It made me cry, and it made me smile, and it feels like one of those quietly classic stories that British children's literature does so utterly well. Catherine Bruton has managed to make this a hopeful story focused on the future, even though it encompasses so much pain of the past and the present. The story of me, Agnes, Jimmy and baby Alfie; the tears, the tragedy, the broken homes and feuding families, the star-crossed lovers. K as well as the uncertainty of her future- being able to live in Manchester and following her dreams to become a prestigious ballet dancer.

I wanted readers to see her as just a young girl, with hopes and dreams, friendships and favourite teachers and hobbies, just like they have. The author explained there how she grew up addicted to books that made you focus on your dreams, etc, but as she got older she realised the value of books that broaden your mindset. This story is insightful, heartwarming and about one girl's journey to fight for her rights and her dream. However, ‘No ballet shoes in Syria’ is told through the eyes of Aya (a refugee) unlike ‘the boy at the back of the class’. Aya's hopes, dreams and fears are the same as her peers, yet she carries another layer of sadness and trauma as she seeks to make sense of her past.A part of her life that seemed lost forever when she fled her home comes back to her when she encounters a ballet class led by the elegant Miss Helena.

Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the Transylvanian Express - and it's up to you to solve the case! For more information and to see Catherine discussing her inspiration for the book and reading the opening chapters, visit www. A story that was a modern version of When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and The Silver Sword – a story that would make young readers look beyond the labels of ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’ to see the child behind. She delicately explores what it means to be a refugee and an asylum seeker, particularly amongst children and teenagers. Aya takes on the role of parent in her family after they are separated from her father, looking after both her mother and baby brother.

I was incredibly touched by the story of eleven year old Aya who has fled from the war in Syria to seek asylum in England.