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Hayling Cycle #1
Hidden
Fourteen year old Alix lives at the bottom of Hayling Island near the beach. It is a quiet backwater, far removed from world events such as war, terror and refugees. Alix has never even given a thought to asylum seekers, she has enough problems of her own: Dad has a new life that doesn't include her, Grandpa is dead and Mum is helpless and needy. Then one day on the beach Alix and Samir pull a drowning man out of the incoming tide: Mohammed, an illegal immigrant and a student. Mohammed has been tortured by rebels in Iraq for helping the allied forces and has spent all his money to escape. Alone, helpless, and desperate not to be deported, Mohammed's destiny lies in Alix's hands. However, hiding an injured immigrant is fraught with difficulties. Faced with the biggest moral dilemma of her life, what will Alix do, and who can she trust?
253 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
21 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
Miriam Halahmy
23 books80 followersI have been writing since childhood and have published twelve novels, one for adults and eleven for young people. I have been twice nominated for the Carnegie Medal. My work has been performed on stage and I was the first recipient of the prestigious PJ Ourway Author Award, in America. My books have been published in America and translated into eight languages.
My YA novel BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was the Winner of the Manchester Metropolitan University 'great student giveaway.' "The clear and popular winner."
My latest book POMEGRANATES FOR PEACE offers a message of Peace and Hope for the Future in a very divided world.
I am a frequent visitor to schools, book festivals, conferences and universities.
And I love making videos about my work.
So do visit my YouTube channel where you can view book readings, tips and lots more about my books.
https://www.youtube.com/user/miriamha...
My YA novel BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was the Winner of the Manchester Metropolitan University 'great student giveaway.' "The clear and popular winner."
My latest book POMEGRANATES FOR PEACE offers a message of Peace and Hope for the Future in a very divided world.
I am a frequent visitor to schools, book festivals, conferences and universities.
And I love making videos about my work.
So do visit my YouTube channel where you can view book readings, tips and lots more about my books.
https://www.youtube.com/user/miriamha...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 16, 2022
The idea behind this book was quite good and it was well-executed, until the end, which was rushed and kind of lost my interest. It was based on the true stories of the author's family, which was cool, but not cool enough for me to want to read it the whole time.
I didn't realize this was part of a series. I don't think I'll continue, but who knows?
I didn't realize this was part of a series. I don't think I'll continue, but who knows?
Read
February 6, 2016When I scanned the reviews of this book, I was utterly shocked. How on Earth could anyone LIKE this piece of... from the loo? How can NO ONE see how bad this book is? Or am I the only one who has eyes and a brain accustomed to quality books?
This book is so bad that I reread it. You're probably thinking "Does she mean horribly good? Why would you reread it if it is so bad?"
I reread it with a pencil, to make notes what utter BS that the publisher decided to tarnish their name with. I correected punctuation and syntax, circling all the repeated words and writiing down my comments. I used these notes to show all my friends what I have to go through. It actually made my day, giving me hilarious conversation including a debate I had with my best friend about the temperature of a monkey's butt. (Page 35. A bizzar simile made by Chaz about how it's as cold as a monkey's butt).
This book is about racism, and it's certainly taught me a thing or two. You should never trust a book by it's cover, because if you don't read the first page, you are wasting your money a book like Hidden. And the "two" you taught me is check on the Internet to see if you are buying the first book or not. I have made both of those mistakes on this waste of bookshelf.
Because if I had the time to check out the first page, I would have learnt that I am never going to like the main character. Blame it on the fact my mom gave me the limitation of "all the books you can carry" and in "five minutes" as a reward for my marks.
I also would have learnt that the author doesn't know the effect tense has. Present tense is awkward. Past continuous and simple is natural to most readers and is not actaully associated with the flashbacks that the character has. She doesn't understand that she could have used italics to separate the past and the present.
I have read an entire book where they did not use punctuation for direct speech. No inverted comma, no new line new speaker. It didn't bother me that much because the writing was excellent.
But you know what gets on my nerves? The lack of inverted commas around Alix's thoughts. The author would just write "That's a relief, she thinks", oblivious to the italics button on the top left hand corner of whatever piece of technology that she abused when she wrote this story. You cannot do this: "I pace wearing a hole in the carpet, Maybe she'll be out soon, I think." (not a quote, but I have too much of this to look for a quote is this disgusting book.)
Commas and capital letters do not go together. Kapish?
Still looking at the thoughts of Alix... it's first person. You don't need to tell us that Alix is thinking, we are already in her head, bored shitless in the empty skull of hers.
And there are other verbs that have the same meaning of "think". "wonder", "ponder", "brood over", "chant in your head" and so many others that don't me want to pull my eyes out. Halahmy, you need a thesaurus. You use the same words over and over. Here are words you don't like parting with:
"a bit"
"quite"
"no-one"
"worse"
"elephants"
...Elephants. Why is Alix so obsessed with elephants?! My best friend wanted a reason to argue with me, defending your book by saying that is metaphorical. Racism is the elephant in the room. I didn't see it that way, see as that Alix apparently is "sensitive" to that.
I was greatly offended when the author said "Must be amazing seeing them out of your bedroom window if you live in Africa. Maybe Samir used to ride elephants in his country, although he's not black, so is he from India?"
Bitch, you're not black... so you're Indian. And do you know what I see when I look out of my bedroom window? I see a complex of flats, all exactly the same, with the same irritating chirping or birds and swirrels my mother is ready to kill. Not an elephant. I know many Africans that have never seen an elephant in their lives. Not even at the zoo because THERE IS NO ZOO. The closest thing you get to a wild thing in my home city is a rodent.
Hey, Alix, you're white. You must be from America! Do you have a Big Mac with every sociopath that comes knocking on your door with a chairsaw? What a silly question!
You home isn't subject to stereotypes. It's subject to Russian terrorists and super villains. How silly of a not-black African I am! An elephant must have sneaked up on me when I was gutting an Indian boy from Arghanistan and hit me with its elephant ninja skills. I was puking so much after that concussion.
My sarcastic rant being done for the time being, the concussion business with Muhammed (who is only refered to as "our man" even though they know his name). The doctor said that after a concussion, one may vomit and faint. Taking this in mind, Alix thinks that both she and our man have a concussion. She said her grandfather was a sailer and they were close. Surely Grandpa would have taught her the basics of first aid? Even though I didn't spend long in Scouts, I know that neither of them had a concussion. Our man just DROWNED. That means he inhaled WATER. Nor his stomach nor his lungs like that. So they VOMIT all that icky salt water out. You, Alix, just have a sympathetic gag reflex. Never mind that you weren't close to any rocks, or deep enough to have your head knocked on the sea bed...
Although it would be great to gie you break down of all the mistakes of this book, I have a life (unlike Halahway, who hasn't bothered to check how to write a good book). So I am just going to chew up and spit out one chapter - chapter 4.
