By Bali Rai (author) , David Shephard (illustrator)
"A thought-provoking, punch-packing exploration of the devastating consequences of racist hatred"
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Interest Age 13+ Reading Age 7
Inspired by a tragic real-life event, Bali Rai’s A Sudden Storm presents a tremendously impactful, character-driven account of a horrifying racist attack.
Ahead of celebrating his 16th birthday, Arjan’s dad shares the sage advice that, “Life is about moving forward. It is about doing well and being happy.” Feeling happy ahead of celebrating his birthday with his mates, with the possibility of something special happening with Jem, Arjan is subjected to racist remarks when he almost collides with a white van: “Probably can’t hear with that nappy on your head,” the driver says of Arjan’s turban. “You ain’t English with that stupid rag on your head!”
A little while later, while getting changed for his night out, Arjan reflects on the incident: “What did they know about turbans? Mine was like my Sikh crown.” At his mother’s suggestion, Arjan adorns a bright red turban to wear to the cinema: “Arsenal FC red, or so I told people.” Shockingly, a second encounter with the white van man comes to a violent crescendo that’ll leave readers stunned, and ready to question and call out bigotry.
Juxtaposing the joy of Arjan’s loving family, close friends, and a sense of him being of the cusp of good things in life with the ignorant hatred of racists, A Sudden Storm is a powerful, thought-provoking read, with top-notch dialogue and crisp writing that’ll grip even the most reluctant of readers.
An innocent night out to celebrate a sixteenth birthday turns to tragedy in this powerful story of racial intolerance from award-winning author Bali Rai.
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It's Arjan's sixteenth birthday and he's celebrating with his mates - going to see a film and then get a Nando's. He's looking forward to some good banter and wondering what might happen with Jem, who's been looking at him differently these days ... But the night comes to a dramatic and violent end when Arjan is targeted by a group of racist thugs, who single him out due to the colour of his skin and the turban that he wears, a symbol of his commitment to his faith and culture. Is the life of a good friend and beloved son really worth so little?
Specially designed and edited to a reading age of 7, this title is aimed at struggling teen readers, and is also ideal for EAL learners, filling a crucial gap for engaging, age-appropriate titles.
Bali Rai has written over forty novels about teenagers and children. Born in Leicester, his writing is inspired by his working-class, multicultural background.
He was born in Leicester where he grew up in a multicultural community dreaming of playing football for Liverpool FC, being Bob Marley or becoming a writer.
A leading voice in UK teen fiction, Bali is a passionate advocate of libraries, reading for pleasure and promoting literacy. He has nearly twenty years of experience in working with young people across the UK and further afield and is extremely popular with schools. He has been nominated for and won numerous awards since 2001.
Bali has worked closely with The Reading Agency, Booktrust, The National Literacy Trust, Empathy Lab UK and many other organisations, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by De Montfort University in 2014. He also featured on BBC1’s Rebel Writers show and is an ambassador/patron for several high-profile literacy and arts projects.
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An innocent night out to celebrate a sixteenth birthday turns to tragedy in this powerful story of racial intolerance from award-winning author Bali Rai. It's Arjan's sixteenth birthday and he's celebrating with his mates - going to see a film and then get a Nando's.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed A Sudden Storm and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
A Sudden Storm features in the following genres: Dyslexia Friendly Books for Teens, Recommendations, Featured Books for Young Adults, PSHE: Bullying and Discrimination, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, PSHE: Multiculturalism, Diversity and Inclusion, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, True Stories, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
A Sudden Storm was written by Bali Rai and published by Barrington Stoke Ltd
A Sudden Storm has 67 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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