Book of the week 4th February

This week's book links two previous posts, the book was short-listed for the Costa Children's Book Award and is by one of the judges for the Radio 2 short story competition! The unforgotten coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce tells the story of Julie who is in her last year at primary school when a new boy arrives in class. Chingis and his little brother, Nergui, are refugees from Mongolia and Julie becomes their "Good guide" showing them round school and generally looking after them. But the more interested Julie becomes in all things Mongolian the more secretive the boys seem to become.

 At times the book is laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes very sinister but always very touching. The book shows a little of what it must be like to be a refugee, on the move and afraid.The unforgotten coat is also a beautifully presented book with Polaroid (ask your mum or dad!) photographs and the whole story is all the more poignant because it was inspired by a meeting the author had when he was on a visit to a school.