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Boy 87
Shif is just an ordinary schoolboy who loves chess and playing with his best friend. But, one day, he is forced to leave home to avoid conscription into the army. He embarks on an epic journey, in which he encounters dangers and cruelties - and great acts of human kindness - as he bravely makes his way to a future he can only imagine.
Told in the powerful first person, this startling debut novel will encourage understanding and empathy in young readers, and allow the news headlines of the day to resonate with the humanity involved in creating them.
Told in the powerful first person, this startling debut novel will encourage understanding and empathy in young readers, and allow the news headlines of the day to resonate with the humanity involved in creating them.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2018
53 people are currently reading
1624 people want to read
About the author
Ele Fountain
11 books38 followersEle Fountain worked as an editor in children’s publishing where she was responsible for launching and nurturing the careers of many prize-winning and bestselling authors.
She lived in Addis Ababa for several years, where she was inspired to write Boy 87, her debut novel. Ele lives in what she describes as a “not quite falling down house” in Hampshire with her husband, two young daughters and lots of spiders.
She lived in Addis Ababa for several years, where she was inspired to write Boy 87, her debut novel. Ele lives in what she describes as a “not quite falling down house” in Hampshire with her husband, two young daughters and lots of spiders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
June 29, 2022
Such a powerful story. Seeing the life they are forced to live and the risk it takes fleeing from a bad country. This made me tear up several times. Beautifully written. Seems more of the young adult content for writing and sizing of texts, but a powerful story worth reading for any age.
March 27, 2022
My poor heart 😌🤧
Middle Grade recommendation
*historical fiction based on true events
*theme: refugees and their struggles
This is the story of a boy called Shif who started his life like any other normal kid studying and dreaming about big things for his future. One day soldiers turned up at his school suddenly and things never returned back to normal for him and his best friend Bini.
He also found out about his father who he believed died in a hospital was actually in prison somewhere else!
All the kids including him and Bini got scouted for service. Things get more difficult to survive in this situation and they thought they had to escape. They made a plan to do so and somehow Shif escaped (I felt so bad for Bini).
The second part of the story focuses on Shif’s struggle to survive. He got to meet new friends and some amazing and not so amazing people on this journey. But meeting someone who feels like family is the ultimate best thing anyone could ever wish for when you don’t know if you are going to live or drown in danger any given moment.
Trigger warnings for assault and violence.
This book surprised me. I feel this is such an underrated book!
There are so many heartbreaking moments but ultimately I found hope. Prayers for all the refugees out there who are struggling everyday. May you get to live with your near and dear ones.
Middle Grade recommendation
*historical fiction based on true events
*theme: refugees and their struggles
This is the story of a boy called Shif who started his life like any other normal kid studying and dreaming about big things for his future. One day soldiers turned up at his school suddenly and things never returned back to normal for him and his best friend Bini.
He also found out about his father who he believed died in a hospital was actually in prison somewhere else!
All the kids including him and Bini got scouted for service. Things get more difficult to survive in this situation and they thought they had to escape. They made a plan to do so and somehow Shif escaped (I felt so bad for Bini).
The second part of the story focuses on Shif’s struggle to survive. He got to meet new friends and some amazing and not so amazing people on this journey. But meeting someone who feels like family is the ultimate best thing anyone could ever wish for when you don’t know if you are going to live or drown in danger any given moment.
Trigger warnings for assault and violence.
This book surprised me. I feel this is such an underrated book!
There are so many heartbreaking moments but ultimately I found hope. Prayers for all the refugees out there who are struggling everyday. May you get to live with your near and dear ones.
March 10, 2019
This was a book I think I wanted to like more than I actually did. I think it's a perfect book for its target audience, especially in how it tackles some really difficult themes and real-world conflicts through the lens of the child main character. However, in comparison to some of the other very powerful books on the same or similar subjects, this book just felt weakly written.
Shif, is a clever and resourceful, but timid boy, living in an unnamed Middle Eastern country affected by government crackdowns, corruption, and violence. He attends school with his best friend Bini, excels in Mathematics and chess, and hopes one day to be an engineer or a maths teacher. When the threat of compulsory military service arrives too soon, the boys have to prepare to leave the country on a terribly unknown journey to somewhere safer. But caught in the act of almost-leaving, Shiff and Bini are instead captured and taken to a prison camp in the desert, locked up in a shipping container. There they hear the stories of others who have spent many years incarcerated there, and understand that they have to escape, not only for themselves, but so that those voices can be heard too.
Boy 87 is a very moving story in a lot of ways. Much of its emotional potency definitely comes from its subject matter and the very real reflections that can be drawn from Shif's experiences to the real experiences of many refugees escaping conflicts around the world. I expected it to be more about the journey, and especially the crossing of the Mediterranean sea, and quite liked that my expectations there were twisted a little and the story shifted its scope. Friendship is really wonderfully explored in this book, with Shif's close relationship with his childhood friend Bini, as well as another character he makes friends with later.
The story's well plotted, and the pacing was consistent enough to keep me engaged, but the ending felt rather sudden and without the lift of hope I think was intended. Mostly, this book was only three stars for me because the writing was just nothing special. There were a few lines that stood out, but the majority is simple and quite telling, which I think would be good and accessible for more reluctant or struggling readers. For me, it lacked a sense of depth and character that I really love, and felt a bit too generic to be memorable.
Shif, is a clever and resourceful, but timid boy, living in an unnamed Middle Eastern country affected by government crackdowns, corruption, and violence. He attends school with his best friend Bini, excels in Mathematics and chess, and hopes one day to be an engineer or a maths teacher. When the threat of compulsory military service arrives too soon, the boys have to prepare to leave the country on a terribly unknown journey to somewhere safer. But caught in the act of almost-leaving, Shiff and Bini are instead captured and taken to a prison camp in the desert, locked up in a shipping container. There they hear the stories of others who have spent many years incarcerated there, and understand that they have to escape, not only for themselves, but so that those voices can be heard too.
