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A quick-witted, brave young refugee tries to track down his missing friends in this uplifting middle-grade story of resilience and friendship. The highly anticipated follow-up to My Name is Samim
Thirteen-year-old Zayn endures a long, dangerous journey from war-torn Afghanistan with his best friend Samim, only to lose him when their dinghy sinks in the English Channel. Zayn arrives in the UK, alone, but convinced Samim is alive – somewhere.
Sent to live in a hotel with other asylum seekers, Zayn starts to find small pieces of normal life – he goes to school, joins the soccer team and is making friends. Then children begin disappearing from the hotel, including Zayn's roommate. When the police struggle to find them, Zayn feels he's the only one who can.
Hounded by a local gang, as well as demons from his past, Zayn finds hope and help in unlikely places. But can he find his missing friends, old and new, as well as the safe home he's been searching for?
Praise for My Name is Samim
Winner of the 2026 Jhalak Prize (Children's and YA Book of the Year) for Writers of Color in the UK and Ireland
'Meikle's lyrical prose captures the emotional weight of displacement and survival, offering middle-grade readers a heartfelt glimpse into refugee experiences. Poignant and lyrical.'—Kirkus Reviews
'A searing novel about an orphaned refugee fleeing Afghanistan... A sobering and illuminating volume.'—Publishers Weekly
'A powerful novel that encourages empathy in its handling of friendship, love, war, and the emotional journey of refugee children and their families.'—School Library Journal, Starred Review
'This unflinching and vital narrative makes a refugee's plight accessible to children.'—Booklist
'An affecting novel'—Foreword Reviews
'Meikle's debut is a powerful story of resilience, adaptability and hope.'—The Guardian
Fidan Meikle is an Azerbaijani-British writer, linguist and translator. Her debut middle-grade novel, My Name Is Samim won the 2026 Jhalak Prize (Children's and YA Book of the Year) for Writers of Color in the UK and Ireland, as well as several other UK awards. My Name Is Samim and the sequel, My Name Is Zayn, are inspired by the real-life stories of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK. Fidan lives near Edinburgh, UK.