Phoenix Brothers

Close friends Amir and Mo have recently arrived at school as refuges having faced terrible tragedy. Mo lives in a hostel and Amir lives with a couple Kabir and Mirsa who lost their baby in the perilous journey to the UK. This makes things awkward between the two friends as Mo does not have the comfort of living with a family. They navigate their new lives in different ways: Mo is mouthy and often in trouble whereas Amir suffers from asthma and is quieter and more studious.

When Amir’s teacher Mr Shaw asks Amir to pin up a poster announcing the George Orwell public speaking competition something chimes with him. The picture of George Orwell reminds Amir of his beloved father.

While going on a run with Mo, Amir has a bad asthma attack and is hospitalized. His thoughtful teacher brings him books and a biography of George Orwell along with a notebook as he realizes Amir is showing an interest and he wants to encourage him with his English. This gives Amir an outlet for his trauma and a purpose in his life. He decides to enter the competition coached by Mr Shaw and develops a strong affinity with George Orwell, imagining his encouraging voice in his head.

But Mo and Amir’s relationship is breaking down as Mo has no outlet for his pain apart from running and he disparages Amir’s decision to enter the competition. The boys become more estranged and Amir is worried Mo will go from bad to worse.

In the end it is the competition that turns things round for both boys along with Amir’s understanding new family and his empathetic teacher. It is a thoughtful and heart-warming story highlighting the difficulties faced by so many refuges in adapting to a new life in Britian. It is a perhaps a touch simplistic and is very much written for schools in mind, but it is accessible and would be a welcome addition to the classroom.