Boy Overboard

by Morris Gleitzman

Boy Overboard is about a boy and his sisters, Jamal and Bibi who come from the war torn country of Afghanistan. His mother runs an illegal secret school for children and his father drives a taxi and sells baked bread in the back of his car. Bibi is a confident 8 year old who doesn’t care about anything but she loves soccer. Jamal is a soccer addict who wishes he can play for the Afghanistan National Team one day. He has a friend Yusuf who has one leg but can still play soccer.

The story starts off with the government finding out about the mother’s secret school and ends up blowing up the house. So Jamal’s parents leave but their mother is caught and taken to be tortured.Their father goes to rescue her in the city. He goes through the soccer stadium and gets her. They end up going to a refugee camp and catching a boat to Australia. In the process the parents and the children are split and go on separate boats. On the way to Australia Jamal and Bibi meet some new friends. After a few days on the boat it is abandoned and high jacked by pirates. The Australian navy saves Jamal and Bibi and takes them to an island off the coast of Australia. They wonder if their parents are all right since the navy told them no one made it on that boat, but they were wrong. They were re-united on the island waiting to enter Australia. They were so happy that they had freedom to do anything now, even girls can go outside to play soccer.

It’s a wonderful book I rate it 10/10. Read It!!!

By Mark C. of Year 8.