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My Name is Samim

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Book Synopsis

“I must make it. I will make it. And I will tell their stories.”

Thirteen-year-old Samim is a loyal friend, a gifted chess player — and a refugee. After his family is killed in a bombing, Samim makes a long, dangerous journey from Afghanistan to the UK. But even then his safety isn’t guaranteed: Samim must tell his story to convince the authorities to let him stay for good.

Samim relives the perils he faced and remembers the many friends he made and lost — the intrepid girl who dressed as a boy for safety, the courageous grandmother seeking a new home for her nine grandchildren, and especially his funny, spirited best friend Zayn.

With his past never forgotten, Samim begins to build a new life in the UK: starting school and making new friends. But he also faces bigoted bullies and an uncertain future. Will Samim be granted asylum and allowed to stay in his new home?

My Name is Samim is a heartbreaking yet hopeful story of courage, resilience and friendship. Highlighting the experiences of young refugees and asylum-seekers, readers will empathise with Samim as he strives for a safe home and a better future. Fidan Meikle is a stunning new voice in middle-grade fiction. Her wry, heartfelt and immersive writing will draw readers into Samim’s world.

Our Review Panel says...

This split narrative story – dividing time between Samim’s current situation in foster care awaiting his asylum decision, and his narrated past of how he came to Britain from Afghanistan – is both moving and pacey, standing out as a powerful refugee story.

Pathos is built through Samim’s narrative of his horrific journey and those he lost along the way, but also through the present tense story in which he is bullied at school, and the guilt he feels that he has let down and lost his best friend, Zayn. Throughout the present tense narrative, Zayn appears to him as a ghost, giving witty insights into his situation at school and his endeavours in chess club.

When Samim narrates his journey to his caseworker, Zayn is both alive and a lively character – Samim’s best friend and the closest thing he has to family. Both boys are superbly rendered, their personalities clear and engaging, which invokes empathy and understanding.

This book deals with many topical issues, not just refugees, but also the importance of cultural heritage, hobbies, friendships and an understanding of identity and rights.

This is not just an ‘issue’ book, but an engaging read. The story contains references to medication, fighting, and gender identity, and also portrays death and a graphic journey across water. Most suitable for the very oldest in primary or KS3, and is compelling and powerful, sitting alongside Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird or Boy Everywhere by AM Dassu.