I did not get around to reading this book prior to it’s publication date and it has since been archived therefore I cannot leave a review at this time.

Great book and a superb class text. It is a powerful story that is very important for young adults to read and discuss.
The ending was surprising and highly enjoyable.

Amazing book on a really important topic. I love Benjamin Zephaniah and he continues to be a brilliant voice for our kids.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

Beautifully narrated, with an engaging narrative from Benjamin Zephaniah, "Refugee Boy" tells the story of a boy from a war-torn area of Africa, brought to the UK by his father and then abandoned, how he is protected by his wonderful foster parents and becomes such a part of the local community that the ending leaves you with a real feel-good feeling. Useful in raising the topic of discussion around refugees and the reasons why some choose to come to the UK, it is a great discussion piece for teenagers and older primary in understanding the tragedy and loneliness that often surrounds these individuals. A definite need for all good libraries and personal book / audio shelves.

Heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one book! Refugee Boy tells the story of Alem who is half Ethiopian and half Eritrean, which is a huge problem when those countries are at war. Alem's family are persecuted because not only are they a mixed race family, but because they refuse to chose a side in the war. Alem's parents decide he will be safer in England so his Father takes him on what Alem thinks is a 'short holiday' to England but his Father leaves him there and goes back home. Suddenly finding himself abandoned and a refugee in a country where he knows no one Alem shows incredible maturity and strength in dealing with everything. There were so many ups and downs in the book for Alem to get through that at one point I found myself thinking 'What more can this boy take?' What made this story more impactful for me is that even though this book is fiction, there will be children out there dealing with the same issues. There will be refugee children who have been displaced, experienced war, loss of relatives, grief, the terror of being in a new country where everything is unusual to them and the battle to fit in when there are people in society being racist or discriminatory simply because they are from another country. I couldn't stop listening to this audiobook once I started, even when I needed to run some errands. Consequently I was wandering around the supermarket with my headphones in looking a hot mess with tears streaming down my face!
I think this book is aimed more at the lower end of YA and the perspective is of a 14 year old boy for whom English is a second language readers need to be aware that the language and ideas used are more simplistic than they might expect for a plot like this. The audiobook was great and the narrator did an excellent job in being believable as a teenage boy and with the variety of accents of the characters.
The only thing that I thought let the book down was towards the end when the local teens were campaigning and fundraising for Alem and others like him. It just felt way to idealistic and the way the characters behaved wasn't realistic or believable. But other than that I highly recommend this book.

An incredibly moving story. Written for a younger reader, this book handles Alem's situation with care while not hiding from it's difficult subject matter. The pain of being left alone, death, war & racism are all covered, but in such a way as to introduce these subjects without overwhelming the reader. I found the story heartbreaking in parts (I might have shed a tear or two), but was left smiling by the wonderful relationships Alem develops throughout the story.

Ben Bailey Smith's narration was brilliant. He voiced the characters well, each were individual without being over done & I will look for other books narrated by him in future.

This book tells the story boy who being half Ethiopean, half Eritrean, has had to flee his home due to war. His parents mixed marriage means one parent is from either country so nowhere is safe. Alem ends up as a refugee in the UK.

I listened to the audio version of this book in one day. I hadnt heard of either the book or the author before I picked it up so I had no preconceived ideas.

The book was quite an easy listen, and definitely engaging in it's subject matter, however I found the issues it deals with a little bit too simplified. It does deal with very real issues, especially those faced by young refugees in the UK, but I think it would benefit from going deeper into things. That said, it is a good opener to the subject and some of the issues that may be faced by immigrants in the UK. I did enjoy listening to it and it made me interested in learning more.

I was given an advanced to copy to review by Netgalley and Bloomsbury UK in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book I have wanted to read for a while but had not got round to, so was excited at the opportunity to listen to an audio version.

The narrator for this story is fabulous. His voice really brings the story to life. His enunciation is clear, and without putting on lots of different voices for the many characters in this story, I was easily able to follow the story line and be moved by the plot.

This is amazing book and I am thankful for this opportunity to get to know the story. If you like audiobooks, this is one of the best editions I have ever listened to.

