Parents' Guide to

Escape from Aleppo

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Gripping, moving tale of Syrian teen fleeing war-torn city.

Book N.H. Senzai Historical Fiction 2018
Escape from Aleppo Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

BarnRazor47
BarnRazor47 Parent of 11 and 17-year-old
February 24, 2021
age 12+

Nonstop excitement and a window into the Syrian Conflict but intense themes a bit much for under 12

As a former elementary school teacher, the vocab is a bit much for reluctant readers; great story telling and a real page turner but a bit choppy for read-aloud. Highly recommend reading with your child and explaining as they ask questions. Intense.

This title has:

Educational value
Greg Demayo
Greg Demayo Adult
April 25, 2020
age 12+

Over Intense topics but has a good message

I read this book while driving in my van to my second ever solo band gig and it is educational but the violence is more attuned to slightly older kids.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After enduring years of gunfire, bombardment, death squads, and more, 14-year-old Nadia's once-prosperous Syrian family makes its ESCAPE FROM ALEPPO. But just as they're leaving, a bomb explodes, separating them and leaving Nadia injured and alone. As she struggles to avoid danger, get to Turkey, and find her family, she joins Basel, a younger boy, and Mazen, an old bookseller with a cart and a faithful donkey. Making their perilous way out of deserted, bombed-out Aleppo, they meet many scary characters, but also many others trying to do something positive and save what they can of Syria's ancient culture. Flashbacks tell how the country's conflicts began, and how it affected the lives of regular people caught between warring forces.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

N.H. Senzai's tale of a teen fleeing Syria in 2013 offers plenty of heart, courage, and poignant moments conveying what it's like to have your life completely destroyed by forces beyond your control. Some readers will be fascinated by the wealth of history, culture, and in-depth discussion of how the Arab Spring unfolded across the Middle East, while others may be a bit overwhelmed. With an appealing heroine (and her cat) and a lot of positive messages about family, courage, and kindness, Escape from Aleppo is a good bet for kids who like current events and multicultural stories -- and also fans of dystopian stories, with its setting to rival postapocalyptic landscapes.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Escape from Aleppo helps you understand the conflict in Syria and how events there affect real people. Does reading stories like this change how you see events on the news?

  • Do you recognize any of the historic characters and stories described here with their Arabic names that you may know better by their Westernized ones?

  • If your family had to flee your home and go to a different place, how would you feel? What would you take with you?

Book Details

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