A moving and hopeful story about a young Anglo-Indian boy who is sent to India during the Second World War. A beautifully written and accessible book that shines a light on our shared history, raising awareness about colonial atrocities from the cruelty of segregation to the human-made Bengal Famine and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

This is a beautifully written book that hooks the reader right from the start. Follow Hasan as he leaves Coventry during the war and joins his grandpa in Calcutta where adventure awaits.
But this is more than just an adventure story and Sufiya Ahmend is unashamedly honest in her use of historical content and trauma. She seamlessly weaves it into the story naturally and innocently through dialogue between Hasan; his friend, Jaya; and other characters.
I finished this story with a tissue in hand and my mind awash with her gift of a story so compelling, I could not put it down.