Home is Beyond the Mountains

by Celia Barker Lottridge

Samira is only nine years old when the Turkish army invades northwestern Persia in 1918, driving her family from its tiny village. They flee into the mountains, but the journey is so difficult that only Samira and her older brother survive. Beginning with a refugee camp run by the British Army, the children are shunted from one temporary home to another, finally ending up in an orphanage where it seems that they will live out their childhood. Then the new orphanage director, Susan Shedd, decides that she will take the 300 refugee children back to their home villages — a journey of 300 miles — through the mountains, on foot. Samira embarks on the journey with wonder and fear. Even if they make it, will there be anyone in her old village to take her in?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Fiction, War, Middle Grade, Teen

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Reviewed by Sandra O’Brien

It is 1918 and the Turkish army is moving in the direction of the Assyrian village of Ayna in northern Persia. Samira and her family are forced to flee their home in search of the safety offered by the British army who are fighting the Turkish forces of the Ottoman Empire in the last months of the First World War. The arduous trek through the mountains leads to the death of many and leaves Samira and her brother, Benyamin, the sole survivors in their family. When they finally arrive at a refugee camp, many orphaned children are placed together and Samira meets Anna. Their friendship gives them strength and, when they are asked to care for a toddler named Elias, they form a new kind of family.

They spend many years in a series of orphanages in Iraq and southern Persia – until a new director, named Susan Shedd, announces a plan to take the children back to their home villages to find surviving family members. It’s a 300-mile journey and the children will have to travel by foot. Having survived the journey once before, however, the children work together in family groups and survive what most thought would be an impossible journey.

Although many of the characters in this novel are fictional, the story of the journey the orphans undertook is based on fact. As part of her extensive research, author Celia Barker Lottridge used the letters of her aunt (the real Susan Shedd) and others. Lottridge tells a moving story of the immense difficulties these children faced as they fled from their homes and then, years later, returned. As you read this story, you become deeply connected to these characters as the author adeptly reveals different aspects of their personalities. Appropriate for students in the late junior and intermediate grades, this story will hold students attention from beginning to end.

Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2010, Vol. 33, No. 2)

[meow meow · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried my best to like this book

[Carol Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story, based on true events after World War I when Turkey invaded Persia, is told through the character of Samira She and her family are fictional, but the story really happened, and is based on Lottridge's own family. Her aunt, Susan Shedd, is the pivotal driving force behind the main action of the novel.
The story follows Samira and her family as they are forced to flee Persia and become refugees. Samira and her brother are orphaned, and when after the war her people are repatriated, the hundreds of orphans are left behind.
How Shedd maneuvers her way through red tape and barriers to get the children home again, and the creative ways she gets the children to prepare themselves for the arduous journey beyond the mountains - on foot - and how the children themselves step up to the monumental tasks makes for excellent reading. Even more satisfying is the way in which 'family' is redefined and recreated, and belonging and community are explored through the story.
An excellent read for young and old alike. I think it would make a fabulous movie!

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite my rating, I truly enjoyed reading a book from the Assyrian perspective of events occurring post-World War I - a perspective I previously knew very little about.

I was captivated by the story of Samira and the other children as they overcame adversity and heartbreak to rebuild their lives after the Turkish invasion.

However, what bothered me the most was the lack of emotion and stinted writing style. This is a children’s book, so I expected an easy-to-understand storyline, but I felt a real disconnect from the tragedy described and the reactions from the characters.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. Although a fictional story, it is based on real-life historical events that I honestly didn’t even know happened. I think books like this are so important in helping us understand our world. It definitely fits into the juvenile literature category so don’t expect adult story lines and plots, but for what it is, it’s a great read that I look forward to sharing with my kids when they are a bit older.

[Michelle Richardson]

Exceptional story of a historic event that I never knew happened.

