The Boy at the Back of the Class
(5 reviews with an average rating of 4 out of 5)
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Review
This is the story about how one ordinary nine-year-old child and three classmates are full of empathy for Ahmet, a boy that comes to their school as a refugee from Syria (he is the boy at the back of the class).
Through their sensitivity, curiosity, ingenuity, bravery and innocent niceness, they make a massive impact on Ahmet’s life, friends, class, school, community and wider world. There’s a lovely lack of stereotyping on gender and backstory for the narrator, which adds to the message of not judging people before you know them.
An inspiring and sweet tale that will help children think about what it is to be a good person whatever your circumstances (the narrator is from a poor background with a single parent mum who struggles to make ends meet), and challenge prejudice and push for fairness, whenever possible.
This is a beautiful, open-hearted debut from Onjali Q Raúf that should help children be the best they can be and realise the power of kindness.
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BookTrust Represents: Middle Grade
BookTrust Represents is a three-year project created to promote children's authors and illustrators of colour. As part of the project we have put together booklists hightling some of our favourite picture books by authors and illustrators of colour.
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Books about refugees and asylum seekers (older children)
Since asylum can be a confusing issue for children (and even adults), here are some books that explore what it really means to flee your home and have to start your life over.
What you thought...
Average rating:
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Miss C, Hartlepool, 23 August 2019
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I found it very boring and dragged on
louis, England, 04 June 2019
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Just finished this beautiful book with my 8 year old son, it is funny, extremely moving and thought provoking. We read it over several nights and I shed happy and sad tears! A wonderful read for children and adults alike
Fiona, Dumfries, Scotland, 09 May 2019
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It's so innocently beautiful. Many of it's writing can teach kids about being kind to people. The language is also easy to be understood and makes the story easy to be imagined, especially for the non english reader. Very recommended for children and adults.
Qylla, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 31 March 2019
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100% recommend. It's beautiful. Just finished this book with my 10 year old son and we both loved it, it is now "our book". It's funny, thought-provoking, kind and it presents many lessons about today's world and how kindness, friendship and avoiding stereotypes is so important. Highly recommended and look forward to reading again with my youngest. Will be a great film soon!
Bernie, Stockport, 22 March 2019
Read this on holiday and LOVED it. I couldn't wait to share it with my Y5 class, so made it our class reading book. They couldn't wait for the end of each day to find out what was going to happen. It's brilliantly entertaining, charming and deals with some challenging subjects very well indeed!