Kicked Out

Ali and his friend Sami are living their dream, playing football for the school team and swimming in their friend Mark's new luxury pool. But money goes missing and racism rears its ugly head when their friend Aadam is accused of stealing it. Trying to prove Aadam's innocence will test their friendships and their family loyalties.

A sequel to Dassu's award-winning debut, Boy, Everywhere, Kicked Out finds Sami and his friend Ali living their dream, playing football for the school team and swimming in their friend Mark's new luxury pool. But money goes missing and racism rears its ugly head when their friend Aadam is accused of being the thief. Kicked out of Mark's house and banned from seeing him, Sami and Ali resolve to prove Aadam's innocence and hatch a plan to raise the money he needs to fight a threatened deportation. But it's not just racism and the legal system they're fighting as the limits of their friendship are tested: family bonds and loyalty are called into question when Ali's long-lost father reappears and Mark's mother's new boyfriend reveals his true character. Ultimately, they're going to need to draw on the strength of all their relationships – and the help of a famous new friend – to achieve their dream.

Written from the heart, this is a powerful novel with a valuable message about resilience, self-worth and friendship.