Boy 87
Ele Fountain
Boy87 is an original and beautifully written page-turner of a novel about love, survival and the strength that can be found in a hopeful human spirit' -- Sarah Crossan, Carnegie Medal Winner 'Shif is an unforgettable character, and his story should be read by everyone who cares about one of the unfolding tragedies of our time' -- Award-winning author Elizabeth Laird Shif is just an ordinary boy who likes chess, maths and racing his best friend home from school. But one day, soldiers with guns come to his door - and he knows that he is no longer safe. Shif is forced to leave his mother and little sister, and embark on a dangerous journey; a journey through imprisonment and escape, new lands and strange voices, and a perilous crossing by land and sea. He will encounter cruelty and kindness; he will become separated from the people he loves. Boy 87 is a gripping, uplifting tale of one boy's struggle for survival; it echoes the story of young people all over the world today.
Reviews
Boy 87 maybe a novel book but is actually a kind of emotional book and also is kind of adventurous I have read with my class and yet I feel like reading it again . I know Ele Fountain has made other books and I am just about ready for reading them
Anonymous 09.01.2024
This is an emotional story and shows the lives of many people.
Anonymous 18.08.2023
I think this book is interesting as much as it is full of tragedies,it tells us how things used to happen and some might still happen up to date.This book is really fun to read even though it is fiction, it tells about real life.My favourite character is Shif.Mostly because he is the main character. I would totally recommend it to someone else.
Anonymous 11.08.2022
This book is a really good book because this will be a great book for people whoa are interested in war,fighting and sad stories.I recommend it to other people to read
Anonymous 05.12.2021
it was very upsetting in parts and a challenge to read but it was interesting and I learnt a lot looking up references to items that I did not know. I tough read but worth it
Anonymous 08.09.2021
This was a sobering book which showed the fear and horror for refugees.
Anonymous 07.09.2021
A very emotional book. It is incredible
Anonymous 29.12.2020
I would recommend this book to others
Anonymous 02.09.2020
Loved this book. Read it for a transition project for school. It is so adventurous and heartbreaking at the same time.
Anonymous 28.08.2020
Absolutely gripping, had to keep reading until I found out what happened to the main character Shif, a boy refugee. The story starts with him arriving on a dinghy in the UK. The rest of the story is about what led up to this arrival. It is SO well written and suitable for older primary onwards. Would most definitely recommend. Provocative, compelling with a hopeful, but not a fairy tale ending.
Anonymous 14.08.2020
Boy 87 tells the story of immigrants trying to flee to Europe through the eyes of Shif, an innocent and unknowing eleven-year-old boy. This heat breaking book perfectly captures the often-over-looked struggles of refuges throughout the world as well as addressing the catastrophic greed in it caused by money. And while all hope seems lost in our world Ele Fountin promotes the message of how the younger generation can fix the flaws in society from learning from their forebear’s mistakes.
Anonymous 12.08.2020
The ending was rubbish but the book was fine
Anonymous 24.07.2020
I would recommend this book to Kids 10+ because it is heartbreaking and tragic but there is always hope. If I had to choose a favourite character it would have to be Bini because he helped his friend for as long as he could then when it comes to a matter of life and deaf he lets his friend go.
Anonymous 22.08.2019
Following the perilous journey of a refugee, this book shows that you have to be grateful for what you have, and keep on going no matter how tough something is. After attempting to escape from his home (and therefore military school) he is caught by soldiers, who are searching the village. Put in prison with his best friend, Bini, he learns the stories of the other men there, and promises to help them: by escaping. However, as they journey across the desert, Bini is shot, but after a few days of wandering, Shif (Boy 87) finds a small town. He has crossed the border. Spending a few days there, he meets a refugee family, who take him in, and allow him to go with the smuggler they have found to take them to Europe. Halfway through this journey, some people are injured after a freak accident, including Almaz's (who is the daughter of the refugee family). Now trekking, Shif and Almaz make it to the beach, where they're picked up by a boat. Nearly dying from hypothermia, they are rescued together by a helicopter, and are free to pursue their new life and dreams.
Anonymous 25.07.2019
This is a fictional book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes adventure books or books filled with tension. My favourite characters were Bini and Almaz.
Anonymous 14.07.2019
This book was very exciting and a little bit scary too. My favourite part was when Shiff was at the camp trying to survive. It was written in first person, which made me like the character Shiff more.
Anonymous 06.08.2018
This book is amazing! I love it so much! It has such an interesting adventure about a , boy called Shif. Thank you so much Ele for making this book.
Anonymous 25.07.2018
This was a good book, written in the first person past tense, about a boy who tries to escape from his country but is caught and held in a camp. He escapes, and tries to make it to England in a boat. I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of the other books I have read, mainly because I did not like the way it ended - it was very sudden.
Anonymous 22.06.2018