A Time of Miracles by Anne-laure Bondoux 180 pages

Blaise Fortune has two names -- his name as a citizen of the French Republic and his refugee name, Koumail. With the collapse of the Soviet Union his life is in danger. He seems to be without family. Gloria takes him on and makes it her mission to transport him across the Caucasus and Europe to safety. They are separated, but the boy survives. As he reaches adulthood, he resolves to put together the puzzle that is his past. This poignant novel was the winner of The Batchelder Award, (best children's book originally published in a foreign language).