The Boy at the Back of the Class

The Boy at the Back of the Class (2018) is a middle-grade novel by British author Onjali Q. Raúf. The novel tells the story of nine-year-old Ahmet. Ahmet arrives in Alexa’s class after fleeing Syria and becoming separated from his family on the way to London. Although many of their classmates bully Ahmet, Alexa does everything in her power to be his friend. The novel is written from Alexa’s first-person point of view and explores themes of The Transformative Power of Friendship and Community, The Importance of Compassion and Empathy, and Self-Discovery Amid Life’s Challenges.

Onjali Q. Raúf is an author and social activist. She founded Making HerStory, a nonprofit that combats human trafficking and gender-based crimes. Raúf also works in refugee camps—an experience which has informed her fiction writing. The Boy at the Back of the Class is her debut novel.

This guide uses the 2018 Random House Children’s Books paperback edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide include depictions and/or discussion of racism, bullying, war, graphic violence, discrimination, xenophobia, death, and loss. In particular, the text centers around the Syrian Civil War and the subsequent Syrian Refugee Crisis.

Plot Summary

When nine-year-old Alexa starts her new school year, she’s thrilled to be in Mrs. Khan’s class and to reunite with her three best friends, Tom, Josie, and Michael. Then one day, a new boy joins their class. Ahmet is quiet, keeps his head down, and never smiles or talks. Some of Alexa’s classmates make fun of him, but Alexa thinks Ahmet needs a friend. She convinces Tom, Josie, and Michael to help her welcome Ahmet. They start saving up candies and fruit from their lunches to give to Ahmet after school. During pick-up time, Alexa races over to Ahmet and gives him some candy from her pocket. However, Ahmet hides behind his foster mom’s leg and doesn’t smile at her. Mrs. Khan thanks Alexa for being kind, but Alexa feels confused and unsure of what to do.

Alexa tries to figure out who Ahmet is and why he’s so shy. One day, she learns that Ahmet is from Syria and that he speaks Kurdish. He is still learning English. Mrs. Khan also informs Alexa and her friends that they should remember to give Ahmet his space. She appreciates that they’re trying to be friends with Ahmet, but informs them that he needs time alone to adjust to his new life in the UK. Not long after, Ahmet gets an assistant in the classroom, Ms. Hemsi. Alexa is glad that Ms. Hemsi can speak Kurdish with Ahmet and that he seems more comfortable.

One day, Ahmet joins his classmates on the playground for recess. Alexa, Tom, Josie, and Michael invite him to play soccer with them. Ahmet is still quiet, but he joins the game and turns out to be a better player than any of Alexa’s friends. Suddenly, Brendan the Bully interrupts the game and steals their soccer ball. When the friends demand that he give it back, Brendan tells the recess supervisor, Mr. Irons, that Ahmet was excluding him from the game. Alexa and her friends try to explain, but Mr. Irons sends them to the principal’s office. Mrs. Khan ends up getting them out of trouble.

The day before fall break, Ahmet gives a presentation to the class. He tells his classmates that he and his mom, dad, sister, and cat were happy in Syria. Then the war broke out, and they had to leave their home. They walked over mountains and crossed seas to get to safety. They stayed in a refugee camp in France before finally heading to England. Alexa is overwhelmed after hearing Ahmet’s story. She can’t believe how brave he is. Not long later, she feels even more sympathetic to Ahmet when she learns that he was separated from his parents on his way to the UK, and that his sister died after fleeing Syria.

Over fall break, Alexa tries to think of a way to make Ahmet feel even more welcome. She tells her mom (Mum) about Ahmet. Mum shows Alexa Syria on the map and explains the war that Ahmet’s family was fleeing when they came to the UK. She then suggests that Ahmet might like pomegranates, because one of her Turkish friends often enjoyed the fruit. Alexa and Mum spend the day searching for pomegranates. Alexa is thrilled when they return home with two of the fruits that evening.

On Monday, Alexa gives Ahmet his pomegranate. Ahmet is so happy, he smiles for the first time. Brendan the Bully grabs the fruit and tosses it over Ahmet’s head to his friends, Liam and Chris. Furious, Ahmet jumps on top of Brendan. Mr. Irons breaks up the fight.

Not long later, Alexa overhears a conversation between two adults on the city bus. They are talking about the war in Syria and all of the Syrian refugees coming to the UK. In just a few days, the UK plans to close its borders to these refugees.

Alexa asks her friends to help her help Ahmet. She explains what she heard on the bus and informs them that Ahmet doesn’t know where his parents are. Together, the friends decide to write a letter to the Queen, asking her to keep the borders open so Ahmet can reunite with his family. They mail their letter, but the Queen doesn’t reply. Worried, Alexa and Tom decide to skip school one day and visit Buckingham Palace to deliver their letter in person. They cause a scene while there and end up on the news.

After Alexa and Tom’s appearance at Buckingham Palace, their story spreads. Some reporters speculate that they were planning an attack on the palace. Other reporters insist they were just trying to help their friend, a refugee child. Finally, Mum suggests that Alexa, Ahmet, and their friends give an interview to clear up the confusion. After the interview, more and more people join the effort to help Ahmet reunite with his parents.

On Alexa’s birthday, Ahmet discovers that his parents have been found and will soon join him in the UK. Alexa is thrilled, not just because she turned 10, but because she has a new friend in Ahmet.