Safiyyah's War Paperback – 6 July 2023

I absolutely loved reading this heartwarming and incredible story , so much that I honestly didn’t want it to end . Ashamed to say that I honestly didn’t know much about this pivotal moment in history- the role of the Grand Mosque of Paris in saving Jews from the Nazis during World War 2. The book is based on true events and you can see how much research the author has done in writing this book . Many of the incredible characters in the book pay homage to real life heroes too. I loved the main protagonist Safiyyah - what a feisty , kind hearted , incredible and compassionate girl - loved the friendships/ relationships with other characters in the story . It truly is a fantastic historical fiction book , that I don’t think many people know about . My eldest daughter 14 thoroughly enjoyed it and read it one go too .Superb story telling , captivating, really beautifully written , a book that will truly be enjoyed not only by children (9-13) but may I say adults too.

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan is a powerful, historical children’s novel for ages ten years and older. Whatever your age this book will inspire you as you marvel at the bravery of good hearts, and especially at the courage of the very young.Safiyyah’s War has its’ roots in fact. It is set in Paris during the Nazi occupation of World War II. The Grand Mosque takes centre stage as a setting.The central character is Safiyyah who is very young and very brave. She has a desire to help the persecutedSafiyyah has a heart for the hurt and those in need. On one afternoon she rescues a cat, three kittens and a parrot, whilst also befriending a young boy and his father.All the characters were well drawn, believable and likable. The innocence of youth in all its’ goodness, cut through the evil darkness.There are images of light and dark throughout the novel. The smallest light can banish the darkness.At the end of the book there is a historical note giving the context of the novel which was good to read.Safiyyah’s War was inspiring and powerful.

A brilliant kids historical fiction set in Paris during the Nazi occupation - a time period I am fascinated by and have done a lot of research in, as has this author. Sometimes that felt a little bit fact-dumping, but I wondered if that was my own reading perspective rather than the narrative. Similarly some of the conversations felt like they were a bit unnatural - like they were giving information rather than the characters speaking to each other, and the grandmother character definitely spoke in wise quotations (which I kind of liked as her role but it didn’t feel like natural speech). I loved the protagonist in this - she was appropriately cautious, yet still brave and feisty. Her friendships with many of the characters really jumped off the page and it said a lot about her as a character.This is a slower burning story with less pacey action and much more character development which I really enjoyed. It gave me Rooftoppers meets *insert an amazing WW2 kids fiction - there are many* which I loved.Perfect for a modern audience of young readers, this is a book I would have loved as a kid and thoroughly enjoyed as an adult.

I love it when I can binge read a book and that’s exactly what I did with this novel as I couldn’t put it down!“Safiyyah’s War” is a historical fiction (a favourite genre of mine!) set in Paris during World War 2. The novel is gorgeously written and is a stunning blend of eloquent prose and historical authenticity, beautifully capturing the essence of real events.As I delved into the story, I found myself transported to the heart of World War 2 in Paris. The story is based on true events of a Parisian Muslim community and The Grand Mosque in Paris being integral to ushering and saving hundreds of Jews during the war.The main protagonist, Safiyyah, and her journey reminded me that even in the darkest times, compassion and the desire to do what's right, help and serve others can illuminate a path to a better future.I greatly appreciated how artfully the writer integrated the exquisite elements of our Faith and tradition, such as prayer, The Mawlid, and the profound significance of the hijab, into the narrative. I absolutely loved reading this book and highly recommend it!Brilliant work Hiba, thank you 🙏🏼

This was such a easy 5 stars. The story is engaging, emotional and informative - I learned about aspects of WWII I'd had no idea about. This is ideal for Years 5 & 6 upwards. If you're teaching WWII, this would be a wonderful class novel (or at the very least part of your class library).

A good read, kept me engaged, I learned new info

WW2 stories are a particular interest for me, and I love this book. I had no idea about the Grand Mosque in Paris and the role that the Muslim community played in helping Jews to escape the Nazi terror. It is beautifully written, educational, heartwarming and full of suspense. It may be written with children and younger adults in mind, but I would thoroughly recommended it to anyone.

This book for ages 9+ tells the true story of role that the Grand Central Mosque in Paris played during World War 2.The story is told through the eyes of Safiyyah, a Muslim girl living in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Whilst she is fictional, many of the other characters in the book are based on real people that lived and worked in the Grand Central Mosque at that time.As Safiyyah struggles to deal with the changes around her, the religious leaders join forces with the resistance and embark upon a mission to get as many Jews out of Paris as possible, using the underground tunnels and catacombs that traverse the city. The Jews were then transported out of the city in barrels on wine barges. Many hundreds of lives were saved in this way.The story unfolds gently and sensitively as Safiyyah realises the risks that her family are taking and the true horror of the occupation.A story that documents an important and often overlooked part of history.