While it does not dwell on his turbulent past, the story hints at the violence that drove Mustafa and his family from their old home. At the same time, it focuses on where he is now and what is going on in his life as he adjusts to his new home. Every child can relate to these experiences, and that helps make Mustafa an approachable way to introduce an important, contemporary issue to students. Like Mustafa, everyone has had the experience of coming to a new place. How does it feel to be a stranger and how do we make friends and become part of the community? Have students discuss how it felt for them to be the “new kid” in a group — a new town, a new neighborhood, a new school or starting an activity or sport for the first time. How were their experiences similar and different from Mustafa’s? Does the book do a good job of capturing how it feels to be the “new kid”?
