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The Other Side of Truth #1

by Beverley Naidoo, ملیحه محمدی (Translator)

After the murder of their mother, twelve-year-old Sade and her younger brother are smuggled out of Nigeria by their journalist father to escape the corrupt military government and growing violence. They are sent to their uncle in London, but when they arrive, he is missing and they are abandoned, passed between foster homes. Their father escapes to Engalnd to find them -- but he will be sent back to Nigeria unless Sade can find a way to tell the world what happened to her family.

A Silver Medal winner of Engalnd's Smarties Book Prize, Beverly Naidoo's new novel explores the issues of family, exile, and freedom wtih eloquence and stunning realism.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Novels, Africa, Realistic Fiction, School

267 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Beverley Naidoo was born in South Africa on 21 May 1943 and grew up under apartheid. As a student, she began to question the apartheid regime and was later arrested for her actions as part of the resistance movement in South Africa. In 1965 she went into exile, going to England. She married another South African exile; they have two children.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so this novel was not at all like I expected (perhaps I should have read the flap more carefully) but it was still really good. It’s a surprisingly complicated and engaging story about a girl named Sade and her brother Femi who live in Nigeria but have to leave suddenly after their mother is killed by the government. Their father is a controversial journalist who is not afraid to speak the truth and, therefore, is not well-liked by the government. They meant to shoot him but killed mama accidentally and dad is worried they’ll go over the kids next so they have to flee. Dad arranges for them to be smuggled to London, where his brother lives.

Anyway, yes, this is technically a young adult novel but I struggled to view it that way while I was reading. The issues are actually really complex and you have to have a decent grasp on Nigerian history and politics as well as colonization and the relationship that England and Nigeria have in this novel. It’s not talked about explicitly but unless you are aware of certain things, I don’t think the novel would make a lot of sense.

I thought the story felt very realistic overall and Beverly Naidoo was able to convey how the characters felt quite well. I thought it was interesting that a lot of the story comprised of the students’ experiences at school. This part of the novel felt very YA to me but at the same time it’s important for us to realize that immigrants (refugees in particular) face a lot of challenges when they arrive in a new country. They have to get used to the customs, often the language (although Sade already spoke English in this novel), and they have to deal with peer pressure and fitting in.

Other parts, though, all of the dealings with Mama Appiah, Auntie Gracie, their father (in prison), the immigration lawyer, and others all felt way too mature for some younger readers. I did feel like the ending was a bit too optimistic for my liking (again, very YA) but I was glad it turned out the way it did.

I really liked that African proverbs were mixed into much of the story. I think proverbs are wonderful, especially for young adults who need to sort of infer their deeper meaning.

I would have liked for there to be a greater focus on Nigerian culture in this book and I realize now that I can’t use it for the purpose that I had intended (African culture-themed book clubs) but I still think this is a great book that I’m sure I’ll recommend to some people. I’m just not sure yet who.

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I start to actually review Beverly Naidoo's 2000 Carnegie Medal winning account of Nigerian refugees in the United Kingdom, I will say that in my humble opinion the author certainly seems to speak from what I would call some bona fide personal experience with The Other Side of Truth. For while Beverly Naidoo might be Caucasian, she was in fact arrested in South Africa as a university student and incarcerated in solitary confinement without trial due to her resistance to Apartheid before finally being exiled and deported to England. And while Naidoo's experience as a political refugee in England were certainly a bit less traumatic due to her being White (as she herself has actually also publicly acknowledged), Beverly Naidoo was still forced from her homeland, she was still totally a refugee (in my opinion) when she first arrived in the United Kingdom (and that yes indeed, Naidoo's The Other Side of Truth, while perhaps not in fact an account one can consider as strictly being OwnVoices, definitely for and to me reads like Beverly Naidoo knows and has experienced firsthand much of what Sade and Femi have to deal with when they arrive as Nigerian refugees in England).

