What This Book Is About
Jude loves her home in Syria—the smell of her father's cooking, the sound of her older brother Issa's oud music drifting through the windows, the feeling of belonging to a place where everyone knows your name. But when the civil war makes life too dangerous, Jude and her mother must leave everything behind and fly to Cincinnati, Ohio, to stay with relatives. Suddenly, Jude is the "new girl" in a strange land where she doesn't speak the language well, where people mispronounce her name, and where being "Middle Eastern" comes with assumptions she never had to face before.
Written entirely in free verse poetry, Other Words for Home captures Jude's inner world with breathtaking intimacy. Each poem is a small window into what it feels like to miss a place, to learn a new language, to discover that "home" might be more than a location. Winner of the 2020 Newbery Honor, this is one of the most beautiful and accessible introductions to the refugee experience ever written for young readers. The verse format makes every word count and every silence meaningful—a rare reading experience that stays with you long after the last page.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why UWC Chose This Book
Other Words for Home is a masterclass in international-mindedness. At its core, the book asks students to imagine what it would feel like to leave your country, your language, and your identity behind—a question that resonates deeply in a UWC classroom where students come from dozens of different nations. Jude's experience of navigating two cultures, two languages, and two versions of herself mirrors the lives of many international school students in Singapore, making this an exceptionally relevant and empathetic read.
The verse format also serves a powerful pedagogical purpose. Because each poem uses carefully chosen, economical language, it teaches students to read closely and appreciate how word choice creates meaning—skills that are essential for literary analysis. For English language learners, the shorter lines and white space on each page make the book feel less intimidating than a 352-page novel normally would, building confidence while still delivering profound emotional depth.
Reading Level Guide
The Lexile is high (930L), but the verse format makes each page quick to read. Still, the emotional themes may be hard to grasp at A1. Try Inside Out and Back Again first.
Sweet spot. The verse format means short lines and lots of white space, making it less overwhelming than traditional novels despite the high Lexile.
A quick, deeply moving read at B2. The poetic language offers nuances to appreciate even at advanced levels. Try Wonder or Born Behind Bars next.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.