Problem #1: "wonderful smile" - Halahway only describes his smile like this. No other adjectives to describe its radiant beauty.
Problem #2: "...totally in her own world." - Yeah, and she was like, totes in her own world. Yeah, she got her big ass family to buy it for her. So jelly. All my family is, like, in a velvet lined bed in the gross ground.
Problem #3: "What's it got to do with her? I think..." - Italics, italics, italics. Think, think, think about it.
Problem #4: "Me and Kim..." - If you don't see what's wrong with the use of pronouns and word order... I truly fear for you. This is a primary school mistake.
Problem #5: "... one of the Science geeks." - since when does "science" become a adjectival noun (or whatever they are called) like Australian? Only country/culture names as adjectives can have a capital at the beginning of the word. And everybody knows that those high school social groupings are completely bogus. They don't exist out of Disney Channel. Nobody strictly can be classified like that. For example, one of the biggest jocks in the school, an aspiring soccer player, has been number one in the grade ever since he came into high school. Geek and Jock? Nooooo, those don't exist because you can only be one.
Problem #6: "Yeah, well my Dad says all them asylum seekers are bogus. It's in the papers." - Here's a lesson folks: newspapers are not supposed to be biased. They cannot start waving things like "STOP ASYLUM MADNESS" filled with anti refugees propaganda. The headline is fine, becuase headlines are allowed to be sensational and scandalous. As long as the article remains neutral, no emotive language. The newspaper never siad anything, just repeating whatever racist assholes say.
Problem #7: "He's in the First Eleven..." - I have no clue what that means. Year Eleven, perhaps? What are you doing in a Year 10 class?
Problem #8: "They speak posh..." - and the author speaks stupid. I speak opinion.
Problem #9: "Very clever, I don't think." - the one thing I can agree on. You shouldn't use the word "think" too much. Or think too much.
Problem #10: " Sceince geek: 'What about illegal immigrants, you hear about them all the time.' Mr. Spicer: 'Good question.' " - Was it a question? Is there a question mark. I see inquisitive language, but no question mark.
I was going to go on, but I just sick of retyping all this artificial BS. Here's a summery of what I think about this book:
● Get a proper editer, Halahway. Or take a English class.
● It reads very blandly.
● It's too beautiful looking to be this boring.
● Not too sure how much was intentional. Fake and selfish to reflect our souls? I don't know.
This book is so bad that I reread it. You're probably thinking "Does she mean horribly good? Why would you reread it if it is so bad?"
I reread it with a pencil, to make notes what utter BS that the publisher decided to tarnish their name with. I correected punctuation and syntax, circling all the repeated words and writiing down my comments. I used these notes to show all my friends what I have to go through. It actually made my day, giving me hilarious conversation including a debate I had with my best friend about the temperature of a monkey's butt. (Page 35. A bizzar simile made by Chaz about how it's as cold as a monkey's butt).
This book is about racism, and it's certainly taught me a thing or two. You should never trust a book by it's cover, because if you don't read the first page, you are wasting your money a book like Hidden. And the "two" you taught me is check on the Internet to see if you are buying the first book or not. I have made both of those mistakes on this waste of bookshelf.
Because if I had the time to check out the first page, I would have learnt that I am never going to like the main character. Blame it on the fact my mom gave me the limitation of "all the books you can carry" and in "five minutes" as a reward for my marks.
I also would have learnt that the author doesn't know the effect tense has. Present tense is awkward. Past continuous and simple is natural to most readers and is not actaully associated with the flashbacks that the character has. She doesn't understand that she could have used italics to separate the past and the present.
I have read an entire book where they did not use punctuation for direct speech. No inverted comma, no new line new speaker. It didn't bother me that much because the writing was excellent.
But you know what gets on my nerves? The lack of inverted commas around Alix's thoughts. The author would just write "That's a relief, she thinks", oblivious to the italics button on the top left hand corner of whatever piece of technology that she abused when she wrote this story. You cannot do this: "I pace wearing a hole in the carpet, Maybe she'll be out soon, I think." (not a quote, but I have too much of this to look for a quote is this disgusting book.)
Commas and capital letters do not go together. Kapish?
Still looking at the thoughts of Alix... it's first person. You don't need to tell us that Alix is thinking, we are already in her head, bored shitless in the empty skull of hers.
And there are other verbs that have the same meaning of "think". "wonder", "ponder", "brood over", "chant in your head" and so many others that don't me want to pull my eyes out. Halahmy, you need a thesaurus. You use the same words over and over. Here are words you don't like parting with:
"a bit"
"quite"
"no-one"
"worse"
"elephants"
...Elephants. Why is Alix so obsessed with elephants?! My best friend wanted a reason to argue with me, defending your book by saying that is metaphorical. Racism is the elephant in the room. I didn't see it that way, see as that Alix apparently is "sensitive" to that.
I was greatly offended when the author said "Must be amazing seeing them out of your bedroom window if you live in Africa. Maybe Samir used to ride elephants in his country, although he's not black, so is he from India?"
Bitch, you're not black... so you're Indian. And do you know what I see when I look out of my bedroom window? I see a complex of flats, all exactly the same, with the same irritating chirping or birds and swirrels my mother is ready to kill. Not an elephant. I know many Africans that have never seen an elephant in their lives. Not even at the zoo because THERE IS NO ZOO. The closest thing you get to a wild thing in my home city is a rodent.
Hey, Alix, you're white. You must be from America! Do you have a Big Mac with every sociopath that comes knocking on your door with a chairsaw? What a silly question!
You home isn't subject to stereotypes. It's subject to Russian terrorists and super villains. How silly of a not-black African I am! An elephant must have sneaked up on me when I was gutting an Indian boy from Arghanistan and hit me with its elephant ninja skills. I was puking so much after that concussion.
My sarcastic rant being done for the time being, the concussion business with Muhammed (who is only refered to as "our man" even though they know his name). The doctor said that after a concussion, one may vomit and faint. Taking this in mind, Alix thinks that both she and our man have a concussion. She said her grandfather was a sailer and they were close. Surely Grandpa would have taught her the basics of first aid? Even though I didn't spend long in Scouts, I know that neither of them had a concussion. Our man just DROWNED. That means he inhaled WATER. Nor his stomach nor his lungs like that. So they VOMIT all that icky salt water out. You, Alix, just have a sympathetic gag reflex. Never mind that you weren't close to any rocks, or deep enough to have your head knocked on the sea bed...
Although it would be great to gie you break down of all the mistakes of this book, I have a life (unlike Halahway, who hasn't bothered to check how to write a good book). So I am just going to chew up and spit out one chapter - chapter 4.
Problem #1: "wonderful smile" - Halahway only describes his smile like this. No other adjectives to describe its radiant beauty.
Problem #2: "...totally in her own world." - Yeah, and she was like, totes in her own world. Yeah, she got her big ass family to buy it for her. So jelly. All my family is, like, in a velvet lined bed in the gross ground.