Boy 87 is a very moving story in a lot of ways. Much of its emotional potency definitely comes from its subject matter and the very real reflections that can be drawn from Shif's experiences to the real experiences of many refugees escaping conflicts around the world. I expected it to be more about the journey, and especially the crossing of the Mediterranean sea, and quite liked that my expectations there were twisted a little and the story shifted its scope. Friendship is really wonderfully explored in this book, with Shif's close relationship with his childhood friend Bini, as well as another character he makes friends with later.
The story's well plotted, and the pacing was consistent enough to keep me engaged, but the ending felt rather sudden and without the lift of hope I think was intended. Mostly, this book was only three stars for me because the writing was just nothing special. There were a few lines that stood out, but the majority is simple and quite telling, which I think would be good and accessible for more reluctant or struggling readers. For me, it lacked a sense of depth and character that I really love, and felt a bit too generic to be memorable.
July 22, 2019
As I’ve read a number of refugee stories over the last couple years, I’m amazed at just how different each one is (and just how much more I learn about each unique situation that so many face as they attempt to escape terrifying lives in their countries of origin). In this story, 14-year-old Shif is a bright student who has just recently discovered the truth of his father’s disappearance many years ago. Now he faces a potentially cruel introduction to the armed services, being called a traitor to his country. His mother immediately arranges travel for his quick escape with his best friend, but their packed backs are discovered before they can even leave. This story is based on real life experiences and is certain to keep readers on the edge of their seat–possibly finishing in just one sitting. We need more of these stories in our schools and children’s/teen libraries, everywhere!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
November 21, 2018
Harrowing story of how a young person becomes an immigrant...
A nameless country, a young man and his story of circumstances that conspire to force him into considering leaving his home and family behind.
Shif is 14, and along with his best friend Bini, loves school, chess and maths. After the disappearance/death of his father, with his mother fearing they will be forced into military service and never return, Shif and Bini prepare to flee.
The story takes some rather dark turns, with the two boys subjected to horrific situations, potentially upsetting for some readers, as they illustrate for us what life can mean in countries that we don't hear much about.
Shif makes a moving narrator, especially on the audiobook as him speaking directly to us adds a layer of authenticity and realism. His story a perfect way into topics of emigration and refugees. The book does not delve into such graphic content that younger readers would be excluded, but I would say a readership of age 10 and above would best be able to cope with the subject matter, and that parents/teachers should make themselves aware of the content first, so they are on hand to discuss and answer questions.
A nameless country, a young man and his story of circumstances that conspire to force him into considering leaving his home and family behind.
Shif is 14, and along with his best friend Bini, loves school, chess and maths. After the disappearance/death of his father, with his mother fearing they will be forced into military service and never return, Shif and Bini prepare to flee.
The story takes some rather dark turns, with the two boys subjected to horrific situations, potentially upsetting for some readers, as they illustrate for us what life can mean in countries that we don't hear much about.
Shif makes a moving narrator, especially on the audiobook as him speaking directly to us adds a layer of authenticity and realism. His story a perfect way into topics of emigration and refugees. The book does not delve into such graphic content that younger readers would be excluded, but I would say a readership of age 10 and above would best be able to cope with the subject matter, and that parents/teachers should make themselves aware of the content first, so they are on hand to discuss and answer questions.
June 23, 2018
A powerful story. I’d be happy to share this with a confident, resilient, secure class of Y6 children, it provides opportunities for rich discussions about poverty and injustice and cruelty, but I’d urge caution - the main character is often in real peril and he experiences the violent loss of people he is close to. Read the whole novel before you think about sharing it with a whole class and watch very closely any child who chooses to read it independently
The violence and death does happen ‘off screen’, there’s nothing explicit in the text, but the reader is absolutely aware that people have died.
I liked the structural device of starting the story with a flash-forward that’s then repeated verbatim at the end with an extension of that episode which finishes the story in a very satisfying way. We always know where the main character is headed and that gives us some security.
The violence and death does happen ‘off screen’, there’s nothing explicit in the text, but the reader is absolutely aware that people have died.
I liked the structural device of starting the story with a flash-forward that’s then repeated verbatim at the end with an extension of that episode which finishes the story in a very satisfying way. We always know where the main character is headed and that gives us some security.
February 7, 2018
Shif, a young boy in a nameless but presumably Middle Eastern country, flees to avoid conscription. It's the start of a long journey to what he hopes will be freedom in England, meeting and losing different people along the way. The country is nameless, but the journey echoes those many people, many children, are being forced to take simply to stay alive. This is a heartfelt little book; it would be great to use in a classroom as the start of a discussion about refugees.
Be aware, while the actual violence is restricted to some pushes and shoves and some 'offscreen' shooting, it's clear that some characters die during the book. A boat tips over and it's clear some people have drowned.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Be aware, while the actual violence is restricted to some pushes and shoves and some 'offscreen' shooting, it's clear that some characters die during the book. A boat tips over and it's clear some people have drowned.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
January 23, 2019
A simple style with a powerful punch.
Shif is a clever young boy. He has plans for his future and intends to teach after his military training. What he doesn’t know is that so much of what he’s been told is a cover-up.
Shif ends up with soldiers coming for him. He is taken to a detention centre in the desert, manages to escape and has a traumatic time trying to get back to what he knew.
In a straightforward, even simple way we are shown just how easily someone can end up on the wrong side of a regime and it gives some insight into what the story might be behind those seeking refuge in another country.