And with regard to The Other Side of Truth as a story, while I do at times wish that the author, that Beverly Naidoo would present not so many primary and secondary characters (as this tends to sometimes get a bit textually distracting), in retrospect, I readily admit that all of these are kind of necessary and essential as Naidoo with gripping suspensefulness combined with graceful but never overdone empathy describes in The Other Side of Truth how Sade and her younger bother Femi's comfortable and sheltered home life and world are turned completely upside down and inside-out by events totally beyond and out of their control (first in Nigeria and then later in London, England), with right on the first page of The Other Side of Truth Sade and Femi's mother being shot and killed in front of them by corrupt and "dirty" on-the-take Nigerian policemen, and she and Femi then spirited out of their home country and to England for their safety and protection. For Sade’s father is an honest but also idealistic and a bit politically naive Nigerian journalist, committed to telling the truth about the ruling Buttons, as he labels and calls the Nigerian Generals (illegally) in charge, and of course, the bullet that killed the mother had in fact been meant for him, for the father.

But sadly, once in the UK, Sade and Femi (penniless and poorly dressed for a cold and rainily dismal November in London), find that the uncle with whom they were supposed to live has disappeared, and suddenly homeless, they are placed in foster care, all the while struggling to officially apply for political asylum in England without further endangering anyone in Nigeria (and this of course primarily means Sade and Femi's father, who is also trying to leave and to hopefully join his children in England). And while the foster homes, the school system, and another refugee from Somalia, Mariam, do provide some comfort and normality for Sade and Femi in The Other Side of Truth (and that it is clearly stated by Beverly Naidoo that the children absolutely did need to be immediately removed from Nigeria, as the entire family, including Sade and Femi are clearly and obviously targets and meant to be executed), as an immigrant myself who totally did NOT AT ALL want to leave Germany when my family relocated to Canada when I was ten (and that I in fact rather despised Canada and really missed Germany for quite a long time), I majorly do appreciate Beverly Naidoo pointing out in The Other Side of Truth that Sade and Femi were taken to England very much against their will and that particularly Sade not only (and with justification) actively resents this but that she also massively misses Nigeria, does not enjoy her new life in England all that much and is experiencing huge instances of culture shock, anger and homesickness (and yes, that Sade missing Nigeria in The Other Side of Truth and having issues with England and English culture etc. is also and happily shown by Beverly Naidoo as being something completely natural, something acceptable, understandable and NOT EVER as a sign of ingratitude, of ungratefulness).

With important sociopolitical messages that children should feel safe and not have to fear for their lives in any country, and that refugees, that immigrants need to both be respected and should also not be simply expected to automatically and easily be able to adjust to their new countries of residence, The Other Side of Truth has for me been a very delightful and engaging, thought-provoking reading experience and with especially my inner ten year old child (who was totally unhappy as a new immigrant in Canada) feeling as though Beverly Naidoo speaks absolutely from my own heart (and for me) and that Sade is also very much a kindred spirit with her feeling isolated, adrift and not easily being able to right away assimilate to England and to British culture (and that this feeling of kingship in The Other Side of Truth with Sade and also with Femi and the sense of personal understanding by and from Beverly Naidoo, yes, my rating for The Other Side of Truth is definitely solidly and glowingly five stars).

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sade is slipping her English book into her schoolbag when Mama screams. Two sharp cracks splinter the air. She hears her father's fierce cry, rising, falling.
'No! No!'
The revving of a car engine and skidding of tires smother his voice.
...Papa is kneeling in the driveway, Mama partly curled up against him. One bare leg stretches out in front of her. His strong hands grip her, trying to halt the growing scarlet monster. But it has already spread down her bright white nurse's uniform. It stains the earth around them.
A few seconds, that is all. Later, it will always seem much longer."

Hmm. Can you say, intense opening?