Problem #3: "What's it got to do with her? I think..." - Italics, italics, italics. Think, think, think about it.
Problem #4: "Me and Kim..." - If you don't see what's wrong with the use of pronouns and word order... I truly fear for you. This is a primary school mistake.
Problem #5: "... one of the Science geeks." - since when does "science" become a adjectival noun (or whatever they are called) like Australian? Only country/culture names as adjectives can have a capital at the beginning of the word. And everybody knows that those high school social groupings are completely bogus. They don't exist out of Disney Channel. Nobody strictly can be classified like that. For example, one of the biggest jocks in the school, an aspiring soccer player, has been number one in the grade ever since he came into high school. Geek and Jock? Nooooo, those don't exist because you can only be one.
Problem #6: "Yeah, well my Dad says all them asylum seekers are bogus. It's in the papers." - Here's a lesson folks: newspapers are not supposed to be biased. They cannot start waving things like "STOP ASYLUM MADNESS" filled with anti refugees propaganda. The headline is fine, becuase headlines are allowed to be sensational and scandalous. As long as the article remains neutral, no emotive language. The newspaper never siad anything, just repeating whatever racist assholes say.
Problem #7: "He's in the First Eleven..." - I have no clue what that means. Year Eleven, perhaps? What are you doing in a Year 10 class?
Problem #8: "They speak posh..." - and the author speaks stupid. I speak opinion.
Problem #9: "Very clever, I don't think." - the one thing I can agree on. You shouldn't use the word "think" too much. Or think too much.
Problem #10: " Sceince geek: 'What about illegal immigrants, you hear about them all the time.' Mr. Spicer: 'Good question.' " - Was it a question? Is there a question mark. I see inquisitive language, but no question mark.
I was going to go on, but I just sick of retyping all this artificial BS. Here's a summery of what I think about this book:
● Get a proper editer, Halahway. Or take a English class.
● It reads very blandly.
● It's too beautiful looking to be this boring.
● Not too sure how much was intentional. Fake and selfish to reflect our souls? I don't know.
March 13, 2012
Review by Beth
This book can be accessed at many levels and I think it’s brilliant for introducing extremely complex and difficult issues in a way anybody can access from racism to more complex immigration and asylum issues. Halahmy confronts some serious stuff in a really great way.
Halahmy presents us with a really naïve but equally unbiased view of Mohammed, who could easily be prejudiced against. In Alix, we have a narrator who despite prejudices which, she acknowledges and tries to overcome herself, is basically an empathetic, unprejudiced and brave protagonist. She is a warm and likable character who works hard to keep her personal problems away from the forefront of the huge and terrifying worlds that both her friend Samir and Mohammed have experienced. I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Alix, although her problems are improving by the end, I felt she deserved a friend who she could share her seemingly small problems with but instead she pushes them aside to support others, a great trait to bestow upon any protagonist!
A really clever novel which tackles BIG issues in a subtle and manageable way! Looking forward to the others in the series.
This book can be accessed at many levels and I think it’s brilliant for introducing extremely complex and difficult issues in a way anybody can access from racism to more complex immigration and asylum issues. Halahmy confronts some serious stuff in a really great way.
Halahmy presents us with a really naïve but equally unbiased view of Mohammed, who could easily be prejudiced against. In Alix, we have a narrator who despite prejudices which, she acknowledges and tries to overcome herself, is basically an empathetic, unprejudiced and brave protagonist. She is a warm and likable character who works hard to keep her personal problems away from the forefront of the huge and terrifying worlds that both her friend Samir and Mohammed have experienced. I have to say I feel a bit sorry for Alix, although her problems are improving by the end, I felt she deserved a friend who she could share her seemingly small problems with but instead she pushes them aside to support others, a great trait to bestow upon any protagonist!
A really clever novel which tackles BIG issues in a subtle and manageable way! Looking forward to the others in the series.
October 3, 2016
Alix thought that she understood life, and that of an immigrants. But when her class starts going over the different types of immigrants and she becomes friends with Samir, someone who opens her eyes to what immigrants deal with. When they find an illegal immigrant in the ocean they have really only one choice, in Samir's eyes; hide the man.
This book is a good story that sheds light on topics that most people either don't want to think about, or just flat out don't think about. It delves a little deeper on a tough topic, that some people just don't have a clue about.
Alix is a strong character who has thought she had known everything about the world until her world gets shaken. And even when her world gets shaken she stands on her own two feet and keeps her ground. Most people in her position would have most likely lost their cool. And reading a character with that much strength inspires others to be that strong.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
This book is a good story that sheds light on topics that most people either don't want to think about, or just flat out don't think about. It delves a little deeper on a tough topic, that some people just don't have a clue about.
Alix is a strong character who has thought she had known everything about the world until her world gets shaken. And even when her world gets shaken she stands on her own two feet and keeps her ground. Most people in her position would have most likely lost their cool. And reading a character with that much strength inspires others to be that strong.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
May 3, 2017
Despite being originally published in the UK in 2011, this recent US publication is very timely in light of certain issues and decisions being made by the US administration.
Alix is 14 and lives neat the coast in Britain. One of her teachers has started discussions about refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. She is starting to notice more and more about racism and it is brought to a head when she witnesses a bullying event. One day, while she is training to run a marathon by running on the beach, she and another student witness a man being dropped overboard from a boat offshore. They rescue the man, who happens to be an asylum seeker from Iraq. They decide to hide him but are quickly overwhelmed with the responsibilities. They know they need help, but they do not know who to trust. If they make the wrong decision, the man will be sent back to Iraq where he will be tortured and killed.
Grades 5 and up. Some knowledge of current events is helpful, but the author also provides quite a bit of background and supporting information. Could be a great book club discussion book.
Alix is 14 and lives neat the coast in Britain. One of her teachers has started discussions about refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. She is starting to notice more and more about racism and it is brought to a head when she witnesses a bullying event. One day, while she is training to run a marathon by running on the beach, she and another student witness a man being dropped overboard from a boat offshore. They rescue the man, who happens to be an asylum seeker from Iraq. They decide to hide him but are quickly overwhelmed with the responsibilities. They know they need help, but they do not know who to trust. If they make the wrong decision, the man will be sent back to Iraq where he will be tortured and killed.
Grades 5 and up. Some knowledge of current events is helpful, but the author also provides quite a bit of background and supporting information. Could be a great book club discussion book.
August 21, 2011
Before talking about the book itself, I have to mention the cover. It is utterly gorgeous and probably one of the main reasons I decided to actually read this book. I just find it so magical to look at. I must also point out that it states in the author's biography, that she is married to a real Italian knight!
As you might have already realised this book is a 'Regency style re imagining of the story of Cinderella'. It follows the story extremely loosely but is cleverly told none the less. This book is not for the easily shocked as it does contain some rather hot and heavy scenes of the sexual nature. Definitely not one to be read on the train, if you suffer from extreme blushing!