Shif is a clever young boy. He has plans for his future and intends to teach after his military training. What he doesn’t know is that so much of what he’s been told is a cover-up.
Shif ends up with soldiers coming for him. He is taken to a detention centre in the desert, manages to escape and has a traumatic time trying to get back to what he knew.
In a straightforward, even simple way we are shown just how easily someone can end up on the wrong side of a regime and it gives some insight into what the story might be behind those seeking refuge in another country.
February 4, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters but i feel that the ending was very rushed and i still wanted too find out more about them and about what happened too them
December 11, 2019
Rufgee 87 is the heartbreaking and inspirational story of Shif, his best friend, Bini, and their journey to Europe as refugees escaping military conscription in their home country.
The story is fast-paced and told in a spare, but compelling language. The reader is immediately drawn into Shif’s impoverished but full life as a young student with a sharp mind and love of beating his best friend, Bini, at chess. In Shif’s home country it’s common practice for teens to join the military and serve a minimum amount of years facing arduous physical conditions and entrapment, never to return home again. Unfortunately for Shif, his father was labeled as a dissenter by the government and detained several years earlier. This left Shif, his mother and younger sister alone with a target placed on their backs. Since then Shif has been keeping his head down and in his books, but a chance encounter with the military while out buying produce puts him on their radar. Fearing retaliation, Shif’s mother begins to make plans with Bini’s mother, Saba, to expedite the boys to safety. But before their plan can be put into motion the military comes for the boys unexpectedly. Bini and Shif must leave their family and belongings behind with nothing but the clothes on their backs and some money Shif’s mother had sewn into his shoes many nights earlier. This forward-thinking act from his mother and Shif’s quick wits help the boys navigate many perilous situations throughout the story, including a prison camp, refugee traffickers, and other adults looking to take advantage of their situation. Amidst the heart-pounding tension are themes of friendship, trust, and help from kind strangers along the way that propels the reader from the beginning to the end of Shif’s journey. I can’t go divulge too much about the plot without getting into spoilers, but this book was breathtaking and incredibly relevant concerning the present-day refugee crisis.
An interesting note form the author states that the countries mentioned in the story are never specifically named, as Shif’s story can be applied to children across the world today—Central America, Syria, Myanmar, and South Sudan, though there are clues left in the text for the reader if they wish to dig deeper and trace Shif’s journey for themselves. For similar titles check out “Refugee” by Alan Gratz and the graphic novel, “Illegal” by Eoin Colfer.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
The story is fast-paced and told in a spare, but compelling language. The reader is immediately drawn into Shif’s impoverished but full life as a young student with a sharp mind and love of beating his best friend, Bini, at chess. In Shif’s home country it’s common practice for teens to join the military and serve a minimum amount of years facing arduous physical conditions and entrapment, never to return home again. Unfortunately for Shif, his father was labeled as a dissenter by the government and detained several years earlier. This left Shif, his mother and younger sister alone with a target placed on their backs. Since then Shif has been keeping his head down and in his books, but a chance encounter with the military while out buying produce puts him on their radar. Fearing retaliation, Shif’s mother begins to make plans with Bini’s mother, Saba, to expedite the boys to safety. But before their plan can be put into motion the military comes for the boys unexpectedly. Bini and Shif must leave their family and belongings behind with nothing but the clothes on their backs and some money Shif’s mother had sewn into his shoes many nights earlier. This forward-thinking act from his mother and Shif’s quick wits help the boys navigate many perilous situations throughout the story, including a prison camp, refugee traffickers, and other adults looking to take advantage of their situation. Amidst the heart-pounding tension are themes of friendship, trust, and help from kind strangers along the way that propels the reader from the beginning to the end of Shif’s journey. I can’t go divulge too much about the plot without getting into spoilers, but this book was breathtaking and incredibly relevant concerning the present-day refugee crisis.
An interesting note form the author states that the countries mentioned in the story are never specifically named, as Shif’s story can be applied to children across the world today—Central America, Syria, Myanmar, and South Sudan, though there are clues left in the text for the reader if they wish to dig deeper and trace Shif’s journey for themselves. For similar titles check out “Refugee” by Alan Gratz and the graphic novel, “Illegal” by Eoin Colfer.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
December 21, 2019
This review is also available on my blog,
Unsupervised in a Bookstore
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This is a short and deceptively simple book, following fourteen-year-old Shif as he makes the dangerous journey from his home in Africa to find safety in Europe. The plot is straightforward, and the first-person narration is pared-back, childlike, and sincere. At first glance, the storytelling feels simple, but there is just enough here to allow the reader to connect with Shif, and to experience the frightening events of the story with him. The elegant, spare language gives the reader clear insights into Shif's character, his hopes and dreams for the future, and his ability to survive the trials of the journey. Nothing is over-dramatised, but the threats and the danger feel real.
With its simple storytelling and short length, 'Boy 87' feels like a book for younger children, but the events Shif describes require a YA level of maturity to understand and connect with. As an adult I found the story truly frightening, imagining what it would feel like to have to leave your home, escape to another country, and trust people smugglers to take you on the dangerous sea-crossing. This isn't heroic YA. It isn't a story of adventure or triumph. But it is an insight into the motivations of the migrants who try again and again to reach safety in Europe. Shif's experiences are relatable, haunting, and undoubtedly realistic, and the book would make a great introduction to the subject of migration, majority/minority world politics, and the value of human life.
'Boy 87' is an easy but thought-provoking read, and an effective introduction to an important contemporary subject. Definitely recommended.
