Until You Find The Sun
Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson
Hodder Children’s Books

Debut author Maryam Hassan was inspired by her own experience and children she has taught to write this poignant, affecting story.

Aminah’s life is a happy one, made especially so by the evenings she spends with her grandfather, Da, who while snuggled together on his charpai, tells her tales of adventurers who visited new lands and made exciting discoveries. Then one day her parents tell her that they too are going to set off on an adventure. At first Aminah is excited but then Da tells her that he isn’t going with them.
Saying goodbye to her beloved grandfather, brings Aminah to the brink of tears as she urges him again to join then. “I am always with you. You will find sunshine wherever you go,” he tells his granddaughter.

When their plane lands at their destination though, there’s no brightness, only grey skies and rain. The next few days continue to be sunless, bitterly cold and despite wrapping in several layers, Aminah still feels numb both inside and out. She feels out of place in her new school too

and despite her parents’ best efforts to cheer her up, the only warmth she feels is when talking to Da on the phone. How she longs to go back. Understanding Da reminds his granddaughter that her adventure is just beginning and promises to light her way until she finds some sun once more.

That seems more unlikely than ever as the days grow even colder, but then as she trudges along clutching her Mama’s hand, she suddenly spots something bright mango yellow that reminds her of home. Mama and Aminah go and make a special purchase, one that brightens up the day considerably.

The following morning Aminah opens her curtains onto a sight that seems to herald that adventure Da had promised her. Outside in the snow she meets a new friend and at last the cold doesn’t have that same dismalness. When next she talks with Da on the phone, he knows that Aminah has at last found her sunshine once more.

Having spend most of my teaching life in schools close to Heathrow Airport, this beautiful story resonates powerfully with me. The author captures perfectly those feelings of overwhelming grey so many children are beset by when they first arrive from parts of the world so different from the UK. Anna Wilson’s scenes in the early part of the book radiate warmth – interpersonal and climatic – as well as portraying the contrasting grey dreariness of Aminah’s new environment where she’s never experienced such cold. An important story to share with KS1 classes especially.