Abela

When Abela loses her parents and sister to AIDS, she is left in the care of her aging grandmother in their African village. Unbeknowst to her, her selfish Uncle Thomas is hatching a scheme to take her to England. Alone and frightened, Abela realises she must be strong in order to survive what lies ahead.

Beautifully written, this is a sometimes heart-breaking but ultimately heart-warming story of a little girl's search for happiness and belonging, after she is uprooted from her chaotic but familiar Africa and left to her own devices in an unknown country. Abela's story is written alongside that of Rosa, who is growing up in Sheffield with her Mum. Their two stories finally come together in a fitting ending to an uplifting tale about love and hope.