I have just finished reading Boy, Everywhere
By A.M.Dassu
It is an incredible story
Based on real life experiences of families fleeing Syria
To seek asylum in the UK

This brilliant book is incredibly well researched
And written with compassion and heart
We follow Sami and his family
From their normal lives in Damascus
To England
Where they are hoping they will be safe

Sami’s Dad is a doctor, a surgeon
His Mum is a teacher
Sami is 13
He loves his friends, football, PlayStation and his iPad
He loved his Tete, his Nan very much
And his little sister, Sara

They were a happy, busy family
Not so different from mine
Their lives were destroyed by an act of madmen
They were forced to leave everything
To sell their home, their car and most of their belongings
They had to leave behind their Grandmother who refused to leave
They had to act fast and in secret
They were unable to say goodbyes or to tell anyone where they going

In one moment their lives were turned upside down and inside out
They were no longer safe in their city, their country
They had to escape

What A.M. Dassu does so beautifully
Is show readers of all ages
That refugee families are just like us
The media would have us believe that all refugees are poor and uneducated
Coming to Europe for a better life
In reality they are families just like ours
Who have had their lives ripped apart by war

Sami is such a loveable character
I loved travelling with him
And felt connected to him
I was shocked to learn of the things Sami and his family had to do
To finally be granted leave to remain in the UK

This book is stunningly written
Incredibly well researched
And reads beautifully
But it is not an easy read
Parts of the story are very hard hitting
Sami and his friends are badly treated at every turn
How the family are treated on reaching the UK
Made me feel ashamed to be British
And I felt bad that I had not realised just how badly we treat people
Seeking asylum in this country

Through the story Sami and his family have to deal with racism and bullying
We see Sami’s mother and baby sister struggle with PTSD
After witnessing the horrors of a bombing
Getting out of Syria is not easy
In Turkey the family’s fate lies in the hands of people smugglers
The family have no access to fresh water, to food, to clean toilets, beds
The family are strong and brave
But the journey tests them to their limits
Physically, mentally and emotionally

In the crowded holding rooms waiting for a boat from Turkey to Greece
Sami makes a friend
He does not understand why they cannot all travel together
Everything that he once knew about everyone and everything is changed
Sami is angry and confused and terrified
He has to face one of his greatest fears
Water
To get on to the crowded wooden boat with his family
All the family grow weaker and wearier with each day of their journey
And it is heartbreaking to know that so many people go through this everyday
To try and escape persecution
To try and reach safe shores where they can live without fear

Through every difficulty, at every junction, obstacle and hard decision
The family reassure themselves that it will be worth it when they reach England
As they travel through Europe in a secret compartment in a truck
The family are so scared
Scared of where they have come from
Scared of where they are, the thought of suffocating in the tiny dark space
And the fear of where they might be headed

Sami thinks to himself in the cramped darkness

“How many Syrians made this journey before us?
How many of them made it to England in one piece?”

This makes it all the more maddening and harrowing
When the family do arrive in Manchester
Where they are arrested, detained, separated and treated like criminals
I felt truly ashamed to be British
Ashamed that I did not know that this is what we do
That this is how we treat people who have already lost so much
And been through so much to reach our shores
Ashamed that we are not more welcoming
More accepting and kind
There must be more we as people can do?

Here in England Sami and his family faced bullying, verbal and physical
They were treated horribly by fellow refugees, public officials and even family friends
They were misjudged and misunderstood by so many
Nothing was made easy for them
Everything was made more difficult
And it was horrible to read and to know that this fictional family’s story
Was a combination of real life experiences from lots of different families

I am so very grateful to A.M. Dassu for writing this book
I am sorry that I left it unread on my shelf for too long
I think that someone needs to put this book in the hands of Boris Johnson and Priti Patel
And as many MPs as possible

I think this book should be shared with older children and talked about
So that the future generations can do better
Do more with compassion and heart

These stories need to be shared
They need to be heard
And changes need to be made to help those who need our help
It should not be so hard

A.M. Dassu highlights beautifully the power of empathy and small acts of kindness
They matter!

This book gives teachers and parents a powerful way to break down stereotypes and build empathy.

This is a much needed book and I share the author’s hopes that this harrowing story will help to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers in our society.

“In a world where we are told to see refugees as the ‘other’, I hope that you will agree that ‘they’ are also ‘us’.

If you have not yet read Boy, Everywhere from @oldbarnbooks Please, please do x