Too Far Away

Tobias Schäfer

12-year-old Ben and his family must leave their village because of the lignite mining in the western region of Germany. Ben has trouble fitting in his new school and equally-new soccer club, while his old friends are already moving on. Then Tariq, a young Syrian, is seated next to him in school, and the two slowly bond over their shared interests--and shared losses.—Leena M. Peters