Safiyyah's War
Author Hiba Noor Khan
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Story
Set in World War 2, the story follows Safiyyah, a young Muslim girl living in Paris during the occupation. War brings a lot of changes, particularly for her Jewish friends and there’s nothing Safiyyah can do until she starts to realise something is happening at the mosque.
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Why we chose it
Beautifully written, with stunning description, it tells a little-known story about a group that are rarely portrayed in novels about the second World War, highlighting the part played in the resistance in Paris by the Muslim community around the Grand Mosque.
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What a young reviewer said
Safiyyah, as a character, is written beautifully in this story loosely based upon reality, created by an author who can craft words like no other. (Hope, age 13)
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First published
2023, Andersen Press
Story Reviews
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Safiyyah’s War is an inspirational story about how hope and friendship can shine through the darkness of war. Set in Paris during the invasion (led by the Nazis in May 1940) and occupation of France, this book follows Safiyyah - a young Muslim girl navigating the changes in her life as her Jewish friends flee the country and soldiers roam the streets. She is sucked into a world of fear and chaos brought by the Nazis but still has to live her life as if soldiers weren’t arresting her neighbours; as if half her class had not turned up at school in weeks; as if she hadn’t noticed the Jewish people appearing in her home; as if she was still a clueless little girl. Seeing WW2 from a child’s view has opened up my mind on how even in the darkest times, there is always hope - whether that is studying maps in the library or eating oranges with Setti (her grandmother) there are always dots of light across the chapters. Safiyyah, as a character, is written beautifully in this story loosely based upon reality, created by an author who could craft words like no other, Hiba Noor Khan. I would recommend reading!
This book is about a young girl called Safiyyah in WW2. Her father runs a mosque in Paris, where they hide hundreds of Jews in the basement and help them escape while juggling personal problems. This book is good for anyone who is interested in World War 2.