My class this semester is focusing on young adult literature that deals with hardship, death, trauma, etc (we're reading at least four Holocaust books) and weren't exactly eased into this with The Other Side of Truth. It's narrated by 12-year-old Sade, who lives in Nigeria with her parents and younger brother. Her father is a journalist, one of the few who's willing to speak out against the corrupt government, and because of this two gunmen visit the family's home one morning. They try to shoot Sade's father, but hit and kill her mother instead. Dad decides it's high time to get the fuck outta Dodge, so he arranges for the kids to be smuggled out of the country and into London, where they'll stay with their uncle until their dad can join then.
Unfortunately, Sade and her brother Femi arrive in London, are left alone, and find out that their uncle is missing. Eventually they are placed in foster care and sent to school. This all has a happy ending, but things are pretty intense and depressing until then.

The writing is good (it should be, judging by how many awards this book has won) even if it gets repetitive after awhile. Sade has a habit of giving adults nicknames, like "Police Business Woman," "Video Man," and "Cool Gaze," which got old after the second time, and later on Naidoo is pretty determined to make us see that Sade's struggles against two bullies at her school are a parallel to the corrupt government in her home country - but these are all minor complaints. For the most part, it was a very sad but well-done story. Probably not for kids under 10, though, what with all the shooting and stuff.

Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sade lives in Nigeria with her mother (a nurse), her father (a journalist), and her younger brother, Femi. Her father writes articles for the last remaining newspaper in Nigeria that dares to publish the truth about Nigeria's brutal military government.

When their mother is killed by government gunmen, their father hires a woman to pose as their mother and smuggle them into London, where they will stay with an uncle. Their father plans to join them as soon as he can get a fake passport.

Sade and Femi make it to London, but are left alone when their uncle does not meet them at the airport. After some scary experiences while wandering around a strange new city, they are taken in by a government agency that works with refugees. Not wanting to put their father in danger back in Nigeria, they lie about their last name and hometown. When their father makes it to London, he is imprisoned for entering the country with a fake passport.

This is a beautifully written novel and the descriptions and metaphors are stunning. The only part of the story that didn't work for me was the fact that Sade, so brave and true to herself when it comes to bringing her father's story to light, does the opposite when faced with bullies at school. Perhaps it was more realistic the way Naidoo wrote it, but I really wanted to see Sade stand up to her personal bullies just like her dad.

This is a compelling and moving novel. A must-read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sade sees her Mom shot in the driveway of her home in Nigeria because her father who is a journalist has upset powerful people by publishing the truth. Sade and her brother are smuggled out of Nigeria to London to an uncle who lives there. But the woman who smuggles them out leaves them on their own and when they try to find their uncle, he is missing! They are alone in a foreign place and must find a way to survive. I think this book could teach us sympathy for the many students in our schools who have come from awful circumstances in their home countries and deserve our help and friendship. I loved the stories and old sayings of Nigeria in the book. “Tell a lie, play with fire, but don’t complain of the smoke.” “Don’t judge the village by the thief. If the dog steals will you punish the goat?”
Susan Huff, Library Media Specialist

[chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a really hard read. don't get me wrong, i really liked it, and the message behind is powerful and important, but it was really difficult for me get through the first half, where the children are mistreated over and over again.

i didn't know a lot about the political situation in nigeria back then, and this book really opened my eyes and let me learn a lot more about it. i'm also really glad that there's a happy ending, both in this novel, and in real-life Nigeria, where democracy was restored.

[Celia Buell (semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read a middle grade novel that didn't make me want to tear my hair out because it's so plotless, or there's no character development. As an education student, I feel like I need to make a list of the good ones that I can use as future read-alouds in a classroom, and well-written middle grade novels are increasingly hard to find.

I was a little wary about starting The Other Side of Truth after reading the novel I read just before this, as I knew this too was a young middle grade cultural novel. I am happy to say I was proven wrong.

