Kicked Out

This sequel to Dassu's award-winning debut, Boy, Everywhere, finds Ali and Sami living their dream, playing football for the school team and hanging out in their friend Mark's new luxury pool. But money goes missing and racism rears its ugly head when their friend Aadam is accused of the theft. Can the boys prove Aadam's innocence, keep their friendship – and help fight Aadam’s threatened deportation? Can Ali navigate his emotions and stay focused now his dad is back on the scene and his half-brother has joined his school? A powerful story about friendship, being an ally and finding your place in the world.

An important and triumphant read.

Dassu expertly handles difficult topics relating to the adversity and othering that asylum-seekers and refugees face in ways that are relatable for young readers. She broaches the storyline that explores Ali’s personal life with sensitivity, showing the internal upheaval following his father’s reappearance, including themes of rejection and anger. This novel is an engaging modern tale that serves to build empathy. STARRED REVIEW

Kirkus Review
A powerful & empowering portrayal of hope against adversity. A. M. Dassu is one of our most authentic voices in children’s literature. -- Hannah Gold
A. M. Dassu builds bridges of empathy and understanding with her books: while they make me despair the present, they give me so much hope for the future. -- Kathryn Evans Author of 'When the World was Ours'

Without missing a shot, Kicked Out is a fast-paced novel that doesn’t shy away from pulling any punches. Seamlessly weaving in strong themes and characters you’ll continue to cheer for, A. M. Dassu has done it again.

-- Emma Perry
This is a great story about friendship, courage, determination and kindness! Friends who don’t focus on where they came from. Instead, they see the humanity in each other and make positive change! How much do we need this right now! -- Jimmy Zacharia

Kicked Out is a riveting story, full of authentic characters and important truths, and bright with the power to change the world. Another must-read from the hugely talented A. M. Dassu.

-- Sophie Anderson Author
A compassionate, enterprising, fascinating and funny story of friendship and families. Loved it. -- Hilary McKay Author of ‘The Skylarks' War'

Boy Everywhere was a stunning debut… A. M. Dassu [is] a major, much-needed voice in UK children’s fiction.

-- Alex Wheatle Author of 'Cane Warriors' and 'The Crongton Knights'

A deeply authentic and hopeful novel, touching on the themes of unaccompanied minors, asylum seekers, xenophobia, and absent fathers. With a big splash of football and friendship!

-- Rashmi Sirdeshpande

A. M. Dassu, you’ve done it again! It’s a joy to be back in Sami’s world with his pals. My heart was so full by the end of this book. Such a powerful, moving story about friendship and family.

-- Swapna Haddow Author

A beautifully nuanced and entirely credible story which exposes the casual racism that Ali, Sami and Aadam face every day and the cruel injustices of the asylum process. It empathetically explores family issues too... once again the author shows us that it is humanity, compassion and hope that can win against all odds. The inspirational way in which the boys remain loyal to each other and are galvanised to take action to save Aadam can show young readers that they are not powerless and may well encourage them into their own social activism. Any book which challenges the hateful rhetoric around refugees and asylum seekers is hugely important and for it to be so uplifting is a rare bonus. This book should be in every library and on every bookshelf, a thoroughly rewarding and powerful read.

-- Joy Court LoveReading4Kids

Kicked Out deftly layers up a range of weighty and complex issues: racism, bullying, absent parents, coercive control… Az’s characters are always finely and studiously drawn. They are never perfect, are variously flawed. And her novels are full of warmth. She gives permission to her readers to express themselves and with the upmost authenticity and often, also, with humour.

-- Fen Coles Books for Keeps

A. M. Dassu has done it again. She’s managed to encapsulate the depth of human feeling and emotion whilst tackling important themes on race, identity and the very topical, immigration. As with her other books, Kicked Out is a voice of contemporary teens told unflinchingly and honestly. An absolute must read!

-- Sajeda Amir

Boy, Everywhere was one of the best debuts I’ve ever read so I was nervous about revisiting Sami & Ali, but it was wonderful to see how their friendship had grown and their support for one another through thick and thin. Aadam’s story was upsettingly realistic but, as ever, Dassu shows readers there is always something we can do.

