Boy+overboard



Although a work of fiction, author Morris Gleitzman has drawn upon the real-life stories of young Afghan refugees for this novel. It is the tale of two Afghan children, soccer enthusiast Jamal and his tough, equally soccer mad and dangerously outspoken sister, Bibi. In opposition to government policy and in fear of retribution, Jamal and Bibi's parents have been secretly running a school in their home for some local village children, including girls. When discovered by the Afghan government their home is blown up and their mother taken away to be tortured. Somewhat unrealistically, the entire family escape Afghanistan only to arrive in an overcrowded refugee border camp in Pakistan. After finally reaching Indonesia and unexpectedly being separated from their parents, Jamal and Bibi escape to Australia alone, in a leaky boat and at the mercy of people smugglers. The children encounter gun-totting pirates, suffer hunger, potential rape and worse still, their parents are missing, presumed drowned. Jenny Evans, Teacher (VIC) //CMIS//