I haven’t read a book like this before - always thought it too elementary, but I did enjoy this reading. If nothing else, as a change of scenery.
I was asked to read it for another teacher who wanted some input on how to make it more relatable to her small-town American kids. The best answer I can come up with is that it isn’t all that different from Americans seeking their own revolution. We just didn’t have bombs, planes, or media. So that’s what I would do, compare it to the American revolution so the kids see these often times very stereotyped countries as more similar than they are different: people wanting freedom of choice, ability to live and provide, and make a difference.