The Boy at the Back of the Class - BOOK REVIEW

AUTHOR: Onjali Q. Rauf
READING AGE: Year4+


SUMMARY:

A wonderful story showing incredible friendship, empathy, understanding and acceptance! A group of children get a new boy, Ahmet, in their class and are unsure what to think of him as initially he speaks no English and is very shy. The children decide they want Ahmet to be their friend and want to find out more about him. They offer him gifts such as fruit and learn that he is a refugee from Syria and doesn't know where his parents are anymore since fleeing his country. The more they find out about him, the more they are desperate to help! So they come up with a plan..



LIKES:

- Amazing children showing courage and kindness.
- Insightful learning about the struggles and trauma of what a refugee goes through.
- Written from the perspective of a child whose character is not truly revealed until the end.
- A wonderful ending.


MAIN THEMES AND WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE STORY:

- Thought-provoking.
- Touching.
- Emotional.
- Courageous.
- Kind.
- Empathetic.
- Compassionate.



 Star rating: 5/5