num_pages: 336
description: Jean starts at a new school and struggles to fit in. He develops an unlikely friendship with rowdy class mate James who gets him into a string of sticky situations; fights theft and more. At home his parents Mami and Papa who fled political violence in Congo under the dictatorial regime of Le Marechal to seek asylum as refugees  which Jean and his star-student little sister Marie have no knowledge of  pressure him to focus on school and sort his act out. Jean is then suspended and Marie who usually gets on his nerves helps him keep his secret which draws them closer together.As the family attempts to integrate and navigate modern British society as well as hold on to their roots and culture they meet Tonton a sapeur womaniser alcohol-loving party enthusiast who much to Papas dislike after losing his job moves in with them. Tonton introduces the family  via his church where colourful characters such as Pastor Kaddi Patricia and Nadege congregate  to a familiar community of fellow country-people making them feel slightly less alone. They begin to settle but the reality of their situation unravels a threat to their future whilst the fear of uncertainty remains.With colourful characters and luminous prose No Place To Call Home is a tale of belonging identity and immigration of hope and hopelessness of loss not by death but by distance and by no means the least of love.
language: English
title: No Place To Call Home
publisher: OWN IT!