I loved Kate as a character. Her humour was just endless. Here is one of my favourite lines within the book.
After four hours in the carriage with Lord Dimsdale, Kate decided that the most interesting thing about Algernon was that he wore a corset.
Kate is extremely modern in her way of thinking and was a breath of fresh air within the book. You could not help but love her and want her to succeed in life. I adored the way she began to take a stand and show her true strength of character. She just shone out as the most amazing character in the book. Henry, Kate's godmother, was also a brilliantly written character and could have easily been transported to any of our modern day sitcoms as the older woman, who stills sees herself in the prime of her life. She has had a good life and continues to enjoy it at its fullest, even if her body might be groaning a little and putting up some resistance.
The book is full of bawdiness and wickedness, as well as a severe amount of double crossing. It actually reminded me quite a lot of Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'. ( I can tell you are now shocked to read that I have ACTUALLY read The Taming of a Shrew, but I can inform you it was not my choice; I studied it for English 'O' level.) The bickering between Kate and Gabriel is just hilarious as they constantly try to outwit each other in the beginning of the book. It was so entertaining to watch their dislike for each other blossom into love via a fair amount of playful banter.
The imagery and the metaphors used really stood out for me.The way the Prince's castle was described was quite breathtaking and made me yearn to visit. I also found quite a few of the metaphors just so original and humorous.
The only niggle I have with this book, is during the middle part I found a particular scene seemed to drag on a little, but once I was past that, I found myself completely engrossed in the budding relationship of Kate and Gabriel.
If you love historical chick lit, then this book is for you. Be prepared to blush as the hot and heavy scenes.
As you might have already realised this book is a 'Regency style re imagining of the story of Cinderella'. It follows the story extremely loosely but is cleverly told none the less. This book is not for the easily shocked as it does contain some rather hot and heavy scenes of the sexual nature. Definitely not one to be read on the train, if you suffer from extreme blushing!
I loved Kate as a character. Her humour was just endless. Here is one of my favourite lines within the book.
After four hours in the carriage with Lord Dimsdale, Kate decided that the most interesting thing about Algernon was that he wore a corset.
Kate is extremely modern in her way of thinking and was a breath of fresh air within the book. You could not help but love her and want her to succeed in life. I adored the way she began to take a stand and show her true strength of character. She just shone out as the most amazing character in the book. Henry, Kate's godmother, was also a brilliantly written character and could have easily been transported to any of our modern day sitcoms as the older woman, who stills sees herself in the prime of her life. She has had a good life and continues to enjoy it at its fullest, even if her body might be groaning a little and putting up some resistance.
The book is full of bawdiness and wickedness, as well as a severe amount of double crossing. It actually reminded me quite a lot of Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'. ( I can tell you are now shocked to read that I have ACTUALLY read The Taming of a Shrew, but I can inform you it was not my choice; I studied it for English 'O' level.) The bickering between Kate and Gabriel is just hilarious as they constantly try to outwit each other in the beginning of the book. It was so entertaining to watch their dislike for each other blossom into love via a fair amount of playful banter.
The imagery and the metaphors used really stood out for me.The way the Prince's castle was described was quite breathtaking and made me yearn to visit. I also found quite a few of the metaphors just so original and humorous.
The only niggle I have with this book, is during the middle part I found a particular scene seemed to drag on a little, but once I was past that, I found myself completely engrossed in the budding relationship of Kate and Gabriel.
If you love historical chick lit, then this book is for you. Be prepared to blush as the hot and heavy scenes.
March 1, 2015
I really loved Hidden by Miriam Halahmy! I won my copy of the book in a Twitter competition, and I'm really glad for it as well. It would have been a shame to have missed out on this thought-provoking and topical book that explores really important themes such as racism, immigration and judging by appearances.
When I first recieved Hidden, and saw that it is set on Hayling Island, the first thing I did was to look Hayling Island up on Google maps as I'd never heard of the island before. It seems like a really great setting for this book (as well as the next two books planned by Miriam Halahmy) as the location certainly makes sense in terms of finding a washed-up asylum seeker!
I admit, when I first started this book I was shocked into silence after the main character, 14 year old Alix, very early on refers to a classmate, Samir, as a 'suicide bomber' - But to be honest, that is something that Hidden does so well - first addressing and then challenging this type of racist assumptions. I thought it very realistic and believeable the thoughts and feelings of Alix towards Samir and later towards Mohammed.
When Alix and Samir rescue a man out of the sea, things really begin to shift for Alix. Already she's struggling at home as her mother relies Alix a lot more after Alex's mother breaks her leg and also Alix is sort of estranged from her father. But still, there's no way she could abandon the poor man after all the troubles he's been through - being beaten, abandoned and nearly drowned. Alix finds shelter for him, gives him food and clothes and by helping him, she begins to have a better understanding of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.
Though she is being taught about immigration at school, there are quite a few people in her class and in her community who have intolerant and racist viewpoints. Alix, who has a growing awareness of these topics, must make up her own mind about how she feels as well as decide how she can help, if at all. There's this struggle within her that shies away from speaking up or causing trouble by calling people out on their racist behaviour.
Hidden is a very different book to any I've read in awhile. While sharing information, it never feels preachy or heavy-handed in any messages. So many people will judge others based on their appearances, Alix included, and it was wonderful to challenge these assumptions so wonderfully - with racial assumptions like with Samir and Mohammed, but also assumptions based on appearances or people's associations. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series by Miriam Halahmy, which I believe focuses on my favourite character, Lindy - the sister of the local bully.
Hidden is a really wonderful book, one I can highly recommend!
When I first recieved Hidden, and saw that it is set on Hayling Island, the first thing I did was to look Hayling Island up on Google maps as I'd never heard of the island before. It seems like a really great setting for this book (as well as the next two books planned by Miriam Halahmy) as the location certainly makes sense in terms of finding a washed-up asylum seeker!
I admit, when I first started this book I was shocked into silence after the main character, 14 year old Alix, very early on refers to a classmate, Samir, as a 'suicide bomber' - But to be honest, that is something that Hidden does so well - first addressing and then challenging this type of racist assumptions. I thought it very realistic and believeable the thoughts and feelings of Alix towards Samir and later towards Mohammed.
When Alix and Samir rescue a man out of the sea, things really begin to shift for Alix. Already she's struggling at home as her mother relies Alix a lot more after Alex's mother breaks her leg and also Alix is sort of estranged from her father. But still, there's no way she could abandon the poor man after all the troubles he's been through - being beaten, abandoned and nearly drowned. Alix finds shelter for him, gives him food and clothes and by helping him, she begins to have a better understanding of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.
Though she is being taught about immigration at school, there are quite a few people in her class and in her community who have intolerant and racist viewpoints. Alix, who has a growing awareness of these topics, must make up her own mind about how she feels as well as decide how she can help, if at all. There's this struggle within her that shies away from speaking up or causing trouble by calling people out on their racist behaviour.