This is a short and deceptively simple book, following fourteen-year-old Shif as he makes the dangerous journey from his home in Africa to find safety in Europe. The plot is straightforward, and the first-person narration is pared-back, childlike, and sincere. At first glance, the storytelling feels simple, but there is just enough here to allow the reader to connect with Shif, and to experience the frightening events of the story with him. The elegant, spare language gives the reader clear insights into Shif's character, his hopes and dreams for the future, and his ability to survive the trials of the journey. Nothing is over-dramatised, but the threats and the danger feel real.
With its simple storytelling and short length, 'Boy 87' feels like a book for younger children, but the events Shif describes require a YA level of maturity to understand and connect with. As an adult I found the story truly frightening, imagining what it would feel like to have to leave your home, escape to another country, and trust people smugglers to take you on the dangerous sea-crossing. This isn't heroic YA. It isn't a story of adventure or triumph. But it is an insight into the motivations of the migrants who try again and again to reach safety in Europe. Shif's experiences are relatable, haunting, and undoubtedly realistic, and the book would make a great introduction to the subject of migration, majority/minority world politics, and the value of human life.
'Boy 87' is an easy but thought-provoking read, and an effective introduction to an important contemporary subject. Definitely recommended.
May 3, 2019
It usually takes me at least a week and a half or two weeks to read a book. This one I read in four days. Not because it is a shorter book (which it is) but because it was so good. This is the story of Shif and what happens to him when he is separated forcefully from his family. He realizes he is much stronger than he thought he was and he also has to grow up faster than he thought he would. This is a page-turner and even though it is a book written for middle grade kids, I’m in my 40’s and loved it. I highly recommend this heartbreaking yet uplifting book about not only a young man but the human spirit.
September 12, 2019
When Shif is forced to flee his home in (most likely) Eritrea to avoid being sent to prison for the "crimes" of his father, he is captured by soldiers, escapes, and tries to continue to journey to Europe without his family or friends. This story illustrates some horrific things that people do to one another in the name of war and politics and can be hard to read at times. The ending is not pat, but does give readers a feel for the realistic upset of one's life. The reading level is right for upper-MG readers despite the difficult content.
April 15, 2019
Gripping novel based on real experiences that illustrates the desperate circumstances that can force one to flee their country and put themselves at the mercy of strangers - some kind, some cruel. Serious stuff written for middle grades - important stuff to understand the constantly growing refugee crises.
October 11, 2019
This is my first time reading this book and is pretty good and emotional and i like how the author provide some facts about how it felt being in military school back then when they where low on soldiers.
July 29, 2020
it was ok
August 5, 2019
This book was dark. Really dark. I think it's important subject matter, and we need to understand that these things happen, but I found it very difficult to read. I think some kids may be quite traumatized by it. Maybe not. Maybe most kids are immune to violence because of all the violent media, books, etc. But this felt different. This was real-world violence and real-world horror and it wasn't just the oppressive and violent regime: it was the slave traders and the smugglers too. It felt like the whole world was evil. Luckily we met Almaz and her family. But still, I found it very dark, without hope of a good ending, without hope of change. Again, maybe this is what we really need, to wake us up to what's happening around us, to make us try to change something. But…I think it might be too much for empathetic, sensitive kids who would like to change things but feel powerless to do so.
The writing was smooth, and I liked and cared about the main characters.
I suppose the author chose to set the story in an unnamed country (possibly Eritrea?) so that it felt more universal, and so we'd focus more on the characters, but it did feel a little vague at times.
LONG SOAPBOX ALERT (and Fahrenheit alert): And I have the same quibble I have with many books set in the desert: deserts are not scorching hot in the day, freezing cold that night, then scorching hot again the next day. It's a myth. There can be quite a dramatic difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and if you don't have appropriate technology or clothing or shelter or water, or if you're trapped inside something, or if your clothes are soaked, it can be a very uncomfortable swing, but we're talking a difference of 25-35 degrees Fahrenheit, maybe 40-45 F in the most extreme places on the most extreme days. So…if it's 100 in the day (fairly hot), it could conceivably—but rarely—dip to 55 at night (quite chilly after that hot of a day, but not "freezing,"), and a more likely temperature would be 60-75. When it's 110 or 115 here in Phoenix, Arizona, it never gets even pleasantly cool at night. In Phoenix, if it's only 60-65 in the day, like sometimes in winter, it could dip below freezing at night. But 65 is not scorching hot. From my research, bigger swings than this are almost always associated with dramatic cooling or heating trends that will affect all temperatures for days, which means that it still won't swing 50 or 70 degrees every 12 hours, as so much of literature seems to imply.
The biggest swings probably won't happen in summer, and it's summer right now in the northern hemisphere, so this quick study I just did is not optimal, plus it's mostly based on cities, which tend to trap heat and thus moderate temperatures swings, but I just looked at tomorrow's daytime highs and nighttime lows in these northern hemisphere locations which are in or near deserts: Phoenix, Arizona; Ajo, Arizona (a small town); Death Valley, California; Khartoum, Sudan; Sabha, Libya (a big town, but not a huge city); Riyadh, Saudia Arabia; Asmara, Eritrea. And these southern-hemisphere cities: Alice Springs, Australia; Windhoek, Namibia. The differences between high and low temps are mostly around 23-28 degrees F. The highest was 32 F in Sabha, Libya, followed by Death Valley, with 30 F degrees.
In Refugee 87, when they were in the metal box cars, yes, it could totally be scorchingly, suffocatingly, dangerously hot inside those convection ovens and then cold at night. But at one point they were walking through the desert and sweat was pouring down Shif's face and drying before it got to his shirt…or something quite extreme like that. Yet that night, it was very cold. Unless 65 or 70 F was "very cold" to Shif, I simply do not believe this happens.