The story follows twelve year old Sade (Sha-day) and her ten year old brother Femi as they find themselves Nigerian refugees in London, not knowing where their family is. In a lot of middle grade novels with similar themes, I find myself thinking authors don't usually know how to write characters who act the ages they're supposed to be, and instead write characters to be much older. This was not the case at all for Sade.

I recently tried looking at Harry Potter as an eleven year old kid making all the decisions he made at that age. Because of that, it was easy to read The Other Side of Truth in the same way. The things they decided to hide or keep secret based on what they knew of Nigeria, as well as based on what people told them, were all very real issues that kids face in a lot of different aspects. I especially liked the school scenes, because it's rare that I read good, solid, interpersonal school scenes that take place in the narrative of a refugee student. I thought the scenes with the bullies were especially well done, and even more so in the way Sade constantly analyzes them after the fact. I can definitely relate to that behavior.

In a lot of ways, this novel reminded me of Home is Beyond the Mountains, another middle grade refugee novel I appreciated a lot more than I expected to when I first read it in fifth grade. I think stories like these are very valuable to teach kids about the world around them, as well as to represent all students in books. I am always on the lookout for good diverse books to use in a future classroom, and this is definitely among those books.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting story of corruption in Nigeria, through the eyes of some children. Very informative and yet easy to read. I really enjoyed it.

[Fadillah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lying is not in your nature. Mama and I always brought you up to respect the truth. But you have both been thrown into a situation that has forced you to act secretly. Remember that it was your Uncle Tunde and I who sent you out of the country. No child should have to go through what you two have. But the dishonesty and rottenness of those who have power in our country have now gone very deep. You know how much I hate cheating and doing things underhand. Yet I myself used another man's passport.
- The other side of truth by Beverley Naidoo
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There are 2 things that reader need to know before reading this book. The first one is the story of Sade and Femi occurred right after the execution of Nigerian Writer Ken-Saro Wiwa. While this were categorised as fiction, at that time in Nigeria, many writers / journalists were being hunted, killed - simply because of they are critical towards the Nigeria’s Military Regime. The second one, Bevery Naido herself were forced to exile to England after being involved in the Anti Apartheid Movement. Thus, this story were built loosely around the real event and were written by the political refugee herself. It could not get more real than that. The story started with Mr. Folarin Solaja’s wife were being shot and died on the spot. In the early chapter, the story has set up that Mr. Folarin has been the loudest and the most outspoken critics towards the Nigeria government at that time. His wife constantly reminded him that his critics is too extreme but she never stopped him from writing (at least this is what i got from the memory of Sade and Femi of their late mother). Fearing that his kids and his other family members will face the same fate, He decided to leave the country illegally as their passport has been confiscated before. He send the kids first and he will join the journey afterwards. Little did he knew that Sade and Femi will be reported missing, detained by Police, held temporarily as the refugess status were unclear, shifted from one home to another and not to mention the trauma and culture shock of being moved away without any reliable guardian in London. I strongly believe that the story intended to educate us readers what its truly like for the kids to get caught a crossfire for the things that their parents did or the cause that their parents fighting on. While i understand that their father will always stand strong for his principles, i also wondered whether he thought of the repercussion of his action. As what uncle Tunde said to his father : “ Look, Folarin, we all know how brave you are. Braver than most of us. But are you wise? You say our country must have writers to tell the truth. But, tell me, what can you write from the grave? “ Overall, this is an engaging story and definitely not what i expected. My only complaint is there are some part of the story that were not concluded adequately.
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[Cristian G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response
I read The Other Side of Truth. I liked that the book was about a poor country with a corrupt government. I also liked how the author gave me a point of view of the refugees. I also liked how the author was so realistic with his descriptions and about the children and the situation they were in. It made me sad knowing that there are so many refugees that go to different countries just like Sade and Femi just to be safe.

