Boy 87: a multi award-winning children's novel about refugees, friendship and survival

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Review ------ 'Boy 87 is an original and beautifully written page-turner of a novel about love, survival and the strength that can be found in a hopeful human spirit' --Sarah Crossan, Carnegie Medal Winner 'A very important and timely book written with passion and deep knowledge. A breathlessly exciting story with a great heart to it. Shif is an unforgettable character, and his story should be read by everyone who cares about one of the unfolding tragedies of our time. Ele Fountain has walked the ground and it shows. She brings to life the s, smells, sounds - and the terror - of Shif's epic journey' -- Award-winning author Elizabeth Laird 'By turns heart-wrenching and uplifting, Ele Fountain's powerful debut is a celebration of the human spirit against all odds' -- Matt Whyman 'Ele Fountain conjures up the terrifying world of the Africa refugee with great skill and empathy, in this timely antidote to the tabloid narrative' -- Paul Dowswell, author of Auslander 'A fantastic achievement. Fountain transports us into the life of Shif, expertly conveying the horrors that so many child refugees face today by creating wonderful, believable characters and a gripping, fast-paced narrative' --Charlotte McDonald-Gibson, author of Castaway 'Exceptional... vivid, convincing and empathetic... it grips us with the need to know how the heart-stopping events will turn out... a tale of our time, imparting understanding and sympathy... powerfully told, without sentimentality' -- Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Week 'Full of tension, fear, heartbreak and hope, it conveys both the bitterness of having family, home and identity stolen away piecemeal, and a courageous determination to survive' -- Guardian 'The plight of refugees is made personal by Shif's powerful first-person narrative, giving voice and heart to the tabloid depiction of the displaced. An assured and thought-provoking debut' -- The Bookseller 'A remarkable debut novel... while being an incredibly timeley read, above all, Boy 87 is about friendship and hope' -- iNews 'A timely and important book which illumninates the realities of life as a refugee... the horrors [Shif] is escaping are all too real, but this is ultimately a story about the power of kindness and the strength of the human spirit' --BookTrust 'Moving and very timely... a worthy read for young and old alike' -- The Lady 'Fantastically written... a striking book that will stop you in your tracks' -- Reading Zone 'A devastating and powerful story' -- Turn2page1 'An eye opening read... a great read for young readers as it explains the human side of a story that can seem so complex and unknowable. Fiction allows us to travel alongside somebody and empathise in a way that facts and figres printed in a newspaper column will never do' -- Dog Eared Reads (blog) 'Action-packed... this book sucked me into the story and kept me guessing' --Spencer Humphrey, 10, National Geographic Kids About the Author ---------------- Ele Fountain worked as an Editor in children's publishing, where she was responsible for launching and nurturing the careers of many prize-winning and best-selling authors including Angie Sage, Philip Reeve and Sarah Crossan. She lived in Addis Ababa for several years, where she was inspired to write Boy 87, her debut novel. Ele now lives in what she describes as a 'not quite falling down house' in Hampshire with her husband and two young daughters.