KICKED OUT

This stand-alone companion to Boy, Everywhere (2021), which centered on Syrian refugee Sami and his family’s flight to Manchester, England, is told from the perspective of Sami’s best friend, Ali.

In this volume, the boys deepen their camaraderie, face racism, and fight for a friend, all while 13-year-old Ali faces personal turmoil. Ali and Sami are living their best lives, relaxing poolside with their friend Mark at the luxury home his mum bought with lottery proceeds. But her racist boyfriend accuses 16-year-old Aadam, an unaccompanied minor taken in by Sami’s family, of stealing money, and he kicks the visitors out. With Aadam’s asylum case in jeopardy, leaving him at risk of deportation to war-torn Syria, the boys band together to organize a fundraiser the best way they know how: with their soccer skills. They even successfully recruit a famous Premier League player for their charity match! Ali faces a huge life change when his absentee father moves nearby, and the seemingly perfect half brother he doesn’t know joins his school. Dassu expertly handles difficult topics relating to the adversity and othering that asylum-seekers and refugees face in ways that are relatable for young readers. She broaches the storyline that explores Ali’s personal life with sensitivity, showing the internal upheaval following his father’s reappearance, including themes of rejection and anger. This novel is an engaging modern tale that serves to build empathy.

An important and triumphant read.