Plot
Sade and Femi lived in Nigeria, which had a corrupt government. After their mother was killed, Sade’s father and uncle agreed that it was not safe for the children to stay in Nigeria. Sade’s father was a journalist and he published an article about the government. This angered a lot of people which lead to the death of Sade’s mother. Sade and Femi later fled with Mrs. Bankole to England, where they hope to find refuge. When they arrived in England, Mrs. Bankole abandoned the children and left. Without any money and nowhere to go, Sade and Femi decided to go to the college were their uncle Dele worked. They found no sign of their uncle and went to find refuge in a video store, but are mistaken for thiefs and the owner called the police. The police took them to a foster home and the children were later fostered by Mrs. Graham and then by a Jamaican family. The children went to different schools and later became reticent to one another. The children later found out that their father was caught trying to enter England illegally and was being held. They later release him from jail and Sade had hopes that one day they would travel back safely to Nigeria.

Characterization
Sade was the main character in the story. Sade changes at the way she looked at life and her country. With her mother dead, she became mature and knew what she had to do to survive and be safe . When she traveled to England, she saw England as a whole new world.

Sade and Femi were the protagonists all throughout the book. The children had to leave their own country for their safety. The Nigerian government was the antagonists. At the beginning of the book they killed Sade’s mother and threatened their family.

Setting
The setting was a huge part of the plot. Sade and Femi were born in Nigeria to a bad government, who later killed their mother. Sade and Femi later travel to London, England were they met new people. The setting was very important for the plot because it explained why Sade and Femi had to leave Nigeria and travel to a more secure country. This story took place in the present.

Recommendation
I recommend this book high school students because it is a book that has to be read by mature readers. Younger readers would not be able to comprehend the actual reality of this book. This book is an interesting book that can be read by any boy or girl who likes a good fictional book.

[Sathvik Balasubramanian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book by Beverley Naidoo. Lots of the descriptions have actually helped me in my writing. The book coaxed me in to read further and I genuinely enjoyed the action scenes very much. I would definitely recommend this to secondary school children as it also teaches young, naive students about the events going on around the world

[Paula Hartharn-Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another YA fiction. This tells the story of 2 young children from Nigeria who have to flee their country. Although total fiction it just makes you think what horrors some people have to go through.

[Ocean · Rating 2 out of 5]

While realistic I'm sure, this book is incredibly repetitive and bland.
It had potential, but the execution was poor.

[Kevin Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another read from the school store cupboard - trying to get through it all to see what is worth keeping and what is worth moving on.

Reading this makes a bit of a nonsense of buying ‘Boy at the back of the class’ as it is effectively the same story re-told. I guess that is a little unfair in that BATBOTC has brought the issue up to date for students who have seen the migrant crisis and what is happening in Syria on the news. Also the central protagonist being Muslim also helps our pupils connect with the text.

But this story, the first I have read by Naidoo is also excellent and in some ways the language is more beguiling. Also the cultural hints and stories from Nigeria are there as well as connecting the dots to other military regimes in Africa like Somalia.

It also reminds me again, albeit we get a very sugar-coated view of it in this youth fiction tales of refugees, what an incredible job the people in social work, the charity sector and fostering do for the most vulnerable in society.

[The Book Queen]

Gah. This was so boring and the characters were so uninteresting and annoying - especially Sade; I had no sympathy for her at all - that I had to put it down. I thought I was going to love this, after the first page, which immediately caught my attention, but Sade's immaturity and emotionless narration really got on my nerves.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very moving story of the plight of political refugees who sought asylum in the UK. When reading it today it needs to be considered that the author was giving her views of events 24 years ago and reflecting on the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria for daring to speak and write in opposition to a corrupt government. The situation now would demand a different angle on the story of migrants and their treatment.

