Tea with Uncle Mustafa by Andrea Karimé addresses the complexes of war, home and flight in sensitive and richly pictorial language. The author succeeds in making elusive topics understandable and accessible to children, cleverly and with wit.
Mina, the protagonist, meets her uncle Mustafa when she goes to Lebanon for the first time during summer vacation. Uncle Mustafa not only tells the most amazing stories, but even shows Mina his mysterious Tower of Wonders, where all his stories are reflected. When the tower suddenly begins to shake and tremble, Mina is quickly taken home. There she learns what happened: war begins!
The family flees with Uncle Mustafa back to Germany, where he does not find his way…
(See also the book description of the publisher).
The book is recommended reading for children over eight years.
Andrea Karimé/Anette von Bodecker-Büttner 2011: Tea with Uncle Mustafa. Vienna: Picus.
If you don’t have a bookstore worth supporting near you, you can also buy the book from the alternative non-profit online bookstore links-lesen.de, which supports political projects with the profits. The link to the book is: http: //www.links-lesen.de/article/978-3-85452-157-0