Ahmet is one of the novel’s primary characters. He is the new boy in Alexa’s class. When Ahmet first arrives in Mrs. Khan’s classroom, no one is sure what to make of him. He doesn’t speak, never smiles, avoids eye contact, and even hides behind his foster mom when Alexa tries to talk to him and give him gifts. Ahmet also doesn’t attend all of the other students’ classes or participate in many of their activities.

Since his behavior is unfamiliar, many of the students spread rumors about him. Some people guess that Ahmet is dangerous, that he’s running away from kidnappers, or that he has a contagious illness. Alexa is one of the first people who decides that there’s nothing wrong with Ahmet: He just needs a friend. She soon learns that she’s right, as Ahmet is a Syrian refugee and fled his home with his family to escape the Syrian Civil War. In the UK, he is alone and needs as much support and love as he can get.

When Ahmet gives his presentation to Mrs. Khan’s class, he gets to tell his story in his own words for the first time. During the presentation, he tells his classmates why he had to leave his home country. With his assistant Ms. Hemsi’s help and a series of handmade drawings, Ahmet explains how wonderful his life was before the war started. He had a father, mother, sister, and cat. When their home city became violent, they had to run away. They crossed mountains and oceans to get to safety. However, Ahmet’s sister died along the way, and he lost track of his parents. In the UK, he is safer with his new family and at his new school than he was at the refugee camp, but he longs to reunite with his family.

Ahmet changes over the course of the novel because he finds the friends and community he needs to survive. Ahmet is particularly thankful for Alexa’s kindness. Alexa is the first person who doesn’t judge or bully Ahmet; she also encourages her friends to befriend Ahmet, too. Over time, Ahmet starts to open up. He plays soccer with his new friends and even starts telling them about his past. Once he learns that Alexa and Tom went to Buckingham Palace for him, he’s even more appreciative.

By the novel’s end, Ahmet has completely transformed. He’s more open and talkative. He is also happy because, with his friends’ help, he will soon reunite with his parents. The novel uses his character as an example of the refugee experience, and particularly the refugee child’s experience.

Tom, Josie, and Michael are also primary characters. They are Alexa’s best friends. She doesn’t mind going to school because when she’s there, she gets to spend time with her friends. Alexa also loves Tom, Josie, and Michael because they’re all so different from one another. Tom has “short spiky hair and a side-smile” and “only joined [Alexa’s] class last year after his parents moved here from America”; Josie “has large, brown eyes” and “can kick a soccer ball past any goalie from the other side of the field”; and Michael “has the neatest, puffiest Afro out of all the boys” and is “always tripping up or bumping into things when he walks” (4, 5). Alexa loves that her friends have these quirks because their traits make each of them unique. She also values their differences because she is a generous, accepting character. Furthermore, because Tom, Josie, and Michael have different strengths than her, they can help Alexa when she’s feeling stuck or frustrated, and vice versa.

Tom, Josie, and Michael also become Ahmet’s friends. With Alexa’s encouragement, they reach out to Ahmet. They include him in their games, invite him to spend time with them, and defend him when Brendan the Bully, Liam, and Chris are unkind to him. Most importantly, Tom, Josie, and Michael accept Ahmet despite all of the negative things people are saying about him and his refugee status. They bond together and help Ahmet find his family. They create a community of love and acceptance for Ahmet so he feels safe and cared for.

Mrs. Khan is a secondary character. She is Alexa, Tom, Josie, Michael, and Ahmet’s teacher. At the start of the year, Alexa is thrilled to be in Mrs. Khan’s class because she’s convinced she’ll be a better teacher than her teacher from the year before. Mrs. Khan quickly proves Alexa’s expectations right. She is kind, caring, empathetic, and intolerant of bullying and discrimination. She is particularly welcoming toward and supportive of Ahmet. She wants him to be included in the classroom, but she never pushes him to participate before he’s ready. She gives him space to tell his story to the class when he feels comfortable, reminds his classmates not to pester him about his past, and helps her class understand where Ahmet comes from and what he’s gone through.

Mrs. Khan is also a guide for Alexa and her friends. Since they trust her, they know that they can go to her with their questions and concerns. When they worry about Ahmet or face bullying from Brendan, Liam, and Chris, they approach Mrs. Khan. Mrs. Khan always tries to reassure Alexa and her friends, but also treats them like the intelligent young students they are.

Alexa’s mom is another secondary character. Alexa refers to her as “Mum” throughout the majority of the novel. Much like Mrs. Khan, Mum plays the part of a guide in Alexa’s life and story. Ever since Alexa’s dad passed away, she only has one parent to rely on. Sometimes she feels lonely because Mum has to work two jobs and is often not at home, but Alexa always knows that she can go to her mom with questions or worries.

Alexa particularly relies on Mum to understand Ahmet’s situation and to find ways to be his friend. Mum shows her where Syria is on the map in their atlas. She takes Alexa to the market for pomegranates to get for Ahmet. She also watches the news with Alexa and helps her to understand the conflict in Syria and the Refugee Crisis. In these ways, Mum shows that she respects and cares about Alexa. She wants to protect her, but she also doesn’t hide the truth from her. Alexa knows that her mom is unique because many of her peers don’t receive the same social and cultural lessons from their parents.