The Boy at the Back of the Class

Published on 27 August 2024 at 21:04

The Boy at the Back of the Class

by Onjali Q. Raúf

★★★★~

Review

The Boy at the Back of the Class is a brilliantly heartwarming story about family and friendship. Unlike many other books that I read, this book contains no magic or fantastical beasts; it is simply the story of a group of friends who adventure together to make the world a better place.

What caught my eye with this book is the way in which it shines a light on "real-life problems" that children may not otherwise have known about. The refugee crisis and wars around the world are topics that aren't typically discussed with children, but this book presents facts about and insights into the Syrian war, in particular from a child's point of view. The innocence of the characters is very endearing and encourages the reader to think about their own views on such topics.

The storyline itself is pretty straight forwards - Ahmet's new friends come up with a plan to find his family who remain in Syria and reunite them before the borders prevent them from entering Britain. However, we join the friends on a truly thrilling adventure across the whole of London, watching their plans come together, fall apart and come together again, all while they form a beautiful friendship with a boy who has lost everything. I am lucky enough to have met and taught children who are refugees, hearing their own stories of how their lives have been changed by war, and therefore have an additional admiration for Ahmet and the way in which Onjali Q. Rauf presents his story.

This is a lovely, friendship-filled story which is full of courage, hope and determination, and I would recommend this book to any reader!

Dive Deeper

Key information

Author: Onjali Q. Raúf

Illustrator: Pipps Curnick

Release Date: 12th July 2018

Book type: Chapter, 296 pages, paperback

Reader level: Growing reader (content 9+)

Overview

The chair at the back of the class has always been empty, but now it no longer is; there is a new boy, Ahmet, sitting in it.

Ahmet is a young refugee who has recently joined school. He is very shy, but that doesn't matter. Curious to learn more about his home and the war he has fled, Alexa and her friends Tom, Josie and Michael, set our to learn as much as they can about Syria and how to make Ahmet feel welcome in his new home. Even more importantly, they have a wonderful plan to make everything better. They are going to find Ahmet's family!

Before long, news that the British borders are to be closed reaches the friends and they realise that time to save Ahmet is running out. With only one person able to help them, the friends sneak away from home and across London to the gates of Buckingham Palace. Will the Queen hear their story and save Ahmet? Or will their parents find them before the world gets to hear Ahmt's story?