Somehow, I missed The Day War Came when it came out in September 2018. Nicola Davies has presented current events, but this viewpoint is not always addressed.
This is a five not because it is the best book ever, but because it is different. The subject has been done before (refugee children) but is done in a non-preachy manner. Nor is it about one specific group of people. I assumed Syrian due to the illustrations, but it really could be anytime or any place. I was getting World War Two London vibes at one point. Though, other images (shoes floating on the beach) makes it contemporary. It is showing the subject of war in mature language, but from the eyes of a child. This lends itself to a softer presentation of the subject.
There is an afterwards commenting on refugees today and what countries are and are not doing. But since it is at the end, that is up to you to decide if you will share with children or not. While nothing is graphic, it is intense. The content could be hard for young children to understand and/or deal with. It would work nicely if you are talking about current events but does not lend itself easily to a causal bedtime read.
Rebecca Cobb’s illustrations are something all their own. They would be interesting as a wordless picture book. They complement the text showing the trials of the young girl of the story perfectly. The colors are muted and soft and strategically placed. They are hard to describe as much of what they do is to move the story along, but also to evoke the feelings of the time, place and narrator and that is a personal experience for the reader.
It, like several contemporary picture books, will bring out your feelings on the subject. This will most likely be a polarizing book due to your own personal beliefs.