A ballet shoe reminds her of her dance school in Syria, of her friends and her beloved dance teacher – of the life she once knew before the war I enjoyed the realism of a child migrant, the burden of adult responsibilities and uncertainty the only constant in her life. A breath-taking, epic adventure, spanning the icy wastes of the Arctic Tundra to the vaudeville circus of New York, from the award-winning author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria and Another Twist in the Tale . No Ballet shoes in Syria is the gripping and thought-provoking story of Aya, an eleven-year-old girl fleeing with her family from the war-torn city of Aleppo.

The story follows Aya on her new life in England with extracts written following her journey from Syria to England. The minute you start this book you have so much sympathy for Aya and want nothing but good things to happen to her but life isn’t that easy, which Aya soon realises. When I discussed the idea with my editor at Nosy Crow, we were both conscious of the difficulties of writing about events that are happening now – complex, potentially troubling issues that we would be asking young readers to confront without the distance of history. I have a quote from one of my favourite writers, Alan Gibbons, above my desk: “I never enter a dark room unless I can light the way out.” That’s what I wanted to do – to confront difficult issues, in a way that didn’t offer glib solutions or whitewash the truth, but which did offer the consolation of hope. Absolutely outstanding story! Made me tearful which rarely happens. Catherine Bruton creates a story of such sadness and pain whilst illuminating hope and joy. She delicately explores what it means to be a refugee and an asylum seeker, particularly amongst children and teenagers. Refugee is not a label for just one group of peoples’ story but for multiple. A children’s book that should be taught far and wide! The winners of The Farshore Reading for Pleasure Teacher Awards 2023, highlighting the work schools are doing to encourage a love of reading, have... This was the other book that was in my mind as I conceived the idea for No Ballet Shoes in Syria. This classic tale of children journeying through war-torn Europe towards Switzerland where they believe they will be reunited with their parents had a profound effect on me as a young reader, offering a remarkable insight into the reality of Europe laid waste by war. It’s not a story that shies away from difficult truths, but it is irradiated by hope, by small acts of kindness – something which I really tried to capture in No Ballet Shoes in Syria too.

It was one of THE BEST BOOKS I've ever read! Although it was very dramatic. It was about an asylum seeker, 11 year old Aya. Despite me not being the target audience for this story, I thought it was a worthwhile read anyways. Sure, the writing wasn't anything spectacular and the plot a bit simplistic despite the serious subject matter, the message behind the words was very important and something children should definitely be exposed to. A shell from the beach reminds her of the boat trip across the Mediterranean in the storm, of the boat capsizing, of the last time she saw her father. For her ballet audition, Aya must choreograph a dance, using five objects that hold some special significance or meaning for her. ‘They must show who you are,’ says Miss Helena. ‘Where you come from and where you want to go.’ Sign up for our monthly teacher newsletter to be the first to hear about more great resources, win copies of our newest books for your school and get a look at what’s coming up next!

Object number four will probably signal the climax of your story (the great battle, the big chase scene, the night of the prom, or the grand final of the competition…), whilst object five will help you weave your way to resolution (which doesn’t have to mean a happy ending– just a tying up of ends. Do you win the battle– lose the race – catch the villain – kiss the boy on prom night– and what are the consequences? Where and how does everyone end up as a result?) A handkerchief reminds her of the journey to the refugee camp in Turkey, of being shut in a container for three days, of the freezing cold in the camp, of not enough food to eat. Here are our suggestions for summer reads–and there's something for every child of middle grade age. No Ballet Shoes in Syria is a beautiful story of hope, belief and community spirit against the obstacles of ignorance, prejudice and a minefield of rules and regulations. Catherine Bruton creates a wonderful mix of emotions through Aya; her hopes, her frustrations, her sadness, her fears. By carefully unravelling the plight of one family of refugees, we see the reasons for leaving, the dangerous journey, the loss, the difficulties faced (en route and in situ); interleaved with the hopes and wishes of a young girl, the need to belong, the desires to be accepted, the injustice faced. This story takes the reader on an emotional journey. The pureness of Aya's voice is heart-wrenchingly honest and so utterly captivating. A moving story about one of the big issues of our time, told with wonderful clarity, and incredibly touching.” – Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The GruffaloPossible idea for improvement? A GLOSSARY. I am a huge fan of helpful glossaries, and I would really have liked an illustrated glossery explaining the ballet terms. Also, the Syrian words. And the terms used to describe refugees throughout the book (asylum seekers, I can't remember now but I know there was other interesting lingo too). Okay, maybe this book needs 3 separate glossaries. I just think it would add that extra informative layer. This is going to seem a little obscure, but I was teaching Wharton’s 1920 Pulitzer prize winning classic to my lovely A Level class when I was writing the end of No Ballet Shoes in Syria and it is her beautifully delicately balanced ending that I attempted to emulate. I didn’t want ‘happy ever after’, because that would trivialise the issues I was writing about, but nor did I want the finale to be totally bleak. I wanted an ending that offered hope at the same time as breaking my readers’ hearts. Newland Archer sitting on a bench outside Ellen Olenska’s Paris apartment, not going up, but knowing that the memory of her is enough – it breaks my heart and makes me sob every time. And that was what I wanted to achieve too. I guess you’ll have to read it and decide if I succeed…