Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman

Find it on the fiction shelf: F GLE

Boy Overboard is the story of an Afghan family who love, but ultimately have to flee their homeland. For Jamal, and his sister Bibi, soccer is the solution with the two hatching a plan to lead Australia to World Cup glory in order to reverse all the horror they have endured under the Taliban regime.

Morris Gleitzman, uses humour and engaging characters to create an open, accessible dialogue on current global issues such as gender discrimination, human rights and cultural difference. But at the heart of this book is a simple narrative of one family’s plight to seek refuge in Australia and the harsh realities of this process.

Despite such heavy topics, this is actually an enjoyable read with lots of funny antics to lighten the mood and the resilience and determination of Jamal and Bibi to survive, is nothing short of inspiring.

- Mrs Crisafulli