Product details
Biographical note
Onjali Q Raúf's first book, The Boy at the Back of the Class, was Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2019, the Blue Peter Book Prize 2019 and other accolades. Raúf's second book, The Star Outside My Window, went on to win the Diversity Book Award for Children's Fiction (UK) 2020. Further titles include The Night Bus Hero, The Great Food Bank Heist, The Lion Above the Door, Where Magic Grows and Hope on the Horizon. In 2022, Raúf was recognised for her services to Literature and Women's Rights in the New Year Honours.Once an author has attained a degree of shelf space, it seems fair to direct the oxygen of publicity towards lesser-known peers. But a couple of hit authors merit second fanfares. Onjali Q Rauf made a splash with the timely and compassionate 'The Boy At The Back Of The Class' in 2018. Three books later comes 'The Lion Above The Door' (Orion, £7.99) in which intrepid year fours unravel the riddles behind a war memorial in Rochester Cathedral.
- Kitty Empire, The Observer
A crackingly good story about family and identity, fitting in and having the courage to stand out.
- Marianne Levy, the 'i' newspaper
'Ever since I can remember, people have stared at me and my family.
Dad tells me it's because we're 'special'.
But if we're so special, how come nobody ever looks like us in the books at school? Not even the books about world wars ...'
As the only Singaporean boy not just in his school, but in the tiny English he calls home too, Leo witnesses - and feels - the impacts of racism every day. But on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo's attention is drawn to a marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of WWII war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name.
Desperate to know who this other Leo was, and with Sangeeta asking why women are missing from the history books too, the two friends embark on an epic search.
One that will help uncover missing s/heroes from the past, who each deserve to take their rightful place in the pages of history.
Touching on themes of historical racisms and eradications, The Lion Above the Door shines a light on the millions of s/heroes still missing from our history books, and the power that lies in all of us to rectify past wrongs.
The first edition of this book also contains a special collection of historical photos and stories of real life forgotten heroes from World War Two.