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The Freezies
144 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2024
6 people want to read
About the author
Farrukh Dhondy
60 books16 followersFarrukh Dhondy is an Indian-born British writer, playwright, screenwriter and left-wing activist of Parsi descent. He is well known not only for his writing, but also for his film and TV work.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 10, 2025
Full review on my blog:
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2025/07/bo...
Kai Armstrong(Kai), Suleikha (Sully) and Leonard(Leo) referred to themselves as Freezies as they have been frozen out of the popular groups at school. When an old battered school bus with a trailer attached arrived in their village Jolyton, parked on the open green Mead, the residents of the village turn hostile towards the owner of the bus — Mr Christaki. Multiple attempts are made to evacuate the stranger, but Leo’s parents allow Mr Christaki to park his bus in their garden.
Christaki initially bought old musical instruments from flea markets, repaired them and sold them as seconds, but slowly started repairing all sorts of items for Leo’s family. He later on started teaching musical instruments to the Freezies and was also invited by their school to teach the chorus for a Christmas school play. Christaki renovated the Water Meadow House and stayed there, brought home a four-year-old girl Miriam during his last visit to London and slowly became part of the small community.
Just as Christaki seemed to have settled down in Jolyton, he and Miriam go missing one day. Will the Freezies be able to find the reason behind Christaki’s disappearance and will he return back to Jolyton forms the rest of the story.
Set in a fictional quaint Britain village, Freezies narrates the story of three best friends and how their life changes with the arrival of a stranger. The story begins slowly introducing the three friends, their parents and backgrounds, but picks pace once Christaki starts getting involved in their lives in multiple ways. I loved the story being narrated from POVs of the three kids, alternating between each of them, giving the story varied nuances.
I liked the backdrop of a small village as it gave the story old-world-charm that we miss around us now. The fact that everyone knew everyone else in such small places meant people looked out for others but also involved local politics and people plotting against each other. The three kids are smart, and mature beyond their age but are also naughty at times.
The author maintains the mystery around Christaki’s character till the end which keeps the reader intrigued. In Young Adult fiction, we often see either fantasy or high school romance; this story is such a fresh idea — that YA fiction can be about kindness, immigration and journalism. The underlying theme of the kids' talent in music gels well with the narration.
Pick this one for the message on prejudice is subtle but effective.
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2025/07/bo...
Kai Armstrong(Kai), Suleikha (Sully) and Leonard(Leo) referred to themselves as Freezies as they have been frozen out of the popular groups at school. When an old battered school bus with a trailer attached arrived in their village Jolyton, parked on the open green Mead, the residents of the village turn hostile towards the owner of the bus — Mr Christaki. Multiple attempts are made to evacuate the stranger, but Leo’s parents allow Mr Christaki to park his bus in their garden.
Christaki initially bought old musical instruments from flea markets, repaired them and sold them as seconds, but slowly started repairing all sorts of items for Leo’s family. He later on started teaching musical instruments to the Freezies and was also invited by their school to teach the chorus for a Christmas school play. Christaki renovated the Water Meadow House and stayed there, brought home a four-year-old girl Miriam during his last visit to London and slowly became part of the small community.
Just as Christaki seemed to have settled down in Jolyton, he and Miriam go missing one day. Will the Freezies be able to find the reason behind Christaki’s disappearance and will he return back to Jolyton forms the rest of the story.
Set in a fictional quaint Britain village, Freezies narrates the story of three best friends and how their life changes with the arrival of a stranger. The story begins slowly introducing the three friends, their parents and backgrounds, but picks pace once Christaki starts getting involved in their lives in multiple ways. I loved the story being narrated from POVs of the three kids, alternating between each of them, giving the story varied nuances.
I liked the backdrop of a small village as it gave the story old-world-charm that we miss around us now. The fact that everyone knew everyone else in such small places meant people looked out for others but also involved local politics and people plotting against each other. The three kids are smart, and mature beyond their age but are also naughty at times.
The author maintains the mystery around Christaki’s character till the end which keeps the reader intrigued. In Young Adult fiction, we often see either fantasy or high school romance; this story is such a fresh idea — that YA fiction can be about kindness, immigration and journalism. The underlying theme of the kids' talent in music gels well with the narration.
Pick this one for the message on prejudice is subtle but effective.