Hidden is a very different book to any I've read in awhile. While sharing information, it never feels preachy or heavy-handed in any messages. So many people will judge others based on their appearances, Alix included, and it was wonderful to challenge these assumptions so wonderfully - with racial assumptions like with Samir and Mohammed, but also assumptions based on appearances or people's associations. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series by Miriam Halahmy, which I believe focuses on my favourite character, Lindy - the sister of the local bully.
Hidden is a really wonderful book, one I can highly recommend!
March 20, 2011
Hidden is a touching and contemporary story about immigration, human rights and the courage to stand up for what you believe in.
Alix is in Year 10 and she lives on Hayling Island. Things are home are becomingly increasingly challenging – her father left, her grandfather passed away and her mother has broken her leg – Alix is finding the responsibility of keeping things together weighing down on her.
One of the themes of this novel is appearances. Or rather the impulse to judge people on appearances – the busybody neighbour, the mad man on the beach, the Muslim boy in class – the story lets you walk in their shoes (if only for a moment) and see the world that bit differently.
At the heart of Hidden is the issue of immigration and Halahmy mesmerises the reader with this tale rather than making them feel they are being “educated”. The right to seek asylum, persecution, what it means to be a refugee are all explained and yet it never once feels like lecture. Samir is a refugee from Iraq. He came to England when he was just nine and he was absorbed by the British system. At school Alix thinks of him as a silent figure in the back row. But when she sees a gang picking on him in the street, she can’t stop herself getting involved.
Alix is such a likable character. She has all these thoughts which she fears may be construed as racist but really it is just the fear of what she doesn’t understand talking. As she gets to know Samir, they become friends and develop a trusting bond. That bond is tested to the very limits when they rescue an illegal immigrant from the sea and try to keep him safe and hidden. It is incredibly moving.
I really empathised with Samir. I’ve never considered how homesick refugees must be when they are wrenched from their homeland. I know how much I love the UK. I would miss it so much if I was forced to go and live somewhere entirely alien and never know if I’d return. It left such a well of emotion inside me. Hidden really is an emotive and convincing read.
Halahmy’s young adult debut left me feeling inspired and empowered to stand up for the things that I believe in and to have to courage to make sure that my voice is always heard. The Iraqi cultural references felt so authentic and vivid that I really feel I know a bit more about their beautiful world.
Everyone should read this book and take a moment to see their world through another person’s eyes. It’s invigorating!
Alix is in Year 10 and she lives on Hayling Island. Things are home are becomingly increasingly challenging – her father left, her grandfather passed away and her mother has broken her leg – Alix is finding the responsibility of keeping things together weighing down on her.
One of the themes of this novel is appearances. Or rather the impulse to judge people on appearances – the busybody neighbour, the mad man on the beach, the Muslim boy in class – the story lets you walk in their shoes (if only for a moment) and see the world that bit differently.
At the heart of Hidden is the issue of immigration and Halahmy mesmerises the reader with this tale rather than making them feel they are being “educated”. The right to seek asylum, persecution, what it means to be a refugee are all explained and yet it never once feels like lecture. Samir is a refugee from Iraq. He came to England when he was just nine and he was absorbed by the British system. At school Alix thinks of him as a silent figure in the back row. But when she sees a gang picking on him in the street, she can’t stop herself getting involved.
Alix is such a likable character. She has all these thoughts which she fears may be construed as racist but really it is just the fear of what she doesn’t understand talking. As she gets to know Samir, they become friends and develop a trusting bond. That bond is tested to the very limits when they rescue an illegal immigrant from the sea and try to keep him safe and hidden. It is incredibly moving.
I really empathised with Samir. I’ve never considered how homesick refugees must be when they are wrenched from their homeland. I know how much I love the UK. I would miss it so much if I was forced to go and live somewhere entirely alien and never know if I’d return. It left such a well of emotion inside me. Hidden really is an emotive and convincing read.
Halahmy’s young adult debut left me feeling inspired and empowered to stand up for the things that I believe in and to have to courage to make sure that my voice is always heard. The Iraqi cultural references felt so authentic and vivid that I really feel I know a bit more about their beautiful world.
Everyone should read this book and take a moment to see their world through another person’s eyes. It’s invigorating!
February 5, 2012
Also reviewed on the blog: http://gloriousbooks.blogspot.com/201...
Just like We Can Be Heroes, Hidden was a novel all about racism and how to deal with it as it is no doubt a big issue in society. It focuses on illegal immigrants especially from Iraq and whether they should be allowed refugee status and the right to live in this country rather than be deported.
Again just like We Can Be Heroes, Hidden deals with these issues with using really young protagonists who almost have to decide whether they agree with racism or not - it's that simple for them. Whilst reading the book it was always the option of playing along with the majority and being racist or standing up to the majority and not being racist. For Alix it was always the latter and in doing that she came across a lot of obstacles that tested her opinions on certain topics that we all have to think about time to time.
Alix becomes friends with Samir who is a refugee from Iraq. But then she realises how much he's bullied and how alone he really is. What I loved about this situation is that Alix was quite naive regarding race until she met Samir and then it sort of hit her and everything became crystal clear. She made the choice to stand up for what she believed and to voice her opinion and she became all the better for it.
Of course, finding and saving the illegal immigrant tested her beliefs to the max and her journey through that made Hidden quite a good read that really makes you think.
The supporting characters were great which led to me feeling a lot for the characters whether it was good or bad. I would have a frown on my face when I didn't agree with something somebody said and a smile on my face when Alix and Samir did something really brave. It made me feel and think about things I don't think about every day which is good for anybody to be honest.
Hidden did get a lot better past the half way mark which was the only thing I had a problem with. It was quite hard to get into but after a while I started to really enjoy it. Also, I would have liked it to be a bit longer because there were some pretty important questions that weren't answered.
Overall I definitely recommend Hidden because it's a book to come back to and read over again. Especially for the ending, then ending was amazing - so touching!
Just like We Can Be Heroes, Hidden was a novel all about racism and how to deal with it as it is no doubt a big issue in society. It focuses on illegal immigrants especially from Iraq and whether they should be allowed refugee status and the right to live in this country rather than be deported.
Again just like We Can Be Heroes, Hidden deals with these issues with using really young protagonists who almost have to decide whether they agree with racism or not - it's that simple for them. Whilst reading the book it was always the option of playing along with the majority and being racist or standing up to the majority and not being racist. For Alix it was always the latter and in doing that she came across a lot of obstacles that tested her opinions on certain topics that we all have to think about time to time.
Alix becomes friends with Samir who is a refugee from Iraq. But then she realises how much he's bullied and how alone he really is. What I loved about this situation is that Alix was quite naive regarding race until she met Samir and then it sort of hit her and everything became crystal clear. She made the choice to stand up for what she believed and to voice her opinion and she became all the better for it.
