Safiyyah's War
France

Safiyyah's War

by Hiba Noor Khan

War & Conflict Historical Fiction 2023

Summary

When Nazi Germany invades Paris in 1940, eleven-year-old Safiyyah’s peaceful life at the Grand Mosque of Paris is transformed by fear and uncertainty. Her Jewish best friend has fled the city, German soldiers patrol the streets, and Safiyyah struggles to understand the growing injustice around her. When her father is arrested for his secret Resistance activities, she discovers that the adults she trusts are involved in something far more dangerous than she imagined.

Determined to fight back, Safiyyah begins carrying messages across occupied Paris. Soon, the mosque becomes a refuge for persecuted Jewish people, and Safiyyah faces her greatest challenge yet: navigating the dangerous underground passages beneath the city to help lead them to safety.

Inspired by the little-known history of the Grand Mosque of Paris and its role in helping Jews escape Nazi persecution, Safiyyah’s War brings a neglected chapter of the Second World War to life through the eyes of a courageous young Muslim girl. It is a moving story of friendship, compassion, and ordinary people risking everything to protect others.

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Country
France
Europe
About the author
Hiba Noor Khan
Hiba Noor Khan

Hiba Noor Khan is a British author, teacher, and activist whose work explores history, cultural understanding, and the experiences of people whose stories are often overlooked. Trained as a physics teacher, she has also worked as a refugee advocate and humanitarian aid worker, supporting communities affected by displacement and conflict. Her experiences have helped shape her interest in migration, compassion, and intercultural relationships. Khan writes both fiction and nonfiction for young readers, including The Extraordinary Life of Malala Yousafzai, One Home, and The Little War Cat. Published in 2023, Safiyyah’s War won the 2024 Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize and received several other awards and nominations, including a shortlist place for the Carnegie Medal for Writing. Through her writing, Khan introduces young readers to overlooked historical events while highlighting courage, empathy, and solidarity across cultural and religious boundaries.

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Details
Published
2023
Author
Hiba Noor Khan