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“Boldly tackles the rawness of human emotion in times of severe distress. . . . Unforgettable.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Her prose balances verve and gentleness as she discusses the horrors of war alongside moments of levity. . . . A must-read nonfiction addition.”

—School Library Journal, Starred Review

“Exceptional. . . . The author has an extraordinary ability to recreate both the beauty and brutality of these years.”

—Booklist, Starred Review

The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

Written by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and Laura L. Sullivan
Published by Bloomsbury YA

In 1992, Amra was a teen in Bihac, Bosnia, when her best friend said they couldn’t speak anymore. Her friend didn’t say why, but Amra knew the reason: Amra was Muslim. It was the first sign her world was changing. Then Muslim refugees from other Bosnian cities started arriving, fleeing Serbian persecution. When the tanks rolled into Bihac, bringing her own city under seige, Amra’s happy life in her peaceful city vanished.

But there is light even in the darkest of times, and she discovered that light in the warm, bonfire eyes of a stray cat. The little calico had followed the refugees into the city and lost her own family. At first, Amra doesn’t want to bother with a stray; her family doesn’t have the money to keep a pet. But with gentle charm this kitty finds her way into everyone’s heart, and after a few near miracles when she seems to save the family, how could they turn her away?

Here is the stunning true story of a teen who, even in the brutality of war, never wavered in her determination to obtain an education, maintain friendships, and even find a first love-and the cat who gave comfort, hope, and maybe even served as the family’s guardian spirit.

Primary ISBN: 9781547604531
Publication Date: September 2020
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Nonfiction, Memoir, Age 13 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Bosnia (Bihac)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Home Country, Refugee

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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