The character Ganwar will catch the attention of high school readers, and adults will find this story a rich and meaninful experience. Young readers will enjoy the story on their own as well. Teachers will find many cross-curricular uses for the novel in the classroom. By the end of the novel, I felt I'd gained a renewed respect for the idea of America as the "home of the brave." I recommend this story to readers at all levels. Every page moves the story forward, and every word paints a vivid picture of Kek's world. He helps his friend Hannah reconnect with her lost mother, and ultimately finds a new home for the cow, Gol, when Lou decides to sell her farm. He faces both small and large challenges, but he takes action by finding a job on Lou's farm and urging his older, embittered cousin to join him. Kek comes alive for us, and soon we are seeing the world through his eyes. We see America through the heart and mind of a young immigrant. It's very readable and the action moves quickly, so even reluctant readers will find themselves caught in the story. There are so many things to love about this story. He refuses to stop hoping that his missing mother will be found, even though his immigration supervisors tell him she is most likely dead. Kek makes new friends: young Hannah (a foster child), an older woman named Lou who owns the cow Gol, and his new ESL teacher, Ms. Kek stays in the home of his aunt and his older cousin, Ganwar, who has lost a hand in the fighting in the Sudan. He names the cow, Gol, and she becomes both his link to the past and his hope for the future.
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On his trip from the airport to the Minneapolis home of his aunt, he spots a tired old cow on a tiny farm.
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In spare verse filled with detailed imagery, she introduces us to Kek, an African refugee struggling to come to terms with the loss of his immediate family and his new life in America. Author Katherine Applegate's novel HOME OF THE BRAVE is memorable and haunting.