This story, albeit long, provided many facts about the Assyrian Holocaust and insights about local customs, thinking and society of Persians living at the time. The reader rooted for Samira’s victory over despair and her ingenuity in surviving hardships on the marches with very few supplies. The missionary Susan Shedd was finely drawn and her compassion for her charges was quite moving. I would recommend this to readers who like history and survivalist adventures.

n 1918, war forced nine-year-old Samira and her family to leave their home in an Assyrian village in northern Iran, fleeing for their lives on foot. Only Samira and her older brother Benyamin survived. They lived in refugee camps and orphanages for five years, and then walked home. Their journey from start to finish covered thousands of kilometres. It is an amazing story and it is based on true events. Samira is a believable character and I enjoyed the many details of her daily life, the vivid setting and emotional power of the story. The map at the front showing the route the children travelled was a helpful addition. Give this to readers in Grade 4 - 8 who are interested in the lives of young people in other parts of the world.