Just brilliant, engaging and heartbreaking.
Alem is such a beautiful soul, left alone (because of some horrific circumstances) in England he just carries on - because of her else is there to do? Zephaniah creates a unique character in Alem, wise beyond his years who is considered and thoughtful in his responses to the horrors that life throws at him. And his story is also educational and it draws on real refugee experiences told to Zephaniah

Whilst this is aimed at young adults, I really enjoyed this. The writing is just lovely and his story really pulls you in as you follow Alem through his journey to live in a place where he’s safe from persecution, and the fallout of war. There are some really touching/heartbreaking moments in this story; wishing the court a happy Christmas as it’s Christmas in January for Ethiopians, his eventual connection with Ruth and the ending in particular.

This book has been out for a few years, however it’s only just being released as an audiobook. Ben Bailey Smith does an excellent job as narrator - he really makes Alem his own. I’ll definitely look out for other audiobooks narrated by him.

I received the Audio book copy of the book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

Given the name of the book you can expect, racism, bullying, death, so if any of these trigger you, this book isn’t for you.

I have mix feelings about the audio version of the book. Absolutely love the narrators voice, he really help me get into the story and I appreciate the different accents and What I hope is the correct pronunciation of names and places.
The writing style in the other hand I was confused in the target audience as it’s a little flat and simple, a linear story line is very easy to follow and digest which given the subject it felt that it needed a little more substance.
The book is fully told by a narrator point of view, so we aren’t in our character’s heads which I felt disappointed because I love our protagonist.
There are few gruesome moments in the book, but I don’t know why I just couldn’t feel anything regardless of this boy’s situation.
The description and “efficiency” of the British refugee and asylum seekers was described in very simplistic way that makes you think if it really is that easy to get all of help needed as quick as the book is letting you know.
I love the friendships and the sense of community you read near the end of the book.

I think the book is suited for young readers between 12-15 maybe or for people who are leaning English

This was my first audiobook narrated by Ben Bailey Smith and I'll be looking out for more narrated by him in the future. Despite the many languages and accents present in the book he delivered each one flawlessly and made for an engaging listen. He perfectly balanced his tone so that it both present the serious themes of the novel but wasn't too overwhelming for the target audience.

Refugee boy was both poignant and informative, using the framing device of Aleem to present the politics surrounding his life in England in a digestible way. I was surprised how informative it was, and pleased that Benjanmin Zephaniah did not shy away from the harsh reality of refugee's in this country. He respects is young audience and created a story that made me laugh and cry in equal measure.

This book is amazing. It makes you stop and think- the story told in this book is not unique, it’s all too common. It is time we made sure that anyone who lives in fear can come to the uk and be made welcome and safe. Human rights mean nothing whilst stories like these continue. I listened to this book as an audio book- the narrator brought each character to life and helped the reader bond even more with these loveable refugees. More people need to hear stories like this so that the world can learn how to do a better job at looking after others. This book makes you feel every emotion - I laughed, I cried and I wanted to scream with frustration at the flawed system. A wonderfully written book by Benjamin Zephaniah.

Listening to a book being read to me isn't usually my first choice, but this audio book has turned my head. Ben Bailey Smith has a believable, easy-on-the-ear tone of voice and uses a great pace to suit the story and the different situations. Benjamin Zephaniah has included exactly the right amount of empathy, accuracy and content to suit the horrific situation a young boy and his peace-loving family finds themselves in - through no fault of their own. All they want is to live their lives - they have every right to - but as refugees, this is neither a straightforward, nor fair process.
This is an audio book for everyone to listen to; it should be compulsory for all ages. I would say especially from 10 years (with an adult to support any emotions) and upwards. Older adults would benefit from understanding how refugees feel and what might happen - empathy would prevail.
This audio book made me cry more than once; my emotions were all over the place!
I had to listen to it in one session, so it accompanied me around my house and on my dog walks....I didn't want it to end.
There is humanity out there and we all have a history; if only everyone would remember that before they act, the world would be a better place.