My Name Is Samim

Via alternating timelines, Meikle presents a searing novel about an orphaned refugee fleeing Afghanistan for the United Kingdom. Following his parents’ murder by the Taliban in 2019, 10-year-old Samim and Samim’s best friend, Zayn, move in with Samim’s uncle Roshan. When the Taliban comes for Uncle Roshan, too, the event propels the trio to seek asylum at an iron-cutting factory in Iran. After Uncle Roshan is badly wounded in a police raid, he implores the boys leave for Turkey, where they may be able to find passage to England. Along the way, Samim and Zayn meet kind people and contend with violence, food insecurity, and inhumane living conditions. To self-soothe, Samim counts the digits of pi, while Zayn cracks jokes at Samim’s expense, offering levity to the story. Chapters set in 2022 follow Samim, now 13, as he navigates the U.K. foster system, nurtures his love of chess, and recounts his past to his solicitor and caseworker. Though aspects surrounding the political history between Afghanistan and the Taliban go uncontextualized, intense portrayals of the protagonist’s experiences culminate in a sobering and illuminating volume. Includes a map and author interview. Ages 10–14. (Feb.)