Christophe’s Story

Christophe arrives as a Rwandan refugee in an English primary school, and initially suffers bullying. When the children hear his story of escape they appreciate what a special person he is.

In 74 brief pages Cornwell creates a sympathetic portrait of a boy who has faced persecution, the loss of his culture, the death of a sibling, and a totally different way of life.

The novel revolves around two different literary traditions: Christophe’s cultural tradition of storytelling and that of written stories, which his school read and write. Like Christophe, readers will gradually appreciate the different benefits of both genres.