The Girl at the Front of the Class
For ages 3+
A must-have for every school and library.
By Onjali Q. Raúf, illustrated by Pippa Curnick (Hodder Children’s Books/Hachette, 2024)
From recently celebrating the 5 year anniversary of ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ (and I have to say, the live theatre show I went to this year was amazing - I even saw Onjali there too!) to publishing her 6th middle grade book for Children ‘The Letter with the Golden Stamp’ (INCREDIBLE BY THE WAY), to now publishing her very first Children’s picture book - ‘The Girl at the Front of the Class’… Onjali Q. Raúf is bringing her deep and heartfelt messages of hope and awareness of children from disadvantaged backgrounds or who have been forced to flee their homelands ending up as refugees trying to begin their lives again after experiencing trauma and devastation.
This Children’s author may an activist and campaigner for human rights, but she is absolutely also 100% an incredible writer and in a sense almost a diarist of our times, bringing light to some of our most hidden lives through her exciting, heart-engaging fictional stories. Onjali manages to engage readers in storylines involving homelessness, poverty, child carers, under-represented groups of society, victims of war, migration and more.
With all this under her belt she’s finally been ‘persuaded’ (see author’s notes at the end of the book) to try something new. Honouring the transformational effect ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ has had on school children, she brings a new story on the same theme ‘The Girl and the Front of the Class’. Paired with one of the most respected and loved illustrators, Pippa Curnick, this book is beautifully produced by the whole team - glossy, engaging, visually stunning, inclusive characters, and school-based once more, and always honouring a love of books.
Storytime at school is about to get started when there’s a ‘knock’ at the door. A new girl stands there, unsure, most likely afraid, nervous, and more. The children are excited to welcome her. Adam notices that the new girl isn’t joining in and when he sees the subject matter of her drawings it makes him feel quite sad.
After talking to his most trusted adults (a teacher, his dad, his grandma) he finds out a little more of her background - what she’s been through, what she’s lost, how hard it must be for her. Adam comes up with the most wonderful idea to demonstrate to her that he wants to be her brand new best friend and at the big reveal, her face lights up with sheer joy… which is this book through and through… sheer joy.
There are some lovely, helpful, kind ideas for children at the end of the book of how to make a refugee child feel welcome. It’s fantastic to have this book to add to some already published, very important books, to talk to children about refugees - and with all Onjali’s personal work with refugees outside of Children’s publishing, it really feels as though she - and through working closely with Pippa for the artwork - has captured and related Layla’s story appropriately for children aged 3+.
The hardback edition features superb, impactful before and after illustrations too. Every classroom, every library needs this book… you know it! I’ll leave you with some extracts from the dedications at the beginning of the book.
“To every little hand reaching out to be a friend to all they meet, and painting new pictures for the world to learn from.” - Onjali Q. Raúf.
“To anyone who has ever felt lost, or alone, know that there are always, always friends to be found.” - Pippa Curnick.
