Everyone knows the word “war”. But very few understand what it truly means … when you find you have to face it, you feel totally lost, walled in by fright and despair. All of your plans are suddenly …. Until you’ve been there, you don’t know what war is. This is the gripping, urgent and moving diary of 12-year-old Ukranian refugee Yeva Skalietska. On 24th February 2022, Yeva's life changed forever. She was woken in the early hours to the terrifying sounds of shelling. Russia had invaded Ukraine, and her beloved Kharkiv home was no longer the safe haven it should be. It was while she and her Granny were forced to seek shelter in a damp, cramped basement that Yeva decided to write down her story. And it is a story that the world needs to hear. Yeva captured the nation's heart when she was featured on Channel 4 News with her granny as they fled Ukraine for Dublin. In You Don't Know What War Is, Yeva records what is happening hour-by-hour as she seeks safety and travels from Kharkiv to Dublin. Each diary entry is interspersed with daily headlines from around the world to give the reader a more full context, as well as impactful excerpts from Yeva's online chats with her friends. Three beautifully detailed maps illustrated by Kharkiv-native Olga Shtonda track their journey through Europe and additional eye-opening testimonies from Yeva's school friends provide a powerful insight into what war is like through the eyes of a child. This book is an essential read for adults and older children alike.