Onjali Q. Raúf

Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense.

There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it.

He's nine years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn't like sweets - not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!

But then I learned the truth: Ahmet really isn't very strange at all. He's a refugee who's run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and fires and bullies that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to help.

That's where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because you see, together we've come up with a plan. . .

On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank - the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it's the best kind of bank there is. But there's a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else's, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?

In this inspiring and practical audio handbook, best-selling children's author and Human Rights campaigner Onjali Raúf draws on her experiences working with women's right organisations and refugee charities.

She introduces listeners to some of the most amazing people we can be inspired by (some who are from fictional worlds and some who are very real!). And she tells listeners 10 of her top secrets for channelling your frustrations into something positive, developing your empathy toolkit and making the world a better place. 

From remembering that we are all human beings and that we are all equal, to realising your worth and that nothing is ever done alone, this is Onjali's rallying call to every child that has ever felt hopeless.

Deep in the heart of Swansea, Wales, lives a small girl with some big secrets to keep. Secrets that make her one of the best actresses on the planet - because no-one would ever think that, away from school, Audrey is the sole carer for her increasingly sick mam and her two younger siblings... or a seasoned thief.

With her worlds threatened by the arrival of a mysterious, invisible neighbour, behind whose closed curtains and shut front door may lie a spy, Audrey must take matters into her own hands to save her family.

Inspired by her beloved collection of stamps, her friendly neighbourhood postman (and fellow stamp collector), and her two best friends, off Audrey must go: on an adventure that will lead her to places - and hearts - she never knew existed.

Leo and his best friend Sangeetha are the odd ones out in their school. In fact, they seem to be the odd ones out no matter where they go in their small town. But as Leo's dad is always telling him, it's only because he's extra-special, and Sangeetha is extra-extra-special. Only thing is, if they're so special, how come Leo never sees anyone who likes him in the history books he loves to read?

But on a special class trip to a nearby cathedral one day, Leo's attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall, featuring a short list of names. Because right there, bang in the middle of the list, Leo finds himself staring at his own name...

Hungry to understand how a name like his could feature on a slab commemorating fallen war heroes, Leo and Sangeetha begin a search, and in doing so, uncover a missing story which changed the course of history, one which needs to be put right back into its missing pages.

Told from the perspective of a bully, this book explores themes of homelessness, while celebrating kindness, friendship and the potential everyone has to change for the good.

Inspired by Onjali's own childhood experiences of growing up in London and seeing the impact of homelessness on those around her, The Night Bus Hero follows an unlikely friendship between our narrator and Thomas - who lives in the park.

Can they get to the bottom of some unusual thefts taking place across the city, and discover what it takes to be a real hero?

Following the disappearance of her mum, 10-year-old Aniyah suddenly finds herself living in foster care. With her life in disarray, she knows just one thing for sure: her mum isn't gone for ever. Because people with the brightest hearts never truly leave. They become stars. 

So when a new star is spotted acting strangely in the sky, Aniyah is sure it's her mum, and she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to make sure everyone else knows too - an adventure that involves breaking into the Royal Observatory of London, a mischievous scurry of squirrels and the biggest star in Hollywood...

Have you heard the story about the bird that turned to stone? Did your parents warn you about the extra-specially-super-deliciously-fantastically naughty boy who got a frog stuck in his throat? No? Well, never fear: Onjali Q. Raúf is here to entertain you with her sparkling collection of fables for kids who want to make the world a better place!

Crafted with Onjali's trademark heart and humour, this is the perfect gift that will entertain while also gently conveying messages of hope and the power of love and compassion.

Stories include: The Bird That Turned to Stone, The Extra-Specially-Super-Deliciously-Fantastically Naughty Boy (& the Secret Frog in his Throat), Francesca's Feet and the Old Man's Shoes, The Axe that Married a Tree and others.