I've spent miserably cold—even snowy—nights camping in the deserts of the southwest USA, but the surrounding days were by no stretch of the imagination hot. I've spent miserably hot summers in the desert, but the summer nights are by no stretch of the imagination cold. Ever. My deserts are lusher than many other deserts, and that's a moderating factor. I have not spent time in the more extreme deserts in northern Africa or the Middle East, so it could be quite different there, but I still don't think it's scorching hot—freezing cold—scorching hot—freezing cold.
Sorry for my soapbox. It's just that Refugee 87 is about the fourth book I've read recently (fiction AND nonfiction) that perpetuates this myth / exaggeration, and I really want someone to debunk it—or explain to me how all of my personal desert experience and all of the raw temperature data I've collected at various times can be wrong. Or maybe I want people to start talking more realistically about how it can be hot in the day and quite cool at night if you're sleeping rough, or warm in the day without shade but cold at night.
This issue did not hugely affect my view of the book, nor should it deter others. But I had to get the rant out. Thanks for listening.
END SOAPBOX
For such a dark book, perhaps the ending was appropriate, but it delivered far less hope than I would have liked.
The writing was smooth, and I liked and cared about the main characters.
I suppose the author chose to set the story in an unnamed country (possibly Eritrea?) so that it felt more universal, and so we'd focus more on the characters, but it did feel a little vague at times.
LONG SOAPBOX ALERT (and Fahrenheit alert): And I have the same quibble I have with many books set in the desert: deserts are not scorching hot in the day, freezing cold that night, then scorching hot again the next day. It's a myth. There can be quite a dramatic difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and if you don't have appropriate technology or clothing or shelter or water, or if you're trapped inside something, or if your clothes are soaked, it can be a very uncomfortable swing, but we're talking a difference of 25-35 degrees Fahrenheit, maybe 40-45 F in the most extreme places on the most extreme days. So…if it's 100 in the day (fairly hot), it could conceivably—but rarely—dip to 55 at night (quite chilly after that hot of a day, but not "freezing,"), and a more likely temperature would be 60-75. When it's 110 or 115 here in Phoenix, Arizona, it never gets even pleasantly cool at night. In Phoenix, if it's only 60-65 in the day, like sometimes in winter, it could dip below freezing at night. But 65 is not scorching hot. From my research, bigger swings than this are almost always associated with dramatic cooling or heating trends that will affect all temperatures for days, which means that it still won't swing 50 or 70 degrees every 12 hours, as so much of literature seems to imply.
The biggest swings probably won't happen in summer, and it's summer right now in the northern hemisphere, so this quick study I just did is not optimal, plus it's mostly based on cities, which tend to trap heat and thus moderate temperatures swings, but I just looked at tomorrow's daytime highs and nighttime lows in these northern hemisphere locations which are in or near deserts: Phoenix, Arizona; Ajo, Arizona (a small town); Death Valley, California; Khartoum, Sudan; Sabha, Libya (a big town, but not a huge city); Riyadh, Saudia Arabia; Asmara, Eritrea. And these southern-hemisphere cities: Alice Springs, Australia; Windhoek, Namibia. The differences between high and low temps are mostly around 23-28 degrees F. The highest was 32 F in Sabha, Libya, followed by Death Valley, with 30 F degrees.
In Refugee 87, when they were in the metal box cars, yes, it could totally be scorchingly, suffocatingly, dangerously hot inside those convection ovens and then cold at night. But at one point they were walking through the desert and sweat was pouring down Shif's face and drying before it got to his shirt…or something quite extreme like that. Yet that night, it was very cold. Unless 65 or 70 F was "very cold" to Shif, I simply do not believe this happens.
I've spent miserably cold—even snowy—nights camping in the deserts of the southwest USA, but the surrounding days were by no stretch of the imagination hot. I've spent miserably hot summers in the desert, but the summer nights are by no stretch of the imagination cold. Ever. My deserts are lusher than many other deserts, and that's a moderating factor. I have not spent time in the more extreme deserts in northern Africa or the Middle East, so it could be quite different there, but I still don't think it's scorching hot—freezing cold—scorching hot—freezing cold.
Sorry for my soapbox. It's just that Refugee 87 is about the fourth book I've read recently (fiction AND nonfiction) that perpetuates this myth / exaggeration, and I really want someone to debunk it—or explain to me how all of my personal desert experience and all of the raw temperature data I've collected at various times can be wrong. Or maybe I want people to start talking more realistically about how it can be hot in the day and quite cool at night if you're sleeping rough, or warm in the day without shade but cold at night.
This issue did not hugely affect my view of the book, nor should it deter others. But I had to get the rant out. Thanks for listening.
END SOAPBOX
For such a dark book, perhaps the ending was appropriate, but it delivered far less hope than I would have liked.
November 7, 2022
A quite brutal picture of life as a refugee, this is not for the faint hearted. The living conditions for these so called enemies of the state, imprisoned for very minor offences with literally no end in sight, it’s is actually quite unimaginable. A tough read, well written, I would have loved a bit more of an epilogue.
December 28, 2019
Oh. Em. Gee. This book was filed in the children’s book section of my library app, so I didn’t quite expect what was coming. Not an easy read, for sure, but definitely one that was worth reading. I started this when I got into bed at 10.30pm on boxing day and basically stayed awake til after 2pm because I simply couldn’t put it down.
We start the book with a ship capsizing in the middle of the ocean and a boy struggling to get to the surface. Then no sooner has it started, we rewind back to the beginning of the story.
