--- product_id: 71968176 title: "The Boy At the Back of the Class" brand: "onjali rauf" price: "103.33 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/71968176-the-boy-at-the-back-of-the-class store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # 20+ languages translated 5+ international awards 500K+ UK copies sold The Boy At the Back of the Class **Brand:** onjali rauf **Price:** 103.33 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🌟 Discover the story everyone’s talking about—because empathy never goes out of style! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Boy At the Back of the Class by onjali rauf - **How much does it cost?** 103.33 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/71968176-the-boy-at-the-back-of-the-class) ## Best For - onjali rauf enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted onjali rauf brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Global Bestseller:** Over half a million copies sold in the UK alone—join the worldwide community of readers! - • **Multicultural Impact:** Translated into 20+ languages, bridging cultures and sparking empathy across the globe. - • **Award-Winning Storytelling:** Winner of multiple prestigious awards including Blue Peter and Waterstones Children's Book Prize, ensuring top-tier literary quality. - • **Powerful Themes for All Ages:** A heartfelt narrative on friendship, kindness, and the refugee crisis that resonates with both young readers and adults. - • **Exclusive Collector’s Edition:** Beautiful gold foil anniversary edition available—perfect for your bookshelf or gifting with impact. ## Overview The Boy At the Back of the Class is a critically acclaimed, award-winning children’s novel by Onjali Q Rauf that has sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and been translated into more than 20 languages. It tells the moving story of Ahmet, a refugee boy, through the eyes of his classmates, highlighting themes of friendship, kindness, and the refugee crisis. Celebrated for its emotional depth and cultural relevance, this book is a must-read for young adults and adults alike, with a stunning gold foil anniversary edition available. ## Description OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD IN THE UK ALONE! TRANSLATED INTO 20+ LANGUAGES WINNER OF THE BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD (UK) 2019 WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE (UK) 2019 WINNER OF THE SAKURA MEDAL (JAPAN) 2020 WINNER OF THE CHILDREN'S COWBELL AWARD (SWITZERLAND) 2021 WINNER OF THE PRIX JANUSZ KORCZAK PRIZE (FRANCE) 2022 THE BOY AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS STAGE PLAY NOMINATED FOR AN OLIVIER (UK) 2026 'There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He's a refugee who's run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and fires and bullies that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to help ... That's where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because you see, together we've come up with a plan...' On a perfectly ordinary school day, something extraordinary happens: a boy with pale skin, lion eyes and a tattered red rucksack walks in. Unable to speak English and seated at the back of the class, Ahmet 'the refugee kid' becomes the perfect target for bullies and rumours alike. But Ahmet has also captured the attention and empathy of a fellow classmate, who will do anything to help him find his family. Even if that involves a plan - or five, and the Queen herself! Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense. With beautiful illustrations by Pippa Curnick *BEAUTIFUL GOLD FOIL ANNIVERSARY EDITION NOW AVAILABLE - FIND IT UNDER 'ALL FORMATS AND EDITIONS'* ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Dimensions | 12.8 x 3 x 19.6 cm | | Edition | 1st | | Isbn 10 | 1510105018 | | Isbn 13 | 978-1510105010 | | Item Weight | 276 g | | Language | English | | Print Length | 320 pages | | Publication Date | 12 July 2018 | | Publisher | Orion Children's Books | | Reading Age | 8 - 10 years, from customers | ## Images ![The Boy At the Back of the Class - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Av8x9tyyL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ True Friendship *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 27 June 2024* The Boy At The Back Of The Class by Onjali Q Rauf is a marvellous debut novel. It is a book that I just could not put down. It is suitable for ages ten years and over. In fact, it is a perfect book for anyone as it highlights the plight of refugees.The book is written in the first person through the eyes of a nine year old living in London. Her school is a cosmopolitan one where children of all nations welcome the boy at the back of the class.The only blot on the school landscape is that of the school bullies. We see them through the eyes of a child. We totally understand her thoughts and find her feelings easy to empathise with.This is a tale of friendship that will go the extra mile in order to help improve a life.Onjali Q Rauf writes through the eyes of a child, explaining her fears and her questions. There is humor in her words and sometimes well known phrases are heard and misquoted wrongly. “We didn’t say anything after that because sometimes you can tell grown-ups won’t listen to you anymore. Usually they say… ‘I’ve said my peas.’ “All the characters were well drawn and believable. They were easy to empathise with. As an adult reader, I ‘travelled’ through the book in a dual aspect – as a nine year old, and as an adult looking in.This is a powerful book that all children (and adults) should read in order to help them to understand there are those who have travelled roads that we know nothing about.I will leave you with my favourite quote:“The entire world is full of hearts searching for a place to call home. But refugees … look for peace too.” ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heart-warming and emotional *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 12 May 2020* The boy at the back of the class by Onjali Rauf is an adventurous, heartwarming and emotional story. I loved reading this book because it is excellently well written which takes you on an emotional journey and constantly hoping for a positive ending. The book teaches you the value of friendships, and the importance of kindness. It also makes you reflect on appreciating your own family and helps you understand the sad realities of the refugee crisis in Syria.The protagonists are a small group of nine year old friends who try to befriend a new boy called Ahmet who they discover is a refugee from Syria and has been separated from his family while travelling to England to escape the war. Alexa, Tom, Josie and Michael have lot of empathy for Ahmet when they find out about his heart breaking experiences and make him feel welcome while fighting off bullies and ignorance .When they discover Ahmet's lost his family somewhere in Europe they embark on a plan to reunite him with his family.The strengths of this book are that it really motivates the reader to think about issues that affect many children, such as bullying and accepting people for who they are. The characters in the story encourage the reader to be more kinder to people and have more empathy, especially to those who feel vulnerable and isolated .The book teaches you that kindness and friendship can really improve someone's life in many ways.The main theme of the book is highlighting the refugee crisis and the traumas refugees experience in a sensitive way. The author tackles people's attitudes towards refugees through the characters that befriend Ahmet. Even though the refugee crisis is frequently in the news, I often could not fully understand the impact of war on the lives of refugees, and the difficulties they face adapting in a new country until I read this book.The book takes you on an journey which teaches you important life lessons; to accept people for who they are , the importance of kindness and friendships and the impact it has on people .The character's in the book formed a wonderful friendship went to extreme lengths to make him feel welcome and happy in the school. I recommend this book as it keeps you intrigued to keep on reading, and constantly hoping for a positive ending for all the characters. I recommend this book to all ages to young people and adults as refugee crisis is constantly in the news and helps young people to understand the experiences of refugees.Sara - Year 6 ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommend *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 11 June 2026* My daughter class is reading this at school, but because she had some time off due to been ill, she ask my to buy it for her as she liked the story, n to be fair, what ive read to her, it seems to be a really good read, highly recommended ## Frequently Bought Together - The Boy At the Back of the Class: Onjali Rauf - The Last Bear: Winner of the Blue Peter Award – ‘A dazzling debut’ THE TIMES - The Wild Robot: Now a major DreamWorks animation! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/71968176-the-boy-at-the-back-of-the-class](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/71968176-the-boy-at-the-back-of-the-class) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-07-23*