Product Description

This is the story of 12 year-old Sade and her brother Femi who flee to Britain from Nigeria. Their father is a political journalist who refuses to stop criticising the military rulers in Nigeria. Their mother is killed and they are sent to London, with their father promising to follow. Abandoned at Victoria Station by the woman paid to bring them to England as her children, Sade and Femi find themselves alone in a new, often hostile, environment. Seen through the eyes of Sade, the novel explores what it means to be classified as 'illegal' and the difficulties which come with being a refugee.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31119 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 227 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Set during the Autumn of 1995 in the aftermath of Ken Saro-Wiwa's execution in Nigeria for alleged political crimes, Beverley Naidoo's frighteningly topical novel is a reminder about just how good children's teenage fiction can sometimes be. Tackling multiple themes--most importantly injustice, the right to freedom of speech, the complexities of political asylum, bullying and, ultimately, the strength of the family--The Other Side of Truth is a gripping story that undoubtedly deserves its widespread acclaim and success.

In turn, the narrative lunges from tragedy in the opening scene, to excitement as the young lead characters begin their bid for freedom, then to frustration as the seemingly safe haven of Britain turns out to be anything but.

Sade and her brother Femi are the children of an outspoken Nigerian journalist. When an assassination attempt on their father's life leaves their mother slain instead, their world is understandably turned upside down. The family must flee the country to survive. Sade and Femi are sent on ahead, escaping the country undercover as the children of a shady Nigerian woman called Mrs Bankhole. She unscrupulously abandons them in London and their only contact in this big, strange and alien capital city is their uncle--but he too is missing. With nowhere to go and nobody to turn to, they are soon swept up by the British legal system and Sade and Femi begin to wonder if they are any better off when they become the victims of bullying in their new, albeit temporary school.

A Silver Award winner in the 2000 Nestlé Smarties Awards, Naidoo's book is in many ways more than just a story. The author was born in South Africa and has written about that continent and discrimination before in a number of acclaimed books including Journey to Jo'burg and No Turning Back. She knew firsthand of the shocking situation in Nigeria in the mid-1990s through friends who were hopeful of a move towards democracy. She wanted to write about the effect of such politics on children and also, by setting a lot of the story in England, to draw attention to the fact that issues such as neglect of human rights and injustice are local issues too.

The book has a powerful tale to tell, tinged with enough echoes of truth to make it a compelling yet uncomfortable experience. (Age 12 and over) --John McLay

Review
Beverly Naidoo has earned a major reputation for chronicling the lives of young people in her native South Africa with powerful works such as Journey to Jo'burg and Chain of Fire. This novel is set initially in another troubled African country, Nigeria, at a time when it was immensely dangerous to speak the truth about the then military regime and its leader General Abacha. It is a vivid account of a family's trauma and subsequent exile in London, seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Sade and her younger brother Femi. When their mother is murdered by the authorities, the children's father, outspoken journalist and opponent of the regime Folarin Solaja, decides that the family must flee to London. The children will go first while he will try to follow. Once in London, the children are alone and frightened. Too scared to reveal their true identity for fear it could cause problems for their father still in Nigeria, the children are placed in the hands of social services and are soon living with a foster family. But what of their father? The children have an agonising wait, but their courage and determination, particularly that of Sade, who constantly draws strength from the memory of her dead mother, brings about an emotional reunion. This is a remarkably powerful novel, highlighting issues of oppression, murder, freedom of speech and the plight of refugees in an enormously readable manner. As the broadcaster, Jon Snow, says in the foreword: 'Not only a marvellous read but one that refuels the desire for justice and freedom within and beyond our shores'. (Kirkus UK)

Gripping suspense rules as Naidoo describes a young girl's world turned upside down by political events, first in Nigeria and then London. On the first page, Sade's mother is shot and killed by policemen, and she and her younger brother Femi are suddenly spirited out of their home country. Sade's father is an idealistic honest journalist, committed to telling the truth about the ruling "Buttons," as he terms the Generals. Things go from bad to worse as the roadblocks and officials in Nigeria turn out to be less dangerous than their accompanying protectoress. Abandoned penniless and poorly dressed for November in London, Sade and Femi find their uncle has disappeared and they are homeless. Hoping only that they can hang on until their father can leave Nigeria as well, the two find themselves thrown into the social-services mill and taken into a foster home, struggling to apply for political asylum without endangering anyone in Nigeria. The foster homes, school system, and another refugee from Somalia, Mariam, alternately provide comfort and challenge. Naidoo ably sticks to Sade's immediate need to be true to her own values and needs, focusing on her memories of home and cultural icons as she looks for help. The larger political message that children should feel safe and not have to fear for their lives in any country is effortlessly apparent, as is the fact that both Nigeria and Britain have a way to go in claiming safety and justice for all. Far from being a patronizing glimpse of life in the third world, this is a vivid portrayal of complex people caught in complex webs using their own culture for strength in a time of need. Real-world scary. "(Fiction. 10-14) (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author
Beverley Naidoo is well-known for her first two children's books, set in South Africa - JOURNEY TO JO'BURG and CHAIN OF FIRE. She is from South Africa but has lived in England for many years. Beverley lives in Bournemouth.

Customer Reviews

Rubbish when a techer keeps going on
I would have probably thought the book was remotely good if the techer would shut up about it. instead we have been talking about it for ages and writing reviews. i dont like the book now because of the teacher. if we could do other stuff as well my english lessons would be a bit etter and i would learn something
Thanks
Milo
If somthin like this has happened to you please email me: milohill@hotmail.com

Absolutely superb!
When Sade and Femi's mother is killed by gunmen, they have to flee to London, England and escape from more terrible fates. Sade and Femi's father meanwhile has to find his own route to England...

A brilliant and exciting read
I really enjoyed The Other Side of Truth because it was a seat-gripping nail-biting story. It has a sad beginning but don't let it stop you reading the book. Two children called Sade and Femi have to leave Nigeria and come to London by themselves and they face many problems. I think this is a great book for anybody over the age of 9 years to read - my Mum really enjoyed it too.