The Day War Came
A powerful, compassionate picture book essential for classroom discussions about war and refugees, from the Welsh Children's Laureate
Nicola Davies author Rebecca Cobb illustrator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Walker Books Ltd
Published:4th Apr '19
Should be back in stock very soon
A moving picture book about the journey of a child forced to become a refugee when war destroys everything she has ever known.
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, war came. Imagine it turned your town to rubble. Imagine going on a long and difficult journey – all alone. Imagine finding no welcome at the end of it. Then imagine a child who gives you something small but very, very precious...
This sensitive and hopeful book encourages empathy and understanding around the important topics of war and refugees. With beautiful illustrations by the award-winning Rebecca Cobb, The Day the War Came is essential for every Key Stage 2 classroom, for helping explain world events to young readers.
Originally written as a poem by Welsh Children's Laureate Nicola Davies in response to the UK government refusing to allow 3,000 child refugees to enter the UK in 2016, it started a campaign for which artists contributed drawings of chairs, symbolising a seat in a classroom, education, kindness, the hope of a future. It is a message of compassion and humanity that continues to resonate today.
“In a wholly different register, The Day War Came combines Nicola Davies’s simple, hard-hitting text and Rebecca Cobb’s pencil drawings to evoke the destruction of everyday reality for the youngest victims of conflict. Thought-provoking and poignant, it’s an excellent answer to the question of how to talk to children about war.” * The Guardian *
“The deceptively simple narrative combined with Rebecca Cobb’s evocative illustrations make this a useful tool for explaining the refugee crisis to younger readers.” * Oldie *
“[…] it ends on a powerful notes about the power of kindness and the potential for a better future.” * Surrey Advertiser *
“an incredibly powerful picture book […]. Cobb’s illustrations are both beautiful and devastating.” * The Bookseller *
“A tale of humanity and compassion that is worth sharing.” * South Wales Evening Post *
- Winner of Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award 2019 (China)
- Winner of Comstock Read Aloud Book Award, Honor Book 2019 (United States)
- Winner of National Council of Teachers of English Charlotte Huck Honor Book 2018 (United States)
- Short-listed for Bishop’s Stortford College Picture Book Award 2020 (UK)
- Short-listed for Kate Greenaway Medal (CILIP) 2019 (UK)
ISBN: 9781406382938
Dimensions: 278mm x 230mm x 4mm
Weight: 180g
32 pages