October 15, 2025
What are three twelve-year-olds who don't quite fit in? In Farrukh Dhondy's energetic new novel, they refer to themselves as The Freezies, not because they're cool as ice, but because they're being kept out in the cold by the school popularity rankings. And it's from this tasty awkward place that a tale of friendship, mischief, and rebellion begins.
Suleikha, Leo, and Kai have grown accustomed to being relegated to the sidelines, until a strange van rolls into their English village. Within its walls is Mr. Christaki, a rumpled violin teacher with more character than sheen. For the Freezies, he's a godsend: someone who looks at them not as leftovers but as a group worth learning and believing in. But in a village where difference provokes suspicion, his arrival incites prejudice. And when he vanishes little Miriam, four years old and in his charge along with him, the Freezies are had enough of being doormats. If grown-ups are not going to play it right, perhaps three self-proclaimed misfits can.
Dhondy's style has a mischievous twinkle. The teasing between the children is authentic: goofy nicknames, half-baked schemes, and that tension between bluster and uncertainty that every pre-teen knows. But under the humor lies something more substantial questions of who is included, what it is to be "foreign," and why compassion so frequently gives way to suspicion. The best part is that none of this rings heavy-handed. The politics insinuate themselves sideways, through the eyes of children who simply want to be fair to someone they like.
Freezies is hilarious, fast-moving, and respectfully rebellious. It reminds you that outsiders are apt to see truths the insiders overlook—and that sometimes the loudest voices aren't necessary to pull off the greatest feats. Whether you're twelve or thirty-five, you'll want to be part of the gang.
Suleikha, Leo, and Kai have grown accustomed to being relegated to the sidelines, until a strange van rolls into their English village. Within its walls is Mr. Christaki, a rumpled violin teacher with more character than sheen. For the Freezies, he's a godsend: someone who looks at them not as leftovers but as a group worth learning and believing in. But in a village where difference provokes suspicion, his arrival incites prejudice. And when he vanishes little Miriam, four years old and in his charge along with him, the Freezies are had enough of being doormats. If grown-ups are not going to play it right, perhaps three self-proclaimed misfits can.
Dhondy's style has a mischievous twinkle. The teasing between the children is authentic: goofy nicknames, half-baked schemes, and that tension between bluster and uncertainty that every pre-teen knows. But under the humor lies something more substantial questions of who is included, what it is to be "foreign," and why compassion so frequently gives way to suspicion. The best part is that none of this rings heavy-handed. The politics insinuate themselves sideways, through the eyes of children who simply want to be fair to someone they like.
Freezies is hilarious, fast-moving, and respectfully rebellious. It reminds you that outsiders are apt to see truths the insiders overlook—and that sometimes the loudest voices aren't necessary to pull off the greatest feats. Whether you're twelve or thirty-five, you'll want to be part of the gang.
July 3, 2025
The Freezies drew me in with its quiet charm and then surprised me with its emotional depth. On the surface, it's a story about three outcast children—the Freezies—who stumble upon a mysterious man living in an abandoned bus. But beneath that, it's a thoughtful meditation on prejudice, belonging, and the quiet courage of those often overlooked. Suleikha, Leo, and Kai are beautifully drawn, each carrying their own quiet heartbreaks, and I loved how their bond felt both tender and real.
What stood out to me most was Mr Christaki. He’s a fascinating character—scruffy, enigmatic, and kind in a way that unsettles people who are used to neat boxes and tidy explanations. His gentle influence on the children, especially through music, adds an uplifting thread to the story. The narrative does a wonderful job capturing the tense, sometimes claustrophobic dynamics of a small village where fear of the unknown often overpowers empathy.
Read the full review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
What stood out to me most was Mr Christaki. He’s a fascinating character—scruffy, enigmatic, and kind in a way that unsettles people who are used to neat boxes and tidy explanations. His gentle influence on the children, especially through music, adds an uplifting thread to the story. The narrative does a wonderful job capturing the tense, sometimes claustrophobic dynamics of a small village where fear of the unknown often overpowers empathy.
Read the full review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
July 2, 2025
Good one. Quite enjoyable. And a fine way of introducing middle graders to serious stuff and realities of the world like immigration and war and terrorism and law and good vs. bad type of journalism and employment, and other good stuff also like "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews