Nat loved to swim competitively, with her mum as her biggest influence and support. But now Mum has gone and with it Nat’s love of the
water. Life is tough without Mum, with Dad struggling to keep everything together and her big brother Ryan now hanging out with dangerous people.
When Nat’s family are evicted from their home,Ryan needs someone to blame. The constant flow of refugees into the UK are targets for him and his friends – with devastating consequences.
Before she passed away, Nat’s mum was an advocate for these refugees, helping them with food, funds and housing and Nat feels a need to continue her mum’s work. But is it for her memory, Nat’s own guilt regarding a boy in her class at school, or anger at her brother?
Sammy has been in hiding, terrified of the compulsory conscription into his country’s armed forces. He knows it will be a terrible existence, especially after they killed his outspoken journalist father, and took his sister.
The only solution is to flee. He and his friend begin their journey through fear, hunger, torture, captivity, drownings and hell, in order to reach Europe along with thousands before and after them.
Through many months and countries, Sammy finally makes it to the final barrier to a new life – The English Channel.
Told in verse, this novel is the incredibly deserving winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award 2021.
This stunning verse novel follows the paths of two teens – Nat in the UK dealing with the fallout in her family after her mum dies, and Sammy, fleeing from his tiny but violent country of Eritrea, seeking asylum in Europe. It is a long way through multiple countries, with many keen to exploit him and his fellow asylum seekers. It is a brutal journey, highlighting the desperation and truth of refugee’s plight from multiple countries ravaged by civil wars, terrorists and corrupt governments around the world.
At first I was unsure who was talking on the page as both characters are often present at the same time. I quickly worked out the author’s style and her writing prowess shone through in the ingenious construction of crossing over poetry, linking these teens.
This story made my heart race, cry out and nearly falter in horror, as these brave but damaged teens fight for their lives and the lives of others.
Exceptional – 10 stars out of 5!
Author – Manjeet Mann
Age – 13+
(2021, Action, Betrayal, Bullies, Conflict, Courage, Crime, Family, Greed, Grief, Poverty, Racism, Verse, Connection, Cancer, Swimming, Training, Raising Money, School, Eviction, Blame, Lack of Housing and Jobs, Torture, Hunger, Thirst, Travel, Boat People, Refugees, Horror, Terror, Escape, Flee, Violence, Guilt, Award Winner, Verse Novel, Costa Award)