Of course, finding and saving the illegal immigrant tested her beliefs to the max and her journey through that made Hidden quite a good read that really makes you think.
The supporting characters were great which led to me feeling a lot for the characters whether it was good or bad. I would have a frown on my face when I didn't agree with something somebody said and a smile on my face when Alix and Samir did something really brave. It made me feel and think about things I don't think about every day which is good for anybody to be honest.
Hidden did get a lot better past the half way mark which was the only thing I had a problem with. It was quite hard to get into but after a while I started to really enjoy it. Also, I would have liked it to be a bit longer because there were some pretty important questions that weren't answered.
Overall I definitely recommend Hidden because it's a book to come back to and read over again. Especially for the ending, then ending was amazing - so touching!
March 30, 2012
Hidden brings the reality of world events to Hayling Island through the strong and clear voice of 14 year old Alix Miller. This is a beautiful seaside town on the south coast of England, but it is not the place built on foundations of sandcastles and ice creams to Alix.
Coping with all the pressures and worries of a normal teen, Alix comes face to face with racial prejudice on the streets where she lives. Standing up for Samir, a boy from her school, after he is set upon by racist bullies is one thing, but when she saves a drowning asylum seeker, Mohammed, she is forced to make choices that will determine whether this man will live or die. If she and Samir report him to the police, Mohammed will be sent back to Iraq and most likely be tortured and killed.
With the help of Samir and her best friend, Kim – who loves Mozart and a boy called Trumpet Steven - Alix must now juggle a normal life with the extraordinary responsibility of hiding and caring for an asylum seeker. But Is Mohammed who he says he is or is he a terrorist infiltrating these shores? Forced to battle prejudice and the preconceptions of her world, Alix recalls advice from her late Grandpa to guide her through these stormy waters.
We live and breathe every moment with Alix as she takes care of her injured Mum and rekindles her relationship with her dad who ran off with a gremlin called Gloria. She even has time to do a paper-round, walk her dog, Trudy, and recall facts about elephants as she battles racism at school and evades the police.
Hidden doesn’t shy away from confronting the real issues on the streets of the UK for young people and shows how world events can reach any shoreline in a world that is fast becoming a much smaller place. It asks serious questions of a fourteen year old girl and how she would react to racism, terrorism, drugs, bullying and knife crime, but still manages to stay true to Alix’s voice and her world whilst retaining a strong sense of humour.
I loved Hidden because of the great balance of light and shade in the writing and characterisation and I am really looking forward to the second instalment of this cycle, which is called - Illegal.
Coping with all the pressures and worries of a normal teen, Alix comes face to face with racial prejudice on the streets where she lives. Standing up for Samir, a boy from her school, after he is set upon by racist bullies is one thing, but when she saves a drowning asylum seeker, Mohammed, she is forced to make choices that will determine whether this man will live or die. If she and Samir report him to the police, Mohammed will be sent back to Iraq and most likely be tortured and killed.
With the help of Samir and her best friend, Kim – who loves Mozart and a boy called Trumpet Steven - Alix must now juggle a normal life with the extraordinary responsibility of hiding and caring for an asylum seeker. But Is Mohammed who he says he is or is he a terrorist infiltrating these shores? Forced to battle prejudice and the preconceptions of her world, Alix recalls advice from her late Grandpa to guide her through these stormy waters.
We live and breathe every moment with Alix as she takes care of her injured Mum and rekindles her relationship with her dad who ran off with a gremlin called Gloria. She even has time to do a paper-round, walk her dog, Trudy, and recall facts about elephants as she battles racism at school and evades the police.
Hidden doesn’t shy away from confronting the real issues on the streets of the UK for young people and shows how world events can reach any shoreline in a world that is fast becoming a much smaller place. It asks serious questions of a fourteen year old girl and how she would react to racism, terrorism, drugs, bullying and knife crime, but still manages to stay true to Alix’s voice and her world whilst retaining a strong sense of humour.
I loved Hidden because of the great balance of light and shade in the writing and characterisation and I am really looking forward to the second instalment of this cycle, which is called - Illegal.
December 23, 2016
Alix's is completely unfair. She has to take on the majority responsibility of assisting her mother, while her broken leg heals. Alix cannot stand the pressure her mother puts on her. Life becomes more difficult, when Alix begins learning more about the legal issues surrounding immigrants, begins a friendship with Samir, a refugee, and also finding Mohammad, an Iraqi refugee, who washed up on shore.
This book was hard for me to get through. I felt the story was slow. I didn't feel that the characters were developed enough for me to care about them. This novel speaks to important concepts, but I have read others which have done it better.
This book was hard for me to get through. I felt the story was slow. I didn't feel that the characters were developed enough for me to care about them. This novel speaks to important concepts, but I have read others which have done it better.
February 2, 2017
14-year-old Alix grapples with a moral dilemma: should she inform authorities of the illegal immigrant that she and her friend Samir rescued from the sea, or keep his existence a secret to ensure that he won't be sent back to the people that tortured him? Set on an island off the coast of England, this novel deals with timely issues and raises important questions.
While I enjoyed the complex ideas at this novel's heart, I found Alix to be a little annoying, character development to be a little unrealistic, and the resolution to be overly convenient. Well-meaning, but lacking.
While I enjoyed the complex ideas at this novel's heart, I found Alix to be a little annoying, character development to be a little unrealistic, and the resolution to be overly convenient. Well-meaning, but lacking.
October 8, 2018
I think all of us can connect with the main character Alix because we all had faced situation with no right or wrong answers. We want to choose what is the best for us and others, but we don't always know how to make that chose. Everyone makes mistakes, but if we learn from it, we can make better decisions in the future.
May 22, 2016
Hidden was one of the best books I have read this year and it really opened my eyes to all these issues we are facing in the world today. I read the book in one sitting it was that good. I is a really humble way to look at the issues of today day and age.
March 19, 2012
Beautifully written, as you would expect from Miriam, and a very powerful book. I loved it.
May 18, 2017
2.5/5.0 great idea, but very poorly executed.
June 4, 2020
Not quite sure what to think of it... but...
Positives:
-Shows different view points
-Makes you think about the topic
-Would be great for a book discussion due to the topic of illegal (and legal!) immigrants
Negatives:
-Takes the Lord’s name in vain multiple times
I personally don’t agree with all of the reasoning and actions of the characters in this book, but that’s exactly why it would be interesting for a book club.
Positives:
-Shows different view points
-Makes you think about the topic
-Would be great for a book discussion due to the topic of illegal (and legal!) immigrants
Negatives:
-Takes the Lord’s name in vain multiple times
I personally don’t agree with all of the reasoning and actions of the characters in this book, but that’s exactly why it would be interesting for a book club.
