Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

A book about two individuals' stories, told in a beautifully written dual narrative style. Stevie's life has taken a downturn since the death of her dad; her mum is severely depressed and getting worse, leaving Stevie as the main carer for both of them. Add into the mix a new boy at school who is still looking for his own story. Hafiz has travelled from Syria over the past two years, away from everything and everyone he holds dear. Now at a new school, he is trying to come to terms with the new unfamiliar realities of his life whilst thinking about his mum and dad back in Syria who he hasn't spoken to in a long time. Stevie naturally turns to her dad's old vinyl collection for solace; he had produced her a life guide 'Stevie's Little Book of Big Song Wisdom' using his own choice of tracks to play when she encountered good times and bad and for everyday situations. For Hafiz, his natural 'go to' back in Syria was football, now he isn't so sure. Their classmates are the usual mix of popular, noisy and sometimes spiteful students. Stevie is a quiet, shy and unnoticed member of the form. Hafiz is a good-looking enigma to most, but still a refugee, attracting more racist attitudes from others. A friendship between the two seems unlikely but blossoms nevertheless. I loved this book for the sensitive way it handled a number of issues that affect teenagers throughout our society; Stevie's experiences of dealing with her mum and her depression, having to take time off school because she didn't have a shirt, visiting the food bank to ensure they had something to eat. Hafiz gradually tells Stevie about his often harrowing experiences on his journey to England and the involvement of his family with the Sanctuary by the Sea in Brighton, which provides a community for refugees, which helps the reader gain a greater understanding of how settling into a new culture and country proves so hard. I highly recommend this book and especially liked the Spotify playlist in the back of the book. 341 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Sharon Bolton, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 11+