-- Caroline Fielding

Kicked Out is a story of true friendship and being there for each other even when life is hard… Ali is a wonderful role model of perseverance and loyalty. Like Boy, Everywhere, Kicked Out provides readers with insight into lives they may not otherwise encounter… As serious as this topic is, Kicked Out is also a lovely story of three 13 year-old boys who want to have fun together. Readers of a similar age will really relate to them and love their light-hearted banter.

-- Kate Heap Scope for Imagination blog

Unflinching and honest, Kicked Out is an important and thoroughly enjoyable read

ThroughTheBookshelf blog

Kicked Out is a stunning book that I think deserves to be savoured so you can take in every detail and is one readers won't forget in a hurry. It is a powerful story of resilience, hope and bravery that promotes empathy and speaking up for what you believe is right. Like Boy Everywhere, Kicked Out is a book that will stay with me for a long time to come.

-- Karen Wallee K and O: Bonkers about Books blog

Dassu’s knack of engaging us to feel by creating stories and characters who still live alongside you once you’ve read the book exemplifies the genius of the most lasting books for children.

-- Ben Harris A Few to Read blog

An empathetic follow-up to the brilliant Boy, Everywhere, Kicked Out takes you back to familiarity and is superb. Readers will be inspired after reading, and hopefully have the heart of a lion like Ali to speak up and challenge racism.

-- Tom G. Check ‘Em Out Books blog

Dassu’s stories humanise the arduous experiences that many refugees face… helping readers to realise that refugees are real, and human, and hurting. Another powerful read which will hopefully put fire in the bellies of young readers and help them to speak up against the headlines we often see about refugees. People matter. This book will help readers in Y5 and above understand that ever more clearly.

-- Stephen Connor Just Imagine Book Reviews

Boy, Everywhere cemented the author’s position as one who not only wrote stories which were engaging and entertaining but who led the way in writing with the most enormous empathy, covering big issues like the plight of refugees and racism in such a way as to draw young readers’ attention to them without patronising them. It was – and still is – an incredibly powerful read and one that if you have not as yet read, I urge you to do so. Having followed that with a special short title, Boot It!, for World Book Day, we are now blessed with a third read – one which again is astonishingly good – which continues the story, not from the point of view of Sami, our original protagonist, but his close friend Ali… Perfect for Year 6 upwards, this is another powerful read – one that needs to be in every school library

-- Jacqui Sydney World’s Smallest Library blog

This is a book that shows children the many different experiences of family that might be the reality for their classmates, the importance of forgiveness and the power and sense of belonging that can be found in friends and found-families. With a football-related school-fundraising scheme designed to help a young person who is facing the cruelty of deportation, this is an empathy-builder which I am sure will be in great demand when it is published in the autumn of 2023.

This story is narrated by Ali, and his pain at the rejection by his father; his resentment that his half-brother has replaced him in his Dad’s affections; his feelings of low self-esteem that gradually build to anger and lashing out at those around him, are explored in a way that will be recognisable to readers of 10 to 15. I really liked the way that author A.M. Dassu explores the unwillingness of boys to openly admit their feelings, whether due to pride or the desire to not involve others in their suffering. She also cleverly delivers the message of finding the inner strength to face up to difficult situations through the voice of a premier league goalkeeper, which will be appealing to many readers of this novel. I love the way that male friendship is investigated, and the importance of having a supportive network is highlighted.

-- Veronica Price V’s View from the Bookshelf blog

Praise for Boy, Everywhere: Carefully researched, wholly convincing, it’s a gripping, uncompromising debut, super-charged with the power of empathy.

-- Imogen Russell Williams The Guardian

Praise for Boy, Everywhere: ... a story that everyone should read, written with empathy, tenderness and hope.

-- Patrice Lawrence

A. M. Dassu is the internationally acclaimed and award-winning author of Boy, Everywhere. She is a Director of Inclusive Minds, an organisation for people who are passionate about inclusion, diversity, equality and accessibility in children's literature, and one of the National Literacy Trust's Connecting Stories campaign authors, aiming to help inspire a love of reading and writing in children and young people.

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