Sade and Femi, the children in this book, are frightened and alone but can cling on to the hope that they will be reunited with their father and one day return home. Put in today's world and they would be traumatised by the sights and experiences of warfare or terrorist attacks, possibly orphaned, almost certainly abused and undeniably exploited. If they have a future anywhere it may be bleak. Sade and Femi are treated with compassion as the victims of their experiences - sometimes grudgingly but the empathy is there. In 2024, caught in a movement of large scale migration, they would become anonymous supplicants for charity and expected to be grateful for a bed and some food.

If I have any criticism of the book it is only with its style. To me it has schoolteacher written all over it. All the boxes of circumstances have been ticked, covering briefly a liberal-minded exposition of the problems. All people in uniforms are incapable of independent thought and sympathy, they exist to obey orders blindly and, while they may not be cruel, they are insensitive. Social workers, teachers and foster parents are overworked and underpaid but act as the nation's conscience. Schoolchildren, when they are not ambivalent, are hostile and even racist; however, they will receive their comeuppance at the end if they do not reform and apologise. Lawyers and journalists have hearts of gold. The victims must either sob quietly or work in the background to try and wake people up, but they must never show aggression or dissatisfaction. I may now be thinking as the author did: that just about covers everything before there can be a happy-ish ending.

Sade and Femi were lucky to find a benign television newsreader as he left work but before he could get to the pub, and I'm sure Mr. Solaja (papa) would be having a few words with Uncle Dele for not doing more to meet the children at the airport. However, such things are minor. It is a story that needed to be told and now needs updating in order to humanise the boat people risking everything to cross to the UK.

[trijnewijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zware onderwerpen, verpakt in een heel vlot leesbaar verhaal, geschreven met zoveel zorg en empathie voor de personages dat dit kinder/jeugdboek geschikt is voor pakweg 10+ (bonuspunten als je het zelf ook leest en er samen over kunt praten). Want de kinderen van vandaag zijn de beleidsmakers van morgen.

Er is politiek gemotiveerde moord door een corrupt regime, hals over kop alles moeten achterlaten wat je kent, met twee stranden in een compleet onbekend land zonder enige hulp, slechte ervaringen meemaken, dan toch hulp krijgen, pleegzorg, procedures voor asielzoekers en vluchtelingen, niet weten wat je kunt zeggen zodat je spreken niemand in gevaar brengt, sociale werkers, starten in een nieuwe school, pesterijen, zorg, empathie, vriendschap, liefde, het belang van menselijke procedures en nog zoveel meer.

Er zit veel in dit verhaal, heel veel. De auteur schreef iets waar de meeste mensen niet de juiste levenservaring voor hebben. Vluchten, procedures, culturele verschillen, je weg zoeken in een nieuw leven, het zijn onderwerpen waar niet zo veel kinderboeken over bestaan. En in de boeken die bestaan worden de procedures vaak simpeler voorgesteld om het behapbaarder te maken, of wordt taal de reden van terugtrekken en stilzwijgen. Dit boek schuwt de complexiteit niet. Met veel respect en empathie krijgen Sade en Femi een stem, hulp en het recht om zoekend te zijn.

Dit boek is een krachtig antigif tegen de anti migratie stemmen die al erg luid zijn en nog steeds luider lijken te worden in Europa. Het herinnert je aan wat er schort aan steeds rechtser wordend beleid en media die vluchtelingen en andere migranten ontmenselijkt.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen-year-old Sade and her younger brother Femi live a pleasant suburban life in Nigeria, with a nice house, a loving family and a great school nearby where they enjoy their studies. It’s certainly not the ‘deprived’ impression that we’re so often given of life in West Africa. The trouble is that their father is a man for whom Truth is the only way and as a journalist who expresses opinions that the authorities would prefer not to see, his life and that of his family is endangered. The idyllic childhood is shattered when the children’s mother is savagely killed on the doorstep of their home. The assassins make it plain that it’s the father that they are really after. A sinister phone caller tells the family that the killers don’t mind in the least if they need to kill the entire family before they get round to dispatching the father. Faced with a mortal threat to the family, Sade’s father and uncle quickly arrange to send the children out of the country in the ‘care’ of a trafficker who has passports for children who match Sade and Femi’s ages. Whilst their father believes he’s sending them to a place of safety with another uncle, things go badly awry when the children arrive in London and end up being looked after by foster parents whilst the family fights for the right to remain as asylum seekers.

