Lost Words: An Armenian Story of Survival and Hope
by Leila Boukarim (Author) Sona Avedikian (Illustrator)
Based on a true family story, this inspiring picture book about the Armenian Genocide shares an often-overlooked history and honors the resilience of the Armenian people.
What is it like to walk away from your home? To leave behind everything and everyone you've ever known? Poetic, sensitive, and based on a true family history, Lost Words follows a young Armenian boy from the day he sets out to find refuge to the day he finally finds the courage to share his story.
"It is difficult to find the words to describe the type of loss a Genocide can cause to a young child. I've been looking for something similar for my own son. This picture book is a good start to help explain loss and raise the many questions necessary to start the conversation."--Serj Tankian, activist, artist, and lead vocalist for System of a Down
INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION: This story is a reassuring testament to the bond between parent and child, and the love people pass down to future generations through shared stories.
ENCOURAGES COMPASSION: In the midst of the current international refugee crisis, stories of refugees and immigrants are an evocative reminder of the importance of showing kindness and empathy to strangers from all walks of life.
UNIVERSAL STORY: While this story specifically centers Armenians, it also speaks to a shared experience of many people across the globe. Reckoning with loss after a traumatic event is a common experience that many people can relate to, but the poignancy of this story delivers a powerful message of hope, courage, and remembrance.
UNDERREPRESENTED NARRATIVE: There are thought to be well over one million Armenians in the U.S., yet there are no known picture books about the Armenian Genocide. This moving portrait of family is a recognition of strength and resilience in the face of oppression, and a loving ode to a thriving community that refused to be silenced.
Perfect for:
- The Armenian and Armenian American community
- Anyone interested in learning about Armenian history and culture
- Readers seeking engaging stories of migration and refugee experience
- Parents and grandparents
- Teachers and librarians
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Publishers Weekly
Based in family history, this opaquely told account of the Armenian genocide is narrated by a maturing child who survives the events. A warm moment--mother and child cooking together--ends with a knock and a whispered conversation. Dressing the protagonist and two sisters in ragged clothing, Mama sews gold buttons inside, "in case you need them," and promises she'll soon follow. The children cross a desert alongside others "for days. For weeks. For months," the narrator holding "on to Mama's words like a prayer." After the children reach "a land with blankets and water and food. A land far from Mama," Boukarim traces the protagonist growing up, having "lost my words" to discuss these experiences, even through adulthood--until an intergenerational moment opens a pathway to the past. Digital illustrations from Avedikian use a flat graphic style to convey the events and saturated, chalk-like ribbons to delve into moments of memory in a telling that, while eliding definitive historical events in favor of an experiential telling, hints at unspoken events held, for decades, within. Creators' notes and a history conclude. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
"A necessary and well-crafted picture book about a part of world history too often ignored." — The Horn Book Magazine
"Heartbreaking yet warmly tinged with hope." — Kirkus Reviews
"Boukarim traces the protagonist growing up, having "lost my words" to discuss these experiences, even through adulthood—until an intergenerational moment opens a pathway to the past." — Publishers Weekly
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV016000 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | General
JUV030110 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Middle East
JUV030130 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Middle Eastern & Arab American
Picture books
20th century
Refugees
Orphans
Historical fiction
Armenians
Turkey
Lebanon
Armenia
Armenian Genocide, 1915-1923
