My book review of 'The Star Outside My Window' by Onjali Q. Rauf

by Onjali Q. Rauf
Recommended age: 9+
The Star Outside My Window
by Onjali Q. Rauf

Aniyah and Noah are in foster care. Their mother had tried to play hide-and-seek with their father, but now she's disappeared and while they wait for their father to come and get them, they're living in foster care with three other children.

While it seems everyone but Aniyah and Noah is aware of what has happened to their parents, Aniyah knows that her mother isn't coming back. But a new star has been discovered and she comes to believe that this is how her mother will continue to look over them. So she has to be sure that the star is named correctly. And she embarks on a journey to London to the Royal Observatory to do so.

This is a fabulous story of journey, adventure, a quest with a time limit. But it's also about the effects of domestic abuse, violence in the home, grief and loss, friendship and trust, and foster care. It's a brilliant book, beautifully written and a great read, but young readers will need an adult on hand to help them deal with some of the issues raised here.

Date of this review: May 2020
Book publication date: 3rd October 2019