June 18

‘In the Sea There are Crocodiles’ by Fabio Geda

In the sea there are crocodilesThe thing is, I really wasn’t expecting her to go.

If that sounds like the start of a book you would enjoy, then In The Sea There Are Crocodiles is the book for you.

I don’t want to spoil too much about this book. It starts with an 11-year-old boy who has to leave his home village with his mother to go to a whole different place. When he arrives he is thinking that this new place is going to be his new home. Then one night he goes to sleep and when he wakes up his mother has gone, only leaving a message saying that they won’t see each other again. He is left in a alien place where, in order to survive, he has to find a place to stay and a job, but challenges keep coming at him as he tries to find a place that truly feels safe and at home.

He isn’t the only young child looking for a home. Throughout his whole journey he encounters young boys just like him. He travels all over the Middle East and in the different places he goes his story shows how different races are rivals and how others believe that they are better off than the other just because of where they came from.

Once I started to read this book I just wanted to read more and know more about the story. Sometimes I would forget what time it was and found I had been reading for hours. It is a well-written book with descriptive language that gives you a clear picture of what is going on. It was translated well throughout most of the book but sometimes with words that couldn’t be translated I had a bit of trouble. The story was gripping and I found myself thinking that there is no way I would have been able to achieve what he did.

If you hold a wish up high, any wish, just in front of your forehead, than life will be worth living.”

His bravery and his optimism really inspired me.

I would recommend this book to the ages 13-40 as this book is very interesting and the story would capture teen and adults. I would also recommend this to anyone looking for an autobiography with suspense, action, adventure and some parts that reach your heart. I rate this book 9 out of 10.

Xavier Year 8

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One night before putting Enaiatollah to bed, his mother tells him three things: don’t use drugs, don’t use weapons, and don’t steal. The next morning he wakes up to discover his mother has fled, which puts a bit of a twist on the book. When his mother leaves he really doesn’t know what to say. He is a little bit angry at first but does not know what to do. As he decides to go and skip countries and finds a place to live, Enaiatollah dangerously crosses the borders of Iran, Turkey, and Greece before he seeks political asylum in Italy at the age of fifteen and tries to find a place to live.

In Enaiatollah’s story there is Emaiatollah and his mother. His journey starts in Afghanistan and ends in Italy. Enaiatollah’s mother was in fear of the Taliban, so she leads him across borders and countries to start a new life. It took him five years to cross all the way to get to Italy.

Here is a quote from the book: “If you hold a wish up high, any wish, just in front of your forehead, then life will always be worth living.”

I would rate this book 7 out of 10. It was a good book and I would recommend it to people between the ages of 10-13. If you love adventures and good novels I would suggest this book to you. It has lots of surprises, whether he gets found out or not, but there are also has a lot of adventures in this story. I think it was a great book.

Jack H., Year:8

 

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Posted June 18, 2015 by marjk in category Realistic fiction, Student Reviews

About the Author

Teacher-librarian at Aquinas College, Southport, Gold Coast, Australia

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