of lines of people. He takes him to his sisters and mom, who wrap the bird. He is so kind in the way he cares for the bird and after an accident collecting firewood in the forest, his own hand is injured and he spends time healing side by side with the bird. When the bird heals, Faisal feels sad to let him go. But he knows that the bird deserves to be with his family. Watching him fly away fills him with peace and hope.⁠
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I liked the contrast of the bird and Faisal, and showing symbolically how Faisal identified with the bird and his need to heal and be with his family. I feel like if it was written that Faisal had an injured hand before he found the bird though, it would have made the book more powerful.⁠
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I liked the happy glimpses of shadow puppets and playing and showing how kids are kids, no matter where they are.

Faisal cares for the animals and he recognizes that the refugee camp is using the resources of the forest. The small glimpses of refugee life show the reader the need for the world to be more aware of this humanitarian crisis.

The extra note at the back also raises awareness on the Rohingya situation, and an extra link for donation is provided.⁠
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This beautifully illustrated book mentions athan, the mosque, prayers, and includes many hijabis and kufis in the Muslims in the illustrations.

Inspired by children in real-life refugee camps, this story takes place in such a camp, but puts the focus on the rescue and healing of a bird with a broken wing. The themes of resilience, healing, and freedom parallel the journey that young readers might not realize the people are also on. This would be a great jumping off point for discussions about refugees and the circumstances people may find themselves in.

The illustrations, somber, yet hopeful tone, and wonderful story would be a great addition to any classroom library, ESL teacher's collection, or counselor's shelves.

I highly recommend this sweet and touching story.

At first glance, this seems like a simple book, telling a simple story. It is not. It is much more than that.

This little book tells the story of Faisal and his family, refugees at the Cox's Bazaar district of Bangladesh, where they now live after fleeing the strife in Myanmar, due to them being Rohingya. It does seem like a simple story, and to be fair, it is told in simple terms. Terms that anyone, from small children to adults, can understand, and can teach both children and adults what it is like to be a refugee and to be away from all that you love. I loved the story of Faisal finding the bird and wanting to keep it safe and then realizing, when it is healed, that he must let it go. It was poignant and beautiful and a reminder of how we need to take care of those around us, no matter what else is going on.

Beautifully illustrated, it will take you to a place most of us are acutely unaware of and I am hoping sheds some light on what people go through when they are refugees; the beautiful thing about this book is it is not told in a way that will scare children, but will encourage them to open up and share and ask questions so they too can learn about those who are less fortunate than they are and how they can help. Really well done.

If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about the Rohingya refugee humanitarian crisis, or information on how you can help, please visit www.savethechildren.org

Thank you to NetGalley, Raya Rashna Rahman, Inshra Sakhawat Russell [Illustrator] and Guba Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was beautifully written book about a boy called Faisal. Faisal is a Rohingya refugee living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh,

The story takes the reader through how Faisal found an injured bird and how he decided to nurse him back to health. The story is about compassion, strength, community and most importantly brings light to one of the largest humanitarian refugee crises in the world.

This would be great addition to any classroom, school library and is also a perfect gift or addition to any bookshelf!

This book is disguised as a simple story about a young boy helping an injured bird, but what it really shows is a fictional story based on the real lives of Rohingya people (especially children) living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. This is a book I will buy a physical copy of as it is in partnership with Save the Children and they are donating proceeds of the book sales to this organization to help the Rohingya camp.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very simple story with subdued but surprisingly effective illustrations. Good for raising awareness of children living in different circumstances.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. I loved this quick read. It does not show in a disturbing or graphic way about how difficult life can be in a refugee camp. Rather, the story focuses on how a boy takes care of a bird with a broken wing and how others care for him when he similarly breaks his arm. It's a sweet, touching story with full page, colorful illustrations. I like the factual information in the beginning and end, which can prompt discussion of refugees and current world affairs. I will recommend this to our lower elementary teachers and purchase copies for our classroom libraries.

This is a beautiful story of made in partnership with the Save the Children foundation. The book is based on the Rohingya children at the refugee camp in Bangladesh. The story is about Faisal, his friends, and his family, and their unexpected encounter with an injured bird. The story is simple and straightforward. The author and illustrate has done a great job in explaining the story of how the children got to the refugee camp and what their day-to-day life looks like. It's definitely helps parents explain to their children real-world issues.

This is a beautiful book. Faisal lives in a refugee camp with many other Rohingya people. The simple but heartbreaking explanation: "They were forced to leave their homes... as it was no longer safe there. Faisal had walked for miles with his mother and his sisters... to find shelter." A couple of pages in, and you already have a lot to talk about with your kids.

The story follows Faisal as he finds an injured bird, subsequently hurts himself, and then heals alongside the bird. Faisal and his sisters are sad to release the bird, but he finds comfort in being with his family: "The bird needs its family too... Like us."

The cartoon-style illustrations are full of colour, making the story feel a bit lighter. This is a great way to start a conversation with kids about refugees generally, or the Rohingya crisis in particular.

This is a beautifully illustrated children's book about a Rohingya boy living with his family in a refugee camp. Faisal finds an injured bird and cares for it. He also hurts his leg and finds comfort with family.

This was a great story with vibrant illustrations and a meaningful message. It also provides some education about Rohingya life and refugee camps, which is very important to me as a parent to provide to my children. While it may be a bit more for older kids, I know that my five year old would really enjoy this one, especially about caring for the bird. I'd recommend it for any families looking to broaden their reading horizons.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review!

This is a beautiful book, full of compassion this would be a great book to share with children and then be able to talk to them about what is going on with the Rohingya people and about refugees. The story of Faisal finding an injured bird and then healing alongside it and the importance of community and connections is sweet and so needed right now.

In The Unexpected Friend, Faisal and an injured bird heal together, while giving us a view of a refugee camp in Bangladesh. I enjoyed the bright colors of the illustrations, but found the people large and uneven eyes unnerving and off putting. The story itself was sweet, but not overly memorable.

It was an enjoyable and sweet read filled with informative content! I would recommend to every fiction reader out there! It highlighted a very important life lesson and everyone can learn something from this beautiful book🥰 It's very short and can be completed in one sitting and it's totally worth a read!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC

The Unexpected Friend by Raya Rahman is the moving story of Faisal, a young Rohingya boy who is living with his mother and sisters in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. One day, Faisal discovers a bird with a broken wing and decides that he will keep it safe until it has healed. When the bird is eventually well enough to fly, Faisal and his sisters are sad to see it go, but Faisal is grateful to have the love of his family to help him through his loss.

This is a beautiful story and message that was inspired by real children and families who are living in the refugee camps of Bangladesh. Children will certainly recognize the universal themes of empathy, belonging, healing, and family, and will certainly be captivated by the colourful illustrations.

Proceeds from this book will support the efforts of Save the Children's Rohingya Relief Fund. Recommended.

This is such a sweet, gentle, beautiful story. Not only is it a relatable tale about helping an injured bird, it's a glimpse into life in another culture, another world. I would love for my students to see the camp and count all of the ways that the kids there are just like them, even though they're living through extraordinarily fraught circumstances. The story is not scary or unbearably sad, as I'd feared, but perfect for underscoring our shared humanity.

This would be a wonderful addition to pre-K and elementary school. classroom, and personal libraries. Additionally, purchases of this book go to support Save the Children.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!