Boy Overboard

My favourite story ‘Boy Overboard’ by Morris Gleitzman, is based on as true story.

It’s about an Afghanistan boy and girl named Jamal and Bibi. Bibi isn’t allowed to
play soccer outside alone because she’s a girl. Bibi ignored the rules and just
played, until she kicked the ball hard and flew into someone’s window. The
government heard about it, but even though Bibi admitted it, the government
exploded Jamal’s house. Then they decide to go to Australia because they think
Afghanistan is a terrible to live, and because they wanted to compete on the soccer
championships. They fled to Australia. A kid from camp that keeps saying it’s his ball,
showed up. Then Bibi accidentally kicked the ball hard and it flew to the water. They
were on a boat, but Bibi had no choice but to jump off the boat and save it. Jamal
had no choice either but to jump off and save the ball and Bibi. They ended up in
another boat where they were separated with their parents. They saved a girls
blanket which was on fire, and she introduced who she was because she was
thankful for Jamal and Bibi saving the blanket. She was Rashida. They were still sad
because they got separated by their parents, and lost the ball, but the kid from camp
saved it. His name is Omar, and he apologised for making such mess to them. They
were attacked but thankfully they survived, but what mostly caused destruction to the
boat is a huge wave that flipped the boat. Luckily, they were rescued by Australians.
Then they fled to a small island far from Australia, which Jamal thought it was
Australia. Soon after they arrived, they played a match of soccer, until Jamal scored
by kicking the ball as hard as he could. Something was strange, the crowd were
crying and screaming. Jamal found out the other boat where Mom and Dad is was
sunk. He was mad at some Australians who were smirking, but has he said “I can’t
believe people can be like this in Australia,” the Australians explained where he is
actually in. Mom and Dad were saved because the warship finally found before they
were about to be sunken.

I like this book because it is entertaining and tells true stories of refugees. Refugees
had started long ago because wherever the people lived, they thought it was
dangerous to live there so they leave without getting caught. After you fled
somewhere else, especially Australia, you stay in detention centres for a while. Right
now some people are protesting that detention should be banned, and I agree too,
because detentions are to teach people a lesson but for people that flees to
somewhere else, I understand why, and there are so many reasons like someone
bullying you, exploding our house or eventually in wars.

I like the book because it contains information about the harrowing experience of
leaving Afghanistan to Australia. They experienced tough times losing their parents,
being survived in an attack and a huge wave flipping the boat. I was reading this like
it was a movie, and I really wished this could be a movie. If it was a movie, I won’t be
missing a single part of it. Because it’s so entertaining but factual, this could be seen
as a movie.

It had a beaming start where I was surprised when Bibi asn’t allowed to go out alone
because she’s a girl, but she ignores and break someone’s window. It was even
more surprising a government blowing up someone’s house. I was curious about
why the kid from camp called Omar kept saying it’s his ball but I was relieved after
he became nice and saved the ball which was about to get sunk. It was depressing
when they had to leave their place, but I was happy and relieved when they survived
an attack and a huge wave attack. It was more depressing when their parents boat
got sunk but it was overjoying after they were reunited after they were saved.    I
recommend you this lively but apprehensive book which is factual ad entertaining.