First published 2024
Suleikha, Leo and Kai call themselves The Freezies. The three twelve-year-olds live in a small village where nothing exciting ever happens. Then Mr Christaki arrives with his converted bus and parks on the village green. The mysterious traveler becomes their friend, sharing stories and treats. But authorities discover Mr Christaki is an illegal immigrant from Syria. When they come for him, he flees with his four-year-old daughter. The Freezies refuse to let their friend disappear. They devise a dangerous plan to expose Mr Christaki's situation on national television. The scheme puts them at risk but offers the only chance to save him from deportation. Their friendship with the Syrian refugee transforms three ordinary kids into unlikely heroes willing to fight an unjust system.
Genres: fiction, friendship, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-heroes
Setting: Cariboo, Syria, Village
Period: 21st-century
Kindle Edition · Tradewind Books