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Stay A Little Longer

by Bali Rai

Interest age: 12 to 16
Reading age: 8+

Published by Barrington Stoke, 2018

  • Dyslexia

About this book

Since Aman’s father died, nothing has been the same. She finds it hard to come to terms with his death, and even her warm circle of friends and family cannot make up for his loss.

But then a kind, gentle man called Gurnam moves into the area. Aman encounters him when he protects her, and her dog, from some bullies. She and her family strike up a friendship with him, that quickly becomes important to all of them. But Gurman always seems deeply unhappy.

Aman realises that there is a secret in his past, but she does not guess at the underlying truth – the truth that may tear Gurman away from them all too soon.

This warm, optimistic book carries a vital message about the importance of confronting and resisting homophobia in all parts of society. But in the well-handled father-daughter type relationship that develops between Gurman and Aman, it also highlights the importance of creating a strong, multi-generational community.

While accessible to dyslexic readers, this book would be a rewarding read for any teenager, with the caveat that it contains references to suicide and homophobia, which some may find upsetting.

About the author

Bali Rai was born in 1971 and raised as a working class Punjabi in Leicester. He grew up in a deprived area of Leicester, a city which is almost unique in terms of cultural mix and his style of writing is firmly grounded in the reality that he has seen around him since he was a child. The senior school he attended was about 80% BAME - 20% white children in terms of ethnic makeup.

Bali Rai has been writing short stories and poetry since the age of eight. As a child he made up wild and exciting stories and his imagination has been vivid ever since. At school he excelled at English language and told his teachers that he would one day be a writer.

He left school with eight GCSE’s and English was always his favourite subject. After school he did three a-levels at a local sixth form - none of which was English Literature, which he now regrets. He went on to graduate from Southbank University in London with a 2:1 in politics and since then he has had various jobs in retail, cinema, and telesales and has kept a keen, almost obsessive, interest in current affairs.

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