Refugee Worksheets

by Alan Gratz

Reading Level X · Lexile 800L · ATOS 5.3

Three young refugees from different eras — Josef (Nazi Germany), Isabel (1990s Cuba), and Mahmoud (war-torn Syria) — make perilous journeys for safety that ultimately connect.

Get the book on Amazon

Reading Level Conversion Chart

Refugee vocabulary words and comprehension questions

64 vocabulary words and 48 comprehension questions across 16 sections: Josef: Escaping Nazi Germany (1938) · Isabel: Leaving Cuba (1994) · Mahmoud: Fleeing Syria (2015) · Josef: Aboard the MS St. Louis · Isabel: The Homemade Raft Sets Sail · Mahmoud: The Long Road to Turkey · Josef: Cuba Turns the Ship Away · Isabel: Lost Engine and Leaking Raft · Mahmoud: Crossing the Sea to Greece · All Three: Storms at Sea · Josef: Sent Back Across the Atlantic · Isabel: Sharks and the Sacrifice at Sea · Mahmoud: Walking Across Europe · All Three: Family Sacrifice and Hard Choices · Journeys' End: Arrival, Loss, and Hope · Connections Across Time: The Stories Unite.

Vocabulary words include concentration camp, despair, Star of David, Kristallnacht, riot, ration, fugitive, pandemonium, civil war, rubble, invisible, indignation, panoramic, passenger, obscure, unfurl, rickety, trumpet, horizon, waning.

Sample questions

What happens to Josef's father at the start of the story?
Why is Josef's family no longer safe in Germany?
How does Josef feel about suddenly becoming the 'man of the house'?

About our free novel study worksheets

Our free novel study worksheet generator builds printable vocabulary and reading comprehension worksheets for the books your students are reading. Pick a grade range, choose a series or title, and create no-prep practice — comprehension questions and vocabulary activities — tailored to that book in minutes.

Every novel worksheet can be printed for free or assigned digitally to your class. Teachers and homeschooling parents use them to support guided reading, book clubs, and independent novel studies from early chapter books through middle grade.

Frequently asked questions

Are these novel study worksheets free?

Yes. You can create and print vocabulary and comprehension worksheets for any available book for free, with no login required to print. A free account also lets you save worksheets and assign them to students.

How do I make worksheets for a specific book?

Choose a grade range, select the series and title, then generate vocabulary and comprehension worksheets built from that book's words and content.

What kinds of novel worksheets can I create?

You can create reading comprehension question worksheets and vocabulary worksheets — including matching, multiple choice, written, and flashcards — for each book.

What grade levels are these novel worksheets for?

They work for early chapter books through middle grade, with titles organized by grade range so you can match each book to your readers.