LitPick Review
The Boy at the Back of the Class is an emotional drama based on the journey of a young nine-year-old Syrian refugee who is separated from his family and struggles to find a safe place to survive. As Ahmet finds solace with his foster mother, he cannot cover up the mental trauma in his interactions with teachers and kids at school. After learning about Ahmet’s situation, a group of kids in Ahmet’s class embark upon an adventure that makes waves throughout England, in hopes of reuniting Ahmet with his family.
Opinion:
I Rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The author has put in immense effort at describing the intricate, sordid picture of the current refugee crisis in Syria, connecting with the readers at an emotional level. Since the targeted audience for this book is 8–12-year-olds, the book stirs curiosity among young kids about the Syrian refugee crisis, motivating them to change the world by standing up for the right cause. The author expressed their feelings about safety being a basic human right through the voice of their characters, influencing the readers to move towards a global thinking society. The author ties up all loose ends for the lead character’s part of the story but leaves it open-ended about how this story could benefit millions of refugees around the world. I believe that the author leaves it open-ended to entice the readers to read his sequel ‘The Day We Met the Queen’.
