Refugees

Author: Brian Bilston and Jose Sanabria Series: Poetry Gift Book

Hardcover

Refugee is a powerful word.One that conjures opposing emotions. For some it provokes feelings of fear and hate, for others the need for compassion and empathy. In this celebrated poem, "Refugees," Brian Bilston tells both sides of the story by cleverly crafting a verse that can be read backward and forward to convey two opposing views.

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Summary

Description

Refugee is a powerful word.

One that conjures opposing emotions. For some it provokes feelings of fear and hate, for others the need for compassion, understanding, and empathy. In this celebrated poem, "Refugees," Brian Bilston tells both sides of the story by cleverly crafting a verse that can be read backward and forward to convey two opposing views.

Brian Bilston is often described as the "Poet Laureate of Twitter" (now X) and this much admire poem, perfectly accompanied by artwork from illustrator, Jose Sanabria, is a wonderful way to explore this emotive issue as you realize that it's not just the words that have been reversed!

Critic Reviews

'Stunning and incredibly affecting and emotive. José Sanabria's artwork is superb.' -- Library Mice 'Superbly illustrated, Refugees offers a powerful and pertinent message for readers of all ages from KS1 upwards...the book ought to be shared, discussed and pondered upon by all.' -- Red Reading Hub 'Powerful.' -- StorySnug 'A celebration of Brian Bilston's clever poem which shows us that there are two sides to everything. In this book, both readings are illustrated, bringing to life the evocative words through colour and imagery. The book is designed to help children, aged six plus, explore this emotive issue, and discuss the different ways in which the world can be seen.' -- Books For Children 'A beautifully illustrated and clever picture book... will challenge perceptions and is ideal as an impetus for discursive writing and also PSHE discussion in upper KS2.' -- Picture Book of the Month School Reading List 'A delightful presentation of Brian Bilston's poem. A powerful message for our children and a delightful way to explore the complexity which the poem asks us to consider.' -- Refugees at Home 'This clever and important poem is a powerful reminder of the need to challenge misconceptions and hostility. It shows the importance of seeing the full story and challenging negative narratives. Sadly refugees often face difficulties in their search for safety but clearly there is also much compassion to be found, and real support for people who have faced unimaginable hardship to find safety. This beautiful picture book is a good way of introducing children to this complex issue.' -- Dr Lisa Doyle, Director of Advocacy Refugee Council 'Both the Brian Bilston poem 'Refugees' and his consequent children's book with artist José Sanabria offer empathy, simplicity and genius. If words and minds can be so brilliantly reversed, why not the systems and policies inflicting such cruelty in our world?' -- Baroness Shami Chakrabarti

About the Author

Paul Millicheap (born 14 June 1970), who writes as Brian Bilston, is a British poet and author. Using the pseudonym Brian Bilston, he began publishing short and pithy, often humorous, poems on Twitter, which were then spread widely on social media. Bilston gained up to 400,000 followers, and has been described as "The Poet Laureate of Twitter". The poet Ian McMillan described him as "a laureate for our fractured times", and he has been compared to Don Marquis, Dorothy Parker, and Ogden Nash.

Jose Sanabria is a Colombian illustrator based in Argentina. He studied graphic design in Bogota and illustration in Buenos Aires. His works have been exhibited at the Biennale of Bratislava, at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, and in other collective exhibitions in Argentina, Italy, Germany, and Poland.