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HomeHomes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah

Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah

  • Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah

Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah

Homes tells the story of Abu Bakr al Rabeeah, a young boy whose family moved from Iraq to Syria just before the start of the Syrian civil war. It recounts what it was like living in Syria during this time—the normal things like video games, sleepovers, and family jarringly juxtaposed with car bombings, massacres, and the constant threat of what could happen next. In 2014, the family finally found safety by immigrating to Edmonton, Canada, where they encountered both gratefulness and loneliness in their new home country.

  •  Last updated: September 8, 2023

on the web

Looking for reviews, author bios, and discussion questions to stimulate conversation? We’ve compiled these for you!

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-Homes by Adu Bakr al Rabeeah

Available at West Vancouver Memorial Library in Book, eBook, and Kindle formats.

Abu Bakr al Rabeeah Biography

Writers' Trust of Canada. "Abu Bakr al Rabeeah is a high school student who co-authored Homes: A Refugee Story"

Big Library Read Discussion Questions – Homes

"In 2010, the al Rabeeah family left their home in Iraq in hope of a safer life."

CBC Review: Homes

"In 2010, the al Rabeeah family left their home in Iraq in hope of a safer life. They moved to Homs, in Syria — just before the Syrian civil war broke out."

CM Reviews: Homes

"Homes: A Refugee Story is the story of Abu Bakr and the al Rabeeah family as told to Bakr’s English Language Arts teacher, Winnie Yeung, in Edmonton, AB."

Ep. #323 – Big Library Read is Back!

Professional Book Nerds, Podcast.  "On today's very special episode, Jill and Adam speak with Abu Bakr al Rabeeah and Winnie Yeung, co-creators of Homes: A Refugee Story."

From horrors of war to refugee in Canada: teacher helps student share his story

National Post. "ESL teacher Winnie Yeung and student Abu Bakr al Rabeeah crafted Homes: A Refugee Story — which follows his life in Iraq and Syria and move to in Canada"

It’s a love story: Chuck Comeau, Abu Bakr al Rabeeah & Winnie Yeung discuss the memoir Homes

CBC Books. "The memoir tells the story of al Rabeeah's childhood in Iraq and Syria, playing soccer with his cousins and working with his father in the midst of civil war, before they came to Canada as refugees."

Quill and Quire Review: Homes

"Homes: A Refugee Story is the heart-rending account of Abu Bakr al Rabeeah, an Iraqi-born boy who as a child survived the civil war in Syria."

Study: Syrian refugees who resettled in Canada in 2015 and 2016

Statistics Canada. "In 2015, the Canadian government announced a plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by the end of February 2016, in the wake of the ongoing war in Syria since 2011 and the ensuing humanitarian crisis."

Success Stories

BC Refugee Hub. "As refugees build new lives in British Columbia, stories begin to unfold highlighting achievements and progress of the resettlement movement."

The Guardian Review: Homes

"The Syrian boy who wrote his life story – with the help of his Canadian teacher"

Winnie Yeung Biography

"Winnie has been an English teacher for over ten years. Homes is her first book and received extensive critical acclaim."

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