It’s not my habit to read children’s books. Even when it seemed that you were nobody without a copy of the latest Harry Potter, I couldn’t really see the point. So it was a bit of a surprise when I realised – I’m a bit slow, it was almost halfway through – that the book I’d picked was actually intended for a much younger target audience. There were surprisingly few clues to tip me off. The cover design and back cover synopsis gave no hints that this was anything other than a regular adult novel. I sat on a plane, wading through the book, thinking only that the ‘voice’ of Sade had a degree of authenticity and youth that I appreciated for its simplicity and clarity.

'The Other Side of Truth' is a Carnegie prize-winning novel by South African-born author Beverley Naidoo. I’ll confess that I didn’t know what the Carnegie prize was until I googled it and it became apparent that this was a leading children’s writing award endorsed by librarians. Once I knew it was intended for children, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment – if anything it impressed me even more that such a worthwhile book had been targeted at a group who almost certainly lack the insight into the refugee experience that this book offers. How many children who read this will have overheard unfortunate references to ‘bloody immigrants’ and picked up on negativity towards asylum seekers? How many have children in their classes at school who might have a background similar to Sade and Femi and whom they might have been tempted to bully and tease for their sense of ‘otherness’?

The realisation that this was a children’s book dawned slowly as I spotted that the things which happened to the children were a lot less awful than I’d feared. In an adult book the horrors that might await two young children abandoned in London would be much more disturbing – indeed, too disturbing for a young audience. I was expecting a Victoria Climbie scenario, or Sade locked in a cupboard forced to be a ‘maid’ to an evil ‘auntie’ or driven into prostitution, drugs and violence or drawn into the ‘dark arts’ of child exorcism in fundamentalist churches. Thankfully my imaginings were utterly misplaced and I was spared all of that. The focus instead was on the sense of loss, loneliness and yearning for missing parents and home were developed through the pages and the inner conflict of a child taught to tell the truth but temporarily forced to live a lie. Instead of the horrors I feared, we see that potential tragedy is averted by the kindness of strangers – the social workers who support them, the foster parents who go out of their way to offer love and support, and the teachers who try to help them fit into their new schools. Sade is bullied by two girls at her school but finds redemption through friendship and confession and shows her love for her father by taking on the establishment to fight his case for refugee status. Set in the late 1990s in the direct aftermath of the killing of Ken Saro-Wiwa, I couldn’t help but think this is the sort of book that should inspire young readers to find out more about human rights abuse.

The themes are heavy and important ones that may be new to young readers but they are communicated with admirable clarity and insight. This book will help readers to understand that life in Nigeria isn’t all ‘mud huts and spears’, that children there can be just like them with nice homes, loving families and friends and happy lives, and that refugees and asylum seekers aren’t all flooding into the UK in search of hand-outs and free benefits. Indeed, many like the family in this novel have given up far more than they can ever gain in material things, just to look for a place of safety.

In positioning the foster carers and social workers as lovely kind people who give the children the time and space to settle in and don’t force them to tell their stories, we get a very different image of the caring professions than we’re exposed to in the media – and it’s a very welcome impression too. I’m sure that the vast majority of such people are good guys and it’s a shame that only the rotten apples make it onto our TV screens and into our newspapers.

From my childhood, some of the books that really stuck in my mind were ones which tackled disturbing issues like those covered in this book. I still clearly remember books about the Holocaust and the Vietnam war long after the everyday tales of happy childhoods are long forgotten. I hope that in 'The Other Side of Truth;, Naidoo will leave a similar impression on her readers and open their eyes to today’s injustices.

