A Different Kind of Freedom – A Romani Story

In this first-person narrative we hear the story of Lijah Vesh, born into a proud Romani family living a traveller life, full of tradition.

Set in Sheffield during the reign of George V (the interwar years) this is a time of change for the Romani community with pressures to conform leading many to opt for a settled life.

When Lijah attends school he discovers an unexpected talent for football – leading to conflict with his father who considers that football is not a suitable game for Romanis. The story outlines Lijah’s struggle and confusion as he tries to reconcile his passion for football with his loyalty to his family. With help from his older brother and an influential family contact, Lijah takes steps towards achieving his dream of following in the footsteps of his hero Rab Howell, the first professional Romani footballer.

This is a story about ambition and realising your dreams. It highlights the prejudice Romani people have experienced over the years. The book challenges misconceptions about Romani people and emphasises family pride in their rich culture including storytelling and singing.  The narrative is Interspersed with Romani language and there is a useful glossary at the back with key vocabulary.

Alongside Lijah’s fictional story, readers are also introduced to the true story of Rab Howell highlighting his achievements and showing how inspiring hi story is to the Romani community.

This short novel is an interesting addition to the Voices series from Scholastic bringing formally untold stories to young readers.