Contents Introduction Stories of Survival 4 Chapter 1 Growing Up in Syria 6 Chapter 2 Escaping to Europe 10 Chapter 3 Team Refugee 18 Chapter 4 Standing Together 24 Writing Prompts 30 Learning More 31 Glossary 32 Index 32
Introduction Stories of Survival There are many different kinds of stories Some stories are about survival such as fleeing from war Others are about chasing dreams In 2015 Yusra Mardini YOOS-rah MAR-deen-ee was only 17 years old when she fled her home in war-torn Syria SEER-ee-uh She became famous after she helped rescue a boat full of people as it was sinking in the sea Less than a year later she competed at the Summer Olympics in Brazil What Is a Biography A biography is the story of a person’s experiences We read biographies to learn about another person’s life A biography can be based on many sources of information Primary sources include a person’s own words or pictures Secondary sources include friends family media and research By sharing her story Yusra has helped raise awareness about the global refugee crisis 4
Becoming a Refugee Yusra became a refugee when she left Syria A refugee is a person who flees from his or her country They leave for many reasons Some refugees escape war Others leave because they are being persecuted or because of a natural disaster such as an earthquake By June 2017 there were more than 22 5 million refugees around the world THINK ABOUT IT Yusra’s story has inspired many people As you read this book think about the special traits that make this young woman so remarkable 5
