The Boy at the Back of the Class

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, death, loss, grief, and discrimination.

Alexa is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel. In the narrative present, she is nine years old. She lives in London, England, with her mom, whom she refers to as Mum. Some time prior to the novel’s start, Alexa’s dad died in a car accident. She has lived in her apartment with her mom ever since. She often misses her dad but doesn’t often talk about her grief. Instead, she listens to her dad’s records on his old record player and spends time with her uncle Lenny, who seems to be the only person who understands her sadness.

Alexa is an earnest, kind, and loving character. She values her three best friends, Tom, Josie, and Michael. She cares about each of them equally, even though she and her friends all come from different backgrounds, have different skills, and think and talk differently. When Ahmet moves to the UK and joins Alexa’s class, Alexa is immediately determined to become his friend, too. Other students spread rumors about Ahmet, make fun of how he looks and behaves, and treat him unkindly because he seems different—but not Alexa.