Front Foot

About this book

Afghan refugees Azeem and his dad have settled well in the UK. Azeem enjoys his new school and loves hanging out with his best friends, Kian and Jamie. Now that the football season over, keen cricketer Azeem hopes to persuade his friends to take up the sport and form a team. Following Dad’s advice to play on the front foot and make things happen, Azeem devises a plan to recruit more players but how will he find a coach and somewhere to train? 

This heart-warming, multi-layered tale sensitivity explores a range of important themes. It demonstrates how sport can bring seemingly disparate groups together, while subtly portraying the hardships of refugees who flee their homelands and are separated from loved ones. Resilient and determined, Azeem takes the initiative to shape his own future.  

Azeem, Kian and Jamie were first introduced in The Fear, part of a series of dyslexia-friendly books which feature uncluttered layouts and special editing, ensuring they engage a broad range of readers. The accompanying black-and-white illustrations help to break up the text and provide an additional, visual narrative. 

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