[Bronwyn Parhad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much is known and documented about the Armenian genocide which happened towards the end of WWI, when Turkey decided that Iran and Iraq should be "cleansed" of all Christians. Very little is known about the Assyrian genocide which happened at the same time. More than 80,000 Assyrians were driven from their homes in Northern Iraq and as many or more were killed. This story is of a young Assyrian girl and her family who are forced from their village to flee the invading Turkish army. Ultimately only 9 year old Samira and her brother Benyamin survive. They make their way to a refugee camp, and are shuttled from camp to camp and orphanage to orphanage. They never lose hope of returning home. To what or to whom,they don't know. The story is taken from the author's mother whose stories of growing up in Persia led her to write about this little known chapter of world history.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely Juvenile literature...the very simple syntax may be too annoying to some adults. But if you enjoy juvenile [historical] fiction like the Dear America series, you will probably enjoy this one.

Personally, I really enjoyed learning about WWI-era-Persia, the lifestyle of some Assyrian families, and the love of an orphanage director who wanted to help the orphan children return to their home villages after the war. Reading about how she first fulfilled their cultural needs then organized these 300 children to make a 30-day journey, by foot, back to their homelands was fascinating!

Probably a 4.5 star book for me since I love books like this. I'll round up to 5 stars.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and accessible introduction to a part of history children will probably never learn in schools. Parts are a bit slow-moving, but that makes sense as time itself moved very slowly for these children stuck in refugee camps and orphanages. They would have often suffered from boredom and monotony. I loved the way that cultural differences were presented, too: straightforward and matter-of-fact.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book based on a true story of families in Persia driven from there homes by the Turks in WWI and the experiences of the orphans of those families trying to return home. Historically, it's about a time and place I'm not very familiar with and was interesting to learn about. There didn't seem to be a lot of action or any subplots in this book, but it was so well written that it kept me going.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conflict of war flows into a remote Assyrian village. Nine-year-old Samira and her family fees before the Turkish army. Hunger and fatigue orphans Samira and her older brother who spend years as displaces orphans shuffled between countries and governments. The children dream of returning to their "home" then at last they are given the chance, but can they endure the hardships of the long walk once again?

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author had such an interesting story to tell, based on a true episode in her aunt's life. Unfortunately, it felt like an elementary school "reader" - very dry and plodding. Told with more style and substance, I think that this book would have been very interesting (and possibly even more appropriate) for middle school readers.

[Ashley]

I was so interested to read this. I've read other books by this author and thought that this would by an interesting story. It started out alright, with a thief in the night and an impending journey. But then SO much happened in such a short amount of pages and with so little emotion that despite how much was going on I wasn't interested in what might happen next.

[Marguerite Wilbur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written by a second cousin - once removed - based on a courageous family member, Susan Shedd's, experiences leading 300 children from an orphanage back to their villages in Persia [now Iran] in 1922-3. It is meant for young teens and told from the perspective of the orphans. Poignant!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this historical fiction piece about a snapshot surrounding Turkish orphans during World War I. The meet each trial that life brings them with dignity... even walking 300 miles to get to their homes.

[Lex Nimz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy historical fiction because I get the best of both fiction--the engaging story--and nonfiction--the facts.

This was definitely an engaging story. With the right guidance, children can accomplish so much more than most people realize.

[Yoonmee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical novel based on the author's aunt's life and the true experiences of Assyrian children during the Assyrian Genocide has so much potential but falls flat due to the stilted, somewhat dry writing.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story set in a time and place not often seen in children's books. A deliberate book that requires empathy of the reader. How many kids can imagine life 100 years ago never mind war and its aftermath?

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued that this novel was inspired by a family story. I didn't know much about Assyrian history circa 1918 (read: nothing) and I enjoyed learning. This book really needed to be told in the first person -- the third person narrative had a distancing effect.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for LMC

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent refugee story about an Assyrian family displaced by fighting in northwest Persia at the close of World War I.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young-adult novel about survival and hope. Samira's story is one I knew little about, and it was an amazing story of love, loss and getting back home.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little story featuring an obscure bit of history. Feel like it should be taught in a 6th grade curriculum.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book. Some parts were very not-so interesting, but this book is very good.

[Marge]

historical - no safe place the army is coming - Turkish Army in Iran

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love this kind of story - and have read many, many like this, and most are much better.