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sade and Femi find themselves caught in the centre of a political assassination when their mother is shot outside of their home by masked attackers. Their father, an outspoken, Nigerian journalist, must get them out of the country before they become targets too and chooses to send them off to their uncle in London, promising to join them as soon as it is safe. Yet their journey is fraught with danger, abuse and mistrust and soon Sade and Femi find themselves alone in a foreign city.

Perhaps based upon the story of Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed in 1995 for speaking out against the military regime at the time, The Other Side of Truth is an extremely well-woven narrative around a family's refuge and escape from political oppression. Told from the viewpoint of twelve-year-old Sade, Naidoo, whisks us across to a familiar land to the reader yet unfamiliar to brother and sister: a well-considered and powerful device in this circumstance. With no knowledge whether their father is alive or not, we the children are passed from pillar to post within the care system whilst the story of their father slowly builds up towards a powerful climax that highlights the corruption with in their home country.

A novel for KS3 readers and above which sheds light upon political oppression in other countries and introduces its readers to that need for justice and freedom.

[Bella Norfolk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, although it sparked family rememberance it was amazing to follow this family on their journey. This book was incredibly touching and it was lovely to be able to invisage all the characters. I loved to humerous aspects of all the nicknames. On top of that, the book was moving in a way that I didn't expect. The journey that the reader follows is magical. Although this book was great, it brings emotions to the surface about loss of family members, friends and pets. On a positive note, this book will be one of my favourites for a long time.

[Zack McDonnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Side of Truth is a very well written novel by Beverly Naidoo. With very clever writing techniques like similes and writing in italics what Sade saw in her dreams. Beverly Naidoo has created very contrasting characters which makes the book a very enjoyable read. A good example of that is Sade and Femi, Sade is a very adventurous and determined character while Femi is more shy and quiet. The other side of truth really opens the readers eyes to the challenges of asylum seekers, which can come as a shock to the majority of readers. Overall, The Other Side of Truth is a very well written novel which I would definitely recommend to curious readers.

[April Denton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I gave this book a 3.5 not for the quality but for the quantity.
I, personally, thought the majority of the book was good, the few chapters of the book where I really wanted to read were the episodes of where Femi and Sade (char-day) went to 7'oclock news to find the reporter that could help their dad. I thought the writing style Beverly has is excellent and I would love to read some more of her books in the future. This time I just didn't like the story, I suppose.
-A

[Nadhira Ramadhani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read with a mix of volatile emotions that I didn't want to put the book down! Eye-opener to those who want to see what goes on in our World! Though it might have been set in 1995, it still faces relevant in today's issue. Rare do I find a novel that I would like to read for a second time straight-away. If its possible, a good novel to introduce at KEY stage 2.

[Louise O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and honest YA fiction about a refugee family forced to flee their homes to the UK. Such an incredibly eye-opening, moving, important book, that leaves the reader thinking about the corruption in the world.

[nicole chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is heartbreaking. I really just wanted to make everything better for Sade and Femi. It shows all the hardships of fleeing to a new country without being too graphic. I feel like this would be a good book to teach in school.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just really liked this book a lot for some reason

[Liam Quick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book by Beverely naidoo, great atmosphere I would highly recommend.

[Soha Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

3ish stars.

This is the book that broke my year-long hiatus from reading. Super simple language, good message.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a powerful children’s book. I’m quite ashamed to say that I haven’t read a fiction novel about people seeking asylum in Britain before. How these two children were treated upon their arrival was difficult to read. At one point the siblings are abandoned, lost and alone, asking for directions but no one will help them and it hurt my heart to know that in busy London, when you’re just trying to battle the crowds, this could be easily done. They don’t know the customs, they get robbed and they don’t know where to go, or who can help them. I’m just relieved this story had a happy ending because I don’t think I could have coped otherwise. The sad reality is that happy endings don’t come for everyone in similar situations.