Lubna and Pebble by Wendy Meddour Illustrated by Daniel Egnéus

Lubna and her father travel on a ship with many other people and arrive on the shore of a distant land. The young girl finds a pebble on the beach and takes it with her to a World of Tents, a refugee camp. When Lubna finds a felt-tip pen, she draws a smiley face on the pebble.

Pebble becomes Lubna’s best friend. She tells Pebble about her home and the war that forced her to leave it. With Pebble in her hand and her father at her side, Lubna feels safe.

One day, Lubna meets a little boy named Amir, and the children become friends. Later, when Lubna learns that she and her father will be leaving the World of Tents to go to another country, she is excited until she notices Amir’s tears. That night, Lubna can’t sleep because she doesn’t know what to do for her friend. But in the morning, she discovers a way to comfort Amir.

In Lubna and Pebble, author Wendy Meddour sensitively introduces young children to the reality being played out in the lives of millions of refugees, and she shows that any one, no matter how young or poor, can offer kindness to others. Daniel Egnéus’s vivid illustrations evoke hope and joy in the midst of despair and loss. (Dial Books)