May 3, 2017
This book written for young teens. It tackles some tough issues like racism and illegal vs. legal immigrants in Britain. This is a British book written in 2010, but still timely for today. And the words and status are different: refugee (legal) and asylum seeker (pending status). The story follows a young girl already struggling with her broken family and recent passing of her Grandfather, when she saves a man drowning in the sea. He turns out to be an illegal immigrant from Iraq, where her new friend Samir is also from.
Now how did this man, Mohammed, get there, thrown from a boat after being beat up from a human smuggler? Mohammed already knew his status, as The Crown denied him refugee status based on the fact he didn't work as an interpreter for Britain for a full year. I was confused by the timing, he applied for status before leaving Iraq? This small detail didn't help. And there were times in the way he behaved that didn't ring true. So it's not a great book, but decent.
Alix was already on the path to understanding what Iraq was like for its citizens from her new friend Samir. With Mohammed tossed in the story takes on action and more drama, and helped to confront racism among the adults and her school mates, some of whom are bullies. Other difficult issues for Alix in her home life were not explored in depth. Have to say I did like how her Mom was described as a punk in her youth.
U.S. publication in October 2016, already out in the UK. Good for teens.
Book rating: 3.5
Update - May 3, 2017: I received a free copy of this book at a library conference. I was not required to write a review, but felt like it and, of course, the above opinions are my own.
Now how did this man, Mohammed, get there, thrown from a boat after being beat up from a human smuggler? Mohammed already knew his status, as The Crown denied him refugee status based on the fact he didn't work as an interpreter for Britain for a full year. I was confused by the timing, he applied for status before leaving Iraq? This small detail didn't help. And there were times in the way he behaved that didn't ring true. So it's not a great book, but decent.
Alix was already on the path to understanding what Iraq was like for its citizens from her new friend Samir. With Mohammed tossed in the story takes on action and more drama, and helped to confront racism among the adults and her school mates, some of whom are bullies. Other difficult issues for Alix in her home life were not explored in depth. Have to say I did like how her Mom was described as a punk in her youth.
U.S. publication in October 2016, already out in the UK. Good for teens.
Book rating: 3.5
Update - May 3, 2017: I received a free copy of this book at a library conference. I was not required to write a review, but felt like it and, of course, the above opinions are my own.
June 11, 2016
This engaging import from Great Britain puts a face on some of the issues and prejudices associated with refugees and political oppression. Teen readers will find fourteen-year-old Alix with her slightly mouthy ways and the assumptions she makes about others quite realistic and refreshing. Burdened with her mother's dependence on her and disenchanted by her father's disappearance after he found another wife, Alix is bored with the unexciting life she leads on Hayling Island off England's coast. When she and Samir, a classmate from Iraq, save the life of Mohammed, a refugee from Iraq, she is torn between doing what she thinks is the right thing--helping and hiding him--or following the law. As she is drawn further into danger by helping Mohammed, she learns about his experiences prior to arriving on her island, and she also learns about what Samir's family has endured. Although I was proud to see Alix standing up against the bullying and name calling of some of her schoolmates, what was particularly appealing about this book was how quickly Alix herself was to judge others and assume that they weren't on her side or expect them to behave a certain way. Drawing inspiration from her own grandfather's heroic example, Alix risks quite a lot but does so for all the right reasons. As I read the book and the secret that she was trying to keep hidden was being shared with others, I kept telling myself that things could go very badly or very well. This book would be ideal starting place for exploring prejudices and understanding their origins and their results. Many readers will certainly find themselves considering what they would have done in Alix's situation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2011
Hayling Island sits off the coast or Portsmouth on the south coast of England. Fourteen year old Alix is walking her dog along the beach one cold spring morning when she witnesses a man being thrown out of a boat. With her at the time is Samir who is a loner at school, constantly bullied for being an immigrant. Together they pull the man out the freezing water and hide him in an abandoned hut on the beach. Alix knows little about asylum seekers but Samir is determined to prevent the stranger from being deported.
It's the first book I've read in a long time where the voice of a teenage narrator actually sounds like the average teenager. She's a normal kid that does an amazing thing but she also has all the insecurities going round in her head. I loved the part where she became convinced that everyone around her might be racist just because they never speak about their opinions and that she'll have to hide away from people for the rest of her life. At the start of the book, she does think some racist thoughts, but not out of malice, partly out of fear and partly out of only hearing about stereotypes.
Hidden highlights how so often prejudices are born out of ignorance. Alix has made assumptions about practically everyone in her life but she soon learns to judge people based on fact and experience. It's a true coming of age story, going from worrying about getting a date to standing up for basic human rights.
It's the first book I've read in a long time where the voice of a teenage narrator actually sounds like the average teenager. She's a normal kid that does an amazing thing but she also has all the insecurities going round in her head. I loved the part where she became convinced that everyone around her might be racist just because they never speak about their opinions and that she'll have to hide away from people for the rest of her life. At the start of the book, she does think some racist thoughts, but not out of malice, partly out of fear and partly out of only hearing about stereotypes.
Hidden highlights how so often prejudices are born out of ignorance. Alix has made assumptions about practically everyone in her life but she soon learns to judge people based on fact and experience. It's a true coming of age story, going from worrying about getting a date to standing up for basic human rights.
June 9, 2012
I randomly picked "Hidden" from the library, and I'm just glad to say that it didn't disappoint. Hidden is a great "coming of age" novel, and definitely a novel that needs to be read by everyone. What I liked in this book is that it was different than others. I loved the message it conveyed to the readers. How all people should be treated equally, despite religion, or nationality. There are many racist people out there, and I'm glad to know that many people are against it.
I liked the flow the story had. The characters were all very well described. Alix, the main protagonist, is really cool. She didn't judge Samir for who he was, or where he was from, unlike her other classmates. Samir, was very well described as well. He felt real. The bombings, and how his family suffered, and how it was very heart-breaking to leave your country, it was all very well illustrated. The story never got boring. It was all interesting, and just kept you turning from one page to the other. It was fun, interesting, and had a really good plot! Definitely a book you should pick up, if you like realistic fiction!
I liked the flow the story had. The characters were all very well described. Alix, the main protagonist, is really cool. She didn't judge Samir for who he was, or where he was from, unlike her other classmates. Samir, was very well described as well. He felt real. The bombings, and how his family suffered, and how it was very heart-breaking to leave your country, it was all very well illustrated. The story never got boring. It was all interesting, and just kept you turning from one page to the other. It was fun, interesting, and had a really good plot! Definitely a book you should pick up, if you like realistic fiction!
June 22, 2012
Hidden is the first in a cycle of books by Miriam Halahmy, set on Hayling Island. Hidden tells the story of Alix, a fourteen year old girl who discovers a drowning immigrant, Mohammed on the beach. Along with her classmate Samir, they rescue and hide Mohammed in a secluded hut. Samir, like Mohammed, is from Iraq, and he suffers at the hands of a group of ignorant bullies at school. The attitude of her fellow classmates prompts Alix into some deep soul searching. She finds herself questioning the attitudes and beliefs of all the people she knows. The book is well written and brings to life the ordinary life that Samir and others like him have to leave behind and how difficult it is to be wrenched away from friends and family and thrown into a different culture. Through his friendship with Alix, he learns to trust people and gains confidence. The exploration of different relationships between characters encourages the readers to reflect on their own attitudes. There are many exciting twists and turns in this book and I am looking forward to reading Illegal, which continues the cycle with the story of Lindy.
