I have always been drawn to stories about identity and belonging, not just because of my own journey, but because of how powerful stories can be in helping us understand each other. Growing up between cultures, I often found myself searching for where I fit. Books played a big role in that. They gave me perspective, comfort, and sometimes just the reassurance that I was not alone in feeling that way. That is why these stories matter to me. They help people feel seen, and in doing so, help them understand others in a deeper and more human way.
I wrote...
The Other Boy: The True Story of One Refugee Family's Journey to Find Home
This is one of those books that stayed with me long after I finished it.
I connected deeply with the way it explores friendship, guilt, and what it means to carry your past with you. What stood out to me most was how human it felt.
It reminded me that behind every journey and every label, there are relationships and moments that shape who we become. It does not simplify anything, and that honesty is what makes it powerful.
Afghanistan, 1975: Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend Hassan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what will happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.
I read this at a time when I was trying to understand my own place in the world, and it resonated in a quiet but powerful way.
What I appreciate about this book is how it captures the confusion and uncertainty of being young and displaced without losing hope. It feels honest. It does not try to overexplain things, but it does not avoid the emotional reality either. That balance stayed with me.
'Playful, obstinate and courageously humorous ... hilarious and later heartbreaking' Guardian
'Sweet, funny, highly inventive' Yorkshire Post
The personal, funny and poignant tale of a young refugee, from acclaimed storyteller Benjamin Zephaniah
Acclaimed performance poet and novelist Benjamin Zephaniah's honest, wry and poignant story of a young refugee left in London is of even more power and pertinence today than when it was first published.
Life is not safe for Alem. His father is Ethopian, his mother Eritrean. Their countries are at war, and Alem is welcome in neither place.
So Alem is excited to spend a holiday in London…
What happens to aid projects after the money is spent? Or the people and communities once the media spotlight has left?
No Dancing, No Dancing follows the return journey of a former aid worker back to the site of three major humanitarian crises—South Sudan, Iraq and East Timor—in search of…
I admire how this book makes difficult themes accessible without losing their depth. It is told through a child’s perspective, but the message carries far beyond that.
What stood out to me was the simplicity of kindness. Sometimes we overthink what it means to support or understand someone, but this book brings it back to something more human and instinctive. That simplicity is what makes it powerful.
WINNER OF THE BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD 2019 WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2019
Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense.
There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it.
He's nine years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He…
This book approaches change and displacement in a completely different way.
It is not a traditional journey, and that is what makes it stand out. I found myself reflecting on how quickly life can shift, and how people adapt even when everything around them changes. It captures uncertainty, but also a quiet resilience that often goes unnoticed. That stayed with me.
Didn’t Get Frazzled captures with distressing accuracy the gauntlet idealistic college grads must face to secure an MD and, against the odds, come out of it a better human being.
Medical student Seth Levine faces escalating stress and gallows humor as four years of medical school shatter all preconceived notions…
This is a simple story on the surface, but it carries a lot of weight.
I was drawn to how it shows resilience through everyday actions rather than big, dramatic moments. It reminded me that strength often looks like persistence. Just continuing when things are difficult. That message feels especially important for younger readers, but it is something that stays with you at any age.
Cherished by millions of readers, this #1 New York Times bestselling novel is a powerful tale of perseverance and hope. Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park interweaves the stories of two Sudanese children who overcome mortal dangers to improve their lives and the lives of others.
A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy,…
The Other Boy is a story about growing up between cultures, shaped by a refugee journey that continues to influence everyday life long after arrival. It follows a young boy navigating school, friendships, and identity while carrying experiences that others around him may not fully see or understand.
At its heart, the book explores belonging, resilience, and the quiet challenges of trying to fit in while staying true to who you are. It is a story about being different and learning that being different does not mean you do not belong.
