Safiyyah's War

April 15, 2024
Grades 4-6 Curious and loyal Safiyyah feels the impact of Paris' occupation by Nazi forces but is somewhat shielded by her Muslim identity, at least compared to her Jewish friends. She lives within the Grand Mosque of Paris, where her father works, but bold Safiyyah is as familiar a fixture among the library's maps and neighboring arrondissements as she is in her father's office, where she assists. Boiling with anger over the injustices she witnesses, Safiyyah is entrusted with a secret, one that "has the capacity to destroy people's lives," and joins the mosque's community of resistance, risking her own life to save others'. In a compassionate tale of allyship, inspired by true events, Safiyyah models bravery and various forms of resistance as "a duty for all of us." Contemporary phrasing occasionally interferes with world building, and the pacing is a bit uneven, but this empathetic debut from an activist-journalist lands its messages about anticolonialism, devotion, and universal respect for humanity. A welcome example of interfaith solidarity and an underrepresented addition to the WWII Resistance conversation.

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Starred review from April 29, 2024
Khan (The Extraordinary Life of Malala Yousafzai) offers a WWII story about a Muslim community in Paris, in which tween Safiyyah and her family reside in an apartment in the city’s Grand Mosque, where her father is a director. Safiyyah’s childhood in the serene mosque has been idyllic, enhanced by magical times poring over old maps in the library. The book opens with the May 1940 German invasion of France, and traces the changes in Parisian life—Safiyyah’s in particular—that ensue, including her best friend’s family fleeing the city and her 16-year-old cousin joining the military. When Safiyyah is inexplicably barred from the weekly get-togethers her honorary uncles—other beloved mosque directors—attend in her father’s office, she grows suspicious about her father’s activities. Mounting devastation enacted by the Germans creates drama and tension as sympathetic, occasionally rebellious Safiyyah grows more courageous amid increasingly dangerous circumstances. Sensitively told via lyrical language and lush sensory details that evoke the deep pleasures of warm Muslim family traditions, Khan’s novel unveils the important role Muslims and the Grand Mosque played in saving Jews during WWII. A historical note concludes. Ages 8–12.

Starred review from June 1, 2024
In this novel inspired by a true account of French Resistance during World War II, a courageous 11-year-old Muslim girl joins the effort to save lives. Safiyyah has an idyllic life in the Grand Mosque of Paris, where her father works and her family lives. Her existence revolves around browsing maps in her beloved library and spending Saturday afternoons with best friend Isabelle. But on the cusp of the Nazi invasion, everything is about to change. Safiyyah's Algerian Muslim identity affords her an element of safety, but this fiercely brave girl internalizes the injustices perpetrated on her community--especially her Jewish friends and neighbors--and vows to help any way she can. Uncovering the secrets of her father's recent strange behavior will force Safiyyah to summon incredible courage to support the Resistance and avoid revealing anything that would put lives at risk. Khan expertly weaves an engaging story filled with compassion, bravery, and commitment to one's neighbors while addressing difficult truths and the ugly face of war in an informative yet still age-appropriate way. Many of the well-developed characters, such as Safiyyah and her family, are fictitious; others, including the mosque's rector and imam, are real historical figures from an underrepresented episode in history who were integral to the mosque's rescue of between 500 and 1,700 Jews. The book's messages of interfaith cooperation and respect for human dignity are timely and compelling. A must-read distinguished by its powerful plot and poignant writing. (glossary, historical note) (Historical fiction. 9-13)

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Starred review from October 11, 2024

Gr 5 Up-During World War II, upwards of 1,000 Jews in France were hidden and ultimately escorted out of Paris through the catacombs under the Grand Mosque of Paris. This resistance movement, led by the mosque's spiritual leader at that time, has largely gone untold. Inspired by this historical resistance in France, Khan has crafted an intricate story from the perspective of a young Algerian French Muslim girl named Safiyyah. Safiyyah lives in France and attends school with a diverse group of children. The novel begins with the Nazi invasion of France. As she is forced to say goodbye to her best friend whose family flees south and her cousin who joins the army against the Nazis, Safiyyah watches her world change and her sense of stability diminish. In the midst of all these changes, she finds her father withdrawn and distant. When Safiyyah finds herself in a situation where she must help her Jewish neighbor, she begins to realize the secrets her father has been keeping and joins him in his efforts to save innocent lives. Khan's lyrical and detailed prose immerses readers in Safiyyah's world. The suspense and action will keep young readers eager to know what happens to Safiyyah and her friends. Khan includes a glossary that helps readers understand unfamiliar words. Also included at the end of the book is a historical note detailing the true accounts of the Grand Mosque of Paris. VERDICT This excellent historical novel, based on true events, will give readers a unique perspective on WWII. Recommended for wide purchase-Davia Schmidt

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