The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Paterson

Young Meli blames herself for her brother's disappearance despite the fact that ethnic Albanians disappear all the time at the hands of the Serbians.  It's the 1990's in Kosovo, and the Muslim Albanians find themselves as the targets of a campaign of ethnic cleansing.  In this short, but intense novel, the family finds themselves in a refugee camp and eventually as immigrants to Vermont.  Readers will find themselves looking at themes like the effect of hatred and revenge on our lives as well as topics like the Eastern European political situation post-Cold War and how Muslim-Americans fared after the events of 9/11.  A short, but interesting read that will leave many contemporary tweens and teens asking questions about events that took place before they were born.

Recommended age grades 5-8