Under Fire

by Sufiya Ahmed, Unknown Author

Join 12-year-old Anglo-Indian boy Hasan in 1943, after his family's life in Coventry is upturned during the Blitz and his parents send him to live with his grandpa in Calcutta.

When he reaches India, Hasan is quickly introduced to a world of inequality, secrets and codebreaking. After befriending a strong-minded girl named Jaya, the pair soon decide to stand up for what they believe is fighting for freedom.

An exciting and heartfelt WW2 adventure featuring an engaging, brave and determined preteen, from the brilliant author of the Rosie Raja series. Follow Hasan as he uncovers more about war, injustice and secret messages. Perfect for fans of Michael Morpurgo and Emma Carroll, and those looking for diverse historical fiction.

Genres: Historical

208 pages, Paperback

Published August 28, 2025

About the author

Sufiya Ahmed was born in India and arrived in the UK as a baby. She lived in Bolton, Lancashire, before moving to London where she still lives. Sufiya has worked in advertising and in the House of Commons, but is now a full-time author. In 2010 Sufiya set up the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation, to arrange visits to the Houses of Parliament for diverse and underprivileged school children.

Reviews

[Emma Rizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book that hooks the reader right from the start. Follow Hasan as he leaves Coventry during the war and joins his grandpa in Calcutta where adventure awaits.
But this is more than just an adventure story and Sufiya Ahmend is unashamedly honest in her use of historical content and trauma. She seamlessly weaves it into the story naturally and innocently through dialogue between Hasan; his friend, Jaya; and other characters.
I finished this story with a tissue in hand and my mind awash with her gift of a story so compelling, I could not put it down.
Suitable for UKS2 and KS3 and would be fantastic in any school library.

[Rose Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great read - India before the partition during WW2 through a child's eyes, a child from mixed heritage - Anglo/ Indian and he hasn't come across "non-whites" areas and segregation before so quite an eye opener to him when he had to travel to India to be with his wealthy White British grandfather. he is also suffering from PTSD from when his house in Coventry was bombed by the Nazis and his sister was killed, and he keeps getting flashbacks to this.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting bit of history I didn't know anything about