May 30, 2018
Life on Hayling Island seems isolated from the outside world for 14 year old Alix. Problems like terrorism, wars, and refugees seem worlds away. But one day at the beach, Alix and her friend find a drowning illegal immigrant who was tortured by the rebels in Iraq for helping the allied forces. Mohammed is desperate to not be deported and now his life falls in her hands. She must face this moral dilemma on her own, one mistake and they will be discovered.
Well, I wasn't sure about the book to begin with but in all it was a great read and I really learned something about what immigrants have to undergo. I don't know whether I could have done what Alix did but it has inspired me to do more. I love this book and I really like the way it has been written in such a mature and tactful style whilst showing the true extent of the situation.
This would maybe be a good read for a younger audience because it deals with a controversial issue in a form that's easy to read and understand.
https://www.jocolibrary.org/teens/rev...
Well, I wasn't sure about the book to begin with but in all it was a great read and I really learned something about what immigrants have to undergo. I don't know whether I could have done what Alix did but it has inspired me to do more. I love this book and I really like the way it has been written in such a mature and tactful style whilst showing the true extent of the situation.
This would maybe be a good read for a younger audience because it deals with a controversial issue in a form that's easy to read and understand.
https://www.jocolibrary.org/teens/rev...
February 14, 2017
It's ok and important to have issue-focused fiction, and this one is relentlessly timeless for our current socio-political discourse around immigration and refugees. Hidden is about rescuing: when others stop rescuing us, when we unexpectedly have to rescue others, when systems rescue or refuse to rescue, when we are the only ones who can rescue ourselves, and when rescuing is not enough. Alix is complex and real; her struggles are multilayered and authentic. I appreciated the author's note at the end because he personal connection to the realities of immigration and asylum seeking help ground this book in our unavoidably connected reality. It's important for authors to draw their line in the sand: "I believe that all divided communities can build bridges and all societies can embrace diversity if they wish. We should be prepared to stand up to any injustice, however small. All young people have a future, and reading can offer a map forward."
This was a great selection for me to Read Without Walls and I'll be encouraging young readers to pick it up.
This was a great selection for me to Read Without Walls and I'll be encouraging young readers to pick it up.
February 2, 2017
An especially timely book, Hidden confronts issues of racism and illegal immigration, albeit from a British teen's point of view. In the small British coastal town where she lives, Alix hesitantly befriends a new Iraqi boy named Samir who is the victim of prejudice and vicious bullying because of his ethnicity. Based on classroom discussions about immigration and getting to know Samir better, Alix starts to better understand the plight of people fleeing war-torn countries. Soon, she is confronted with another stark reality -she and Samir rescue an Iraqi refugee from the ocean and decide to keep him hidden until they can get him the help he needs.
Although I found the book a little didactic in parts, I do think it presents Alix's moral dilemmas in a way that teens can relate to. The characters are well developed and the issues explored are exceptionally relevant for the United States as well. A good multicultural choice for those who like contemporary realistic fiction.
Although I found the book a little didactic in parts, I do think it presents Alix's moral dilemmas in a way that teens can relate to. The characters are well developed and the issues explored are exceptionally relevant for the United States as well. A good multicultural choice for those who like contemporary realistic fiction.
December 19, 2015
A teenage novel that tackles the current issues around asylum seekers and refugees in a way that creates empathy for the Iraqis struggling to survive in Britain. The main character explores in her mind all the ways in which people may view refugees as she explores the issue for herself. She and the reader are helped by the lessons given in school in PSE which, combined with the voices of the refugee characters, provide information about the issues both at Ho e and globally. The main character gets her moral compass from her dead grandfather as she struggled to do the right thing, even when what she does could be considered illegal. The only thing I didn't like about the novel was some early dialogue that just didn't feel authentic, but maybe it does to a teenager. I would definitely recommend this for the 11-16 age group.
November 9, 2016
14-year-old Alix has typical teenage problems. She lives in a bit of a backwater town, on an island off the coast of England. Big city problems are not her chief worries. She's dealing with a father who has moved on, an injured mother who has become increasingly needy, school, and just getting by. Samir is a boy at school from Iraq. Other kids tease him. However, when Samir and Alix pull an illegal refugee from the ocean they unite to save him. Soon other teens become involved. What does the town really think about refugees? All sort of opinions abound, but what is the moral imperative if someone's life is on the line? This is an interesting look at illegal immigration from a teen's point-of-view. What risks will Alix take to do what she believes is right?
March 20, 2017
Residents of Hayling Island off the coast of England have varying degrees of acceptance when it comes to refugees. Some like Alix and her circle of friends and family seem to understand that refugees mainly seek asylum because they are in danger, and they have left behind all that they love because they are in fear for their lives. That is certainly true of Samir, Alix’s classmate. As the 10 years learn about immigration laws in the UK, Alix and Samir form a friendship while trying to fend off bullies and save the life of Mohammed, an Iraqi smuggled out of Iraq and dumped in the sea off the coast of Hayling Island. Can Alix, her friends, and Samir keep Mohammed safe from the local gang, the police and the threat of certain death if he is returned to Iraq?
June 27, 2015
Alix is 14, living on Hayling Island in the UK with her Mum. Her dad left and her grandfather has passed away since, leaving them both bitter and sad. Things are even worse for Alix as her mum has broken her leg, leaving Alix to do a lot more than normal at home, her paper round to bring in more money and her schoolwork on top of everything.
But when she sticks up for a pakistani boy who is being bullied, her eyes are opened to how tough some people's lives really are.
This is a book about racism, prejudice and the terrible truth of why so many people seek asylum in other countries. A great read, with tense scenes and action and a thought provoking plot.
But when she sticks up for a pakistani boy who is being bullied, her eyes are opened to how tough some people's lives really are.
This is a book about racism, prejudice and the terrible truth of why so many people seek asylum in other countries. A great read, with tense scenes and action and a thought provoking plot.
July 10, 2018
Grades 7-10. Alix lives in a small island community in England. One day she notices a group of bullies from her school tormenting a boy and calling him a terrorist. Something snaps inside of her and she tells them off. Later in the week her teacher brings up the issue of illegal immigrants/refugees and the class debates a person's motivations and right to come to England. Meanwhile, Alix becomes friends with Samir, the bullied boy. One day as Alix is walking her dog on the beach they find a battered, beaten man drowning in the sea. They rescue him and discover he is an Iraqi refugee. Illegal. What should they do? (Language makes this less appropriate for an elementary school library.)
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