Muhammed Najem, War Reporter by Muhammed Najem & Nora Neus

“Muhammad Najem, War Reporter” (2022) is an autobiography in graphic novel form. Muhammad grew up in Eastern Ghouta, Syria with his loving, close-knit family. In 2015, his dad was killed by an air strike. As the unrelenting bombings continued, Muhammad took videos of the devastation and posted them to social media. He  implored the global community to take notice. He said, “We are killed by your silence!” The videos garnered some local attention. Then, he remembered his father’s saying, “Everybody has a story.” He decided to create videos sharing the stories of the children affected by this atrocity. These stories caught the eye of the global community and were even shared on CNN - propelling his career as a war reporter. This book is an absolute MUST for middle schoolers. It is written by a fellow young person and it has pictures for context, both of which really draw kids into the story. Additionally, after the most recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, this book provides kids with some historical context on why a natural disaster hitting Syria brings additional devastation to the fragile infrastructure in this war-torn country. 

Heart: Muhammad faces so much loss. It is heartbreaking. I am so inspired by his storytelling. He truly exemplifies the power of youth voices. Adults may wish to share his short documentary with their middle schoolers.

Head: If I were using this book in my classroom (I taught 5th and 7th grade), there are a variety of larger themes you can look at - authoritarian regimes, the refugee crisis, the power of youth activists, etc. You could pair your inquiries with a new picture book, “The Waiting Place” (2022) written by former refugee, Dina Nayeri. I am particularly fond of her Afterword, so please take time to read that. Additionally, if you are looking for another autobiography in graphic novel form capturing the refugee experience, I absolutely loved “When Stars Are Scattered” by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson.