"Friendship, resilience and hope can overcome injustice and prejudice"
October 2023 Book of the Month
Fans of the unforgettable Boy Everywhere will be keen to revisit the world of Sami, the refugee from Syria, whose horrific journey before finding a safe home in England and some good friends in Mark and Ali, had us all so gripped.
Ali becomes the narrator for this sequel, which again puts our society in the spotlight. At first the friends appear to be living the dream. Mark’s single parent Mum won the lottery, and they now live in an amazing house with a pool which the boys are looking forward to using all summer. Sami’s family have taken in Aadam, an unaccompanied minor seeking asylum, and Mark’s Mum is employing him as a gardener, just one of the many jobs he has taken on to earn some cash.
When he can, he joins the lads playing football, but unlike them he cannot attend school and be on the school team. It all starts to go horribly wrong when Aadam is threatened with deportation and his appeal is turned down, and then he is accused of theft by Mark’s Mum’s new boyfriend. Sami and Ali are literally kicked out and Mark is forbidden any contact with them. To add to Ali’s stress, his missing father has moved back to the area complete with his new family, which awakens all of Ali’s abandonment issues and self-doubt.
What follows is a beautifully nuanced and entirely credible story which exposes the casual racism that Ali, Sami and Aadam face every day and the cruel injustices of the asylum process. It empathetically explores family issues too. Mark and Ali had bonded over their lack of a father and are both fiercely supportive of their mothers. This means Mark is reluctant to interfere with her newfound happiness with the boyfriend Callum, despite his suspicions and dislike of Callum’s controlling behaviour. But once again the author shows us that it is humanity, compassion and hope that can win against all odds. The inspirational way in which the boys remain loyal to each other and are galvanised to take action to save Aadam can show young readers that they are not powerless and may well encourage them into their own social activism.
Any book which challenges the hateful rhetoric around refugees and asylum seekers is hugely important and for it to be so uplifting is a rare bonus. This book should be in every library and on every bookshelf, a thoroughly rewarding and powerful read.
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This sequel to Dassu's award-winning debut, Boy, Everywhere, finds Ali and Sami living their dream, playing football for the school team and hanging out in their friend Mark's new luxury pool.
But money goes missing and racism rears its ugly head when their friend Aadam is accused of the theft. Can the boys prove Aadam's innocence, keep their friendship - and help fight Aadam's threatened deportation?
Can Ali navigate his emotions and stay focused now his dad is back on the scene and his half-brother has joined his school? A powerful story about friendship, being an ally and finding your place in the world.
Author A. M. Dassu says of Kicked Out:
‘The reaction to Boy, Everywhere has been incredible. Readers really connected with Sami and his story resonated with them so much they wanted a sequel to find out if he’d be okay. I was lucky to continue his story in Boot It! and am delighted to now be bringing a different perspective to the friendship group. Through Ali’s eyes, I explore the ordeal of being a refugee as an unaccompanied minor, how we can step up, and the role of fathers and the impact an absent parent can have on a young person’s sense of worth. I hope this story encourages discussions, enlightens and changes perceptions too!’
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Kicked Out and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Kicked Out features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Gritty Reads, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Kicked Out is available in Paperback
Kicked Out was written by A. M. Dassu and published by Old Barn Books
Kicked Out has 220 pages
Yes it is part of A Boy, Everywhere Story series
£7.19
