Kimathi is fourteen and his world has been destroyed in a night of violence following an election. He, his mother, and sister are forced from their home and into an IDP (internally displaced person) camp. While attempting to work through the trauma he and his family have endured, Kim comes to befriend several children in the camp that are working loss in their own ways. With water contamination and shortages, he begins to find purpose in working toward finding solutions to help the people of his new community.

Patrick Ochieng's Displaced is an inspiring story that develops themes of finding family, overcoming adversity, and understanding the grief process. I loved this book and the hopeful mood that Ochieng develops despite the heavy content. Kim is a great protagonist; he is flawed and yet likable, as are the characters he comes to befriend. It must be stated that this is a middle grade book and though it doesn't shy away from the trauma that Kim, his family, and other people in the camp have endured it also does not dive into the specifics too deeply.

I would consider this age appropriate for 12 and up. This would work well in tandem with or as follow-up texts to A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park or the graphic novel When Stars are Scatters by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book because I'm constantly looking for books to share with my children that will help build their worldview.

This one pulled me in quick—and not in a flashy, action-packed way. It was the humanity that grabbed me. Kimathi’s life is turned upside down in the blink of an eye after horrific violence breaks out following an election. He is in shock, dealing with grief and suddenly he’s figuring out how to survive in a displacement camp. The story is written from his child's point of view and you can see as the pages turn how he has to grow up too fast, but learns to still find himself in the midst of it all.

Ochieng builds empathy without preaching. You feel the fear, the grief, the helplessness... but also the fierce love and the small sparks of joy when community shows up. Kids helping kids, even when they don’t have much themselves.

As a homeschool mom who’s always looking for books that stretch my kids’ hearts and widen their worldview (after all, books should be mirrors AND windows), this one has absolutely earned its place on our shelves as one we will read again.

Highly recommend—especially if you want a powerful, character-driven read that gently challenges the way you see the world.

We follow 14 year old Kimathi through the grief loosing his papa and his friend Rono and then being forced to flee his home in Eldoret. His family, along with many others, have been displaced by post election violence in Kenya.

This middle-grade book does a wonderful job describing the horrors that Kimathi and his family endure while keeping the scenes age appropriate. I love the message of how kids keep their optimism and work on making camp life better all while living a life full of unknowns. The author does a wonderful job of introducing adults to help them learn this valuable life lesson.

A solid 4.5 stars.

Publication date: Aug. 5, 2025.

** Thank you Lerner Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

This is a very important book for young people to read.

Positives
Easy to read
The author manages complex topics with accessible language and story
Important and relevant themes
Short chapters enhance readability

Improvements
I'm not a big fan of the cover picture