Shif is an ordinary boy of 14. He lives with his mum and his little sister, he goes to school (favourite subject is maths), and he loves playing chess with his best friend Bini. But when his mum realises he’s about to be taken away to do his mandatory military service, and that because his dad has already been ‘disappeared’ by the government, the chances are that they will do the same for him, they hatch a plan for Shif and Bini to be smuggled from the country.
But the night before Shif and Bini are due to leave, the soldiers come for them and bundle them away to a prison in the middle of the desert. I say prison, it’s basically a shipping container – no windows, no air, a bucket for a toilet. Roasting hot during the day, and freezing cold during the night.
When Shif and Bini get inside, they realise that their new cell-mates have been there for a long time, and the likelihood is that they won’t be leaving either. But their cell-mates have been waiting for a new arrival for a while. They know that they will never leave, but they don’t want their stories to be lost, to die unknown in the middle of nowhere.
So they hatch a plan to help Shif and Bini escape from the prison, but that’s only the start of the nightmare for the poor boys.
Heart-breakingly written in first person, the perspective only served to amplify the horrors of what was happening. I couldn’t help but think of the 14 year olds in the youth group I lead and I could hardly bear to imagine them in a situation like this.
I was honestly in shock for a large proportion of this book, it was so brutal and raw and completely unexpected for a book that was in the children’s section. I’d say it’s definitely more young adult than children’s, the topics may be quite hard to understand for a smaller child, even though I think it’s important we all realise the reality of what’s happening across the world.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2019/12/26/ele-fo...
We start the book with a ship capsizing in the middle of the ocean and a boy struggling to get to the surface. Then no sooner has it started, we rewind back to the beginning of the story.
Shif is an ordinary boy of 14. He lives with his mum and his little sister, he goes to school (favourite subject is maths), and he loves playing chess with his best friend Bini. But when his mum realises he’s about to be taken away to do his mandatory military service, and that because his dad has already been ‘disappeared’ by the government, the chances are that they will do the same for him, they hatch a plan for Shif and Bini to be smuggled from the country.
But the night before Shif and Bini are due to leave, the soldiers come for them and bundle them away to a prison in the middle of the desert. I say prison, it’s basically a shipping container – no windows, no air, a bucket for a toilet. Roasting hot during the day, and freezing cold during the night.
When Shif and Bini get inside, they realise that their new cell-mates have been there for a long time, and the likelihood is that they won’t be leaving either. But their cell-mates have been waiting for a new arrival for a while. They know that they will never leave, but they don’t want their stories to be lost, to die unknown in the middle of nowhere.
So they hatch a plan to help Shif and Bini escape from the prison, but that’s only the start of the nightmare for the poor boys.
Heart-breakingly written in first person, the perspective only served to amplify the horrors of what was happening. I couldn’t help but think of the 14 year olds in the youth group I lead and I could hardly bear to imagine them in a situation like this.
I was honestly in shock for a large proportion of this book, it was so brutal and raw and completely unexpected for a book that was in the children’s section. I’d say it’s definitely more young adult than children’s, the topics may be quite hard to understand for a smaller child, even though I think it’s important we all realise the reality of what’s happening across the world.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2019/12/26/ele-fo...
May 9, 2018
Boy 87 is told from the perspective of Shif, a young teenage boy who is forced to run away from his family after a crackdown by the military identifies him as a potential cause of trouble to the government. He aims to make it to England to meet up with relatives there and is joined by his best friend Bini, facing similar troubles as well. Their journey to Europe is tough and fraught with difficulties but Shif experiences the kindness of others as well as he tries to make it to his destination.
Boy 87 never specifies which country it is set in but it gives the sense that it is set in a Middle Eastern country. The government cracks down on not just anyone who appears to give any form of dissent but their families as well. After Shif's father is taken away in mysterious circumstances following him speaking out against the teacher's low wages, Shif's mother knows he will be targeted next as well once he comes of age. Shif and Bini are unfortunately detained by the military before they can escape and taken to a holding cell inside a shipping container. There, they are tasked with bearing the secrets and stories of the other prisoners as they launch another escape plan. Bini doesn't make it, sacrificing himself for Shif who ends up in a neighbouring country. He meets another family of refugees and together, they make their way towards Europe with the help of smugglers. The story ends with Shif carried away by a helicopter after the boat he was on capsizes, hoping for better days in England and a reunion with his family in the coming days.
Boy 87 fits somewhere in between a children's book and a young adult novel. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of the situation of a militaristic government and Ele Fountain succeeds in creating a sense of dread and fear as the story progresses. The pace of the book is quick and yet, I can't help but it feel it was a little too short. The ending is ambiguous but I guess it is well suited for this book. A good ending, while enjoyable, would not have reflected the likely realities of such a situation in real life. 3.5/5
Boy 87 never specifies which country it is set in but it gives the sense that it is set in a Middle Eastern country. The government cracks down on not just anyone who appears to give any form of dissent but their families as well. After Shif's father is taken away in mysterious circumstances following him speaking out against the teacher's low wages, Shif's mother knows he will be targeted next as well once he comes of age. Shif and Bini are unfortunately detained by the military before they can escape and taken to a holding cell inside a shipping container. There, they are tasked with bearing the secrets and stories of the other prisoners as they launch another escape plan. Bini doesn't make it, sacrificing himself for Shif who ends up in a neighbouring country. He meets another family of refugees and together, they make their way towards Europe with the help of smugglers. The story ends with Shif carried away by a helicopter after the boat he was on capsizes, hoping for better days in England and a reunion with his family in the coming days.
Boy 87 fits somewhere in between a children's book and a young adult novel. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of the situation of a militaristic government and Ele Fountain succeeds in creating a sense of dread and fear as the story progresses. The pace of the book is quick and yet, I can't help but it feel it was a little too short. The ending is ambiguous but I guess it is well suited for this book. A good ending, while enjoyable, would not have reflected the likely realities of such a situation in real life. 3.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2021
For years I have tried to get my 14 year old son interested in reading. He enjoyed it when he was younger and we would read to him but it's been a struggle getting him to read since then. So when he came to me and told me that I had to read this book that he had to read for school I agreed to do so. I honestly wasn't expecting too much but he was excited about it and I couldn't tell him no, although I was trying to get other books finished before the end of the year. I am so glad that I agreed to read it. This was actually a really good book.
Shif is a 14 year old boy living somewhere in the Middle East (the exact location was unnamed). He lives with his mother and younger sister. His father died when he was young. He goes to school, loves chess and math and is best friends with a boy named Bini. He is a typical 14 year old boy and a relatively happy one.
And then everything changes.
Shif's life is turned upside down, beginning with the day that Bini does not show up for school. He then discovers that his life has not been what he believed it to be and everything he has ever known is gone from him.
Throughout his journey Shif meets friends in unexpected places and learns to do everything he can to survive.
It was gut-wrenching making the inevitable comparisons between the life that Shif is living and my own son. I have, at times, tried to put myself in the shoes of the parents trying to flee from war-torn countries but to view it through the eyes of a child is even more harrowing.
I'm so glad that this is a book being read in schools and encourage everyone to read it. The tragedies of the story aren't overly descriptive or graphic and would be good for just about all ages, maybe starting at 10 or so.
It doesn't have a necessarily happy ending as it's left somewhat open ended but it does have an ending of hope, which I honestly appreciated. It is not the type of story or situation that can be tied up with a pretty bow just to satisfy the reader. It wouldn't be as realistic that way.
Shif is a 14 year old boy living somewhere in the Middle East (the exact location was unnamed). He lives with his mother and younger sister. His father died when he was young. He goes to school, loves chess and math and is best friends with a boy named Bini. He is a typical 14 year old boy and a relatively happy one.
And then everything changes.
Shif's life is turned upside down, beginning with the day that Bini does not show up for school. He then discovers that his life has not been what he believed it to be and everything he has ever known is gone from him.
Throughout his journey Shif meets friends in unexpected places and learns to do everything he can to survive.
It was gut-wrenching making the inevitable comparisons between the life that Shif is living and my own son. I have, at times, tried to put myself in the shoes of the parents trying to flee from war-torn countries but to view it through the eyes of a child is even more harrowing.
I'm so glad that this is a book being read in schools and encourage everyone to read it. The tragedies of the story aren't overly descriptive or graphic and would be good for just about all ages, maybe starting at 10 or so.
It doesn't have a necessarily happy ending as it's left somewhat open ended but it does have an ending of hope, which I honestly appreciated. It is not the type of story or situation that can be tied up with a pretty bow just to satisfy the reader. It wouldn't be as realistic that way.
April 26, 2020
Some days I really can't believe that people can treat other people with so little regard, so little respect, can care so little about other people. But I remember the height of the "refugee crisis", which I'm putting in quotation marks because it was never a crisis in the sense it was made out to be. People needed help, people desperately needed help and the west couldn't be bothered to do anything besides whine and bitch. It was shocking how many people- people I had known before- suddenly whipped out their racism and classicism and pretended that basic human rights are something you can run out of or waste them on someone who doesn't deserve them. Which is a mindset that will literally always blow my mind and which really helped me realize how deep racism is ingrained in our western brains, our western society, even though we like to pretend it's a US problem and Europe doesn't suffer from that anymore. It's also one of the main mindsets that just make me want to break down and sob uncontrollably because how can you possibly read about or see so many people die and loose people they love, drown right there on Italy's coasts while people do nothing to help and think that's right? That that's something people could ever deserve?
I cried a lot reading this book, which I somehow didn't expect from this middle grade novel about one of humanities biggest atrocities still being commited regularly, which is entirely on me. Middle grade doesn't mean a book can't be hard hitting and incredibly painful to read.
I literally want to adopt and protect every character in this book and I desperately want this to be fiction because it's just too heartbreaking to know that whilst this book is a work of fiction, there are way too many stories like this happening in the world right now and the truth is that I'll never be able to make enough of an impact in the world to change that fact.
I cried a lot reading this book, which I somehow didn't expect from this middle grade novel about one of humanities biggest atrocities still being commited regularly, which is entirely on me. Middle grade doesn't mean a book can't be hard hitting and incredibly painful to read.
I literally want to adopt and protect every character in this book and I desperately want this to be fiction because it's just too heartbreaking to know that whilst this book is a work of fiction, there are way too many stories like this happening in the world right now and the truth is that I'll never be able to make enough of an impact in the world to change that fact.
December 8, 2018
Shif and his best friend Bini are smart. Smart enough to be put up a class in school. Bini wants to be a doctor and Shif an engineer. They enjoy maths and chess and trying to outdo each other in everything. Life is good.
But life around them is changing. Bini suddenly stops coming to school. Government soldiers are appearing more often in their town, looking for children avoiding compulsory military service. Shif’s mum tells him the truth about his father, who he always thought was dead. The unthinkable happens and Shif and Bini are arrested.
The friends soon see another side of life in their country. One of soldiers, cells, mistreatment and force. Will they ever achieve their mother’s dreams of escaping their corrupt country for England?
The cover does not do this book justice. Boy 87 is set in an un-named Middle Eastern Country, where many people are doing what they can just to survive, and/or planning their escape. They can’t trust anyone, always watching out for soldiers, slave traders or those who wish to trick them out of their hard-earned savings to enable fleeing from their homeland. A great read to kick off class discussion about the courageousness of refugees in our world.
Age - 11+
But life around them is changing. Bini suddenly stops coming to school. Government soldiers are appearing more often in their town, looking for children avoiding compulsory military service. Shif’s mum tells him the truth about his father, who he always thought was dead. The unthinkable happens and Shif and Bini are arrested.
The friends soon see another side of life in their country. One of soldiers, cells, mistreatment and force. Will they ever achieve their mother’s dreams of escaping their corrupt country for England?
The cover does not do this book justice. Boy 87 is set in an un-named Middle Eastern Country, where many people are doing what they can just to survive, and/or planning their escape. They can’t trust anyone, always watching out for soldiers, slave traders or those who wish to trick them out of their hard-earned savings to enable fleeing from their homeland. A great read to kick off class discussion about the courageousness of refugees in our world.
Age - 11+
February 13, 2019
Boy 87 addresses the plight of refugees and why people take what we think of as ridiculous risks. It's easy to turn your head away from the stories of boats, often accompanied by dead bodies, that are being washed up on European coasts. I mean, it's never going to happen to you or anyone close to you and why would these people do something which might possibly lead to death? Ele Fountain provides an answer, that the chances of living in some places are zero so the chances of escaping it are a little higher than that. A powerful, often raw and despairing account of Shif, a teenage boy who suffers great loss and is constantly hunted by many who will stop at nothing to prevent him escaping. I would recommend this book to everyone, it provides a back story to something we try to avoid thinking about, the fact that there are places that still exist in our world where people are treated so badly, risking death is better than staying. There are no scenes of death addressed directly but the story is hard hitting so maybe go for 10+ years.
March 1, 2020
This is a short but powerful book following Shif and his best friend Bini as they flee their homeland before they are put into military service. An unnamed country is the scene of the novel, but descriptions and inferences can lead to a country in Africa. The chapters are short, but I often had to pause to catch my breath before moving on.
Other books dealing with the same topic that are worth your time (as this one definitely is) are: A Land of Permanent Goodbyes and Refugee
Refugee 87 is listed as YA in my library, but I feel like it would be more than appropriate in a middle-grade setting.
Other books dealing with the same topic that are worth your time (as this one definitely is) are: A Land of Permanent Goodbyes and Refugee
Refugee 87 is listed as YA in my library, but I feel like it would be more than appropriate in a middle-grade setting.
August 13, 2019
Imagine a dystopian novel set in a world where all students have to attend military school after high school. It is rumored that some people would never return. Shif is taken to military school at 14, since he was advanced in his classes. But he arrives in a prison where they keep anyone who may be a danger to the government in shipping containers in the dessert. It is an oven during the day and freezing at night. If there is any chance to escape, your only hope is a smuggler who will charge $5000 to take you to safety, if he doesn't cheat you, sell you or kill you.
Only it isn't a dystopian novel. it's realistic fiction and it is an all too realistic depiction of life as a refugee. There are over 70 million refugees in the world right now. That's more people than all of the people that live in CA and TX
Only it isn't a dystopian novel. it's realistic fiction and it is an all too realistic depiction of life as a refugee. There are over 70 million refugees in the world right now. That's more people than all of the people that live in CA and TX
April 22, 2018
A powerful read not least - almost ironically - because of the "ordinary" voice of the narrator - a person just like you or me, or the reader, and whilst the story is clearly set in another country, the exoticism isn't built up or stressed, thereby making it easier to feel connected and able to imagine oneself if the narrator's shoes. I would include it alongside Laird's Welcome to Nowhere, though Boy 87 is perhaps a bit easier / less harrowing for younger readers. A special nod to Kate Milner, the illustrator of the book's cover. She's done an excellent book that also works as a companion piece to Boy 87 - My name is not refugee - and commissioning her to do this cover was a brilliant idea.
August 24, 2022
This book was very dystopian and already started off in a very sad place. The plot was good although too much was cut out in my opinion. I think the author might’ve done it on purpose because the boy was trying to escape the country so he had to leave behind a lot of family and friends. Also it ended way too abrupt. I think there could’ve been a whole other book of when he lands in europe and maybe once he’s settled he goes on a quest to find his family he left behind.
It made me cry when I was only a quarter in the book, but again i think the author could’ve shown his grief more as the death was never mentioned again.
Overall i think the author might have written like this on purpose but I wasn’t keen.
P.s I would’ve loved to know what country it was based in
It made me cry when I was only a quarter in the book, but again i think the author could’ve shown his grief more as the death was never mentioned again.
Overall i think the author might have written like this on purpose but I wasn’t keen.
P.s I would’ve loved to know what country it was based in
May 23, 2019
What a brilliant book. Very hard-hitting, thought provoking and emotional. Definitely a good introduction book for older children who are asking questions about why there are refugees and why they are leaving their country. The things the main character goes through are HORRIBLE, but I'm sure other refugees experience worse situations. I was really drawn to the characters and their lives, wanting a happy ending. I did think the story was really open ended, I need another book to see what happens next! It was his story but there were a lot of loose ends with his family. Such a good story to build empathy for refugees.
April 21, 2019
I loved the use of the flash forward at the outset; we know where the protagonist is heading, but the journey is what matters. It strikes the right balance between descriptive and emotional - I didn't feel like the writer was manipulating my emotions, but pathos just spills from the pages.
The writing style makes it accessible to older children/young teens, but it's a great read for adults too. I was absolutely enthralled by this book, and consumed it in just 2 nights.
Dark, though-provoking, highly recommended for a quick read.
The writing style makes it accessible to older children/young teens, but it's a great read for adults too. I was absolutely enthralled by this book, and consumed it in just 2 nights.
Dark, though-provoking, highly recommended for a quick read.
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