What’s the book about?
The American civil war is the setting for this story narrated by an orphan who has been stripped of his real name after being sold into slavery and sent to a cotton plantation. Samuel’s an educated boy. He’s been taught by a priest and he was never supposed to be a slave. He’s a good boy too, thoughtful and kind. The type of boy who’d take the blame for something he didn’t do, if it meant he could save his brother. So now they don’t call him Samuel anymore. And the sound of guns is getting ever closer… My Name is Not Friday is extraordinary tale of endurance, the power of belief and the strength of the human spirit.
Now watch this
Find out about Jon Walter
Read the first chapter of My Name’s Not Friday
Get to know Jon and find out how he came to write My Name’s Not Friday in our interview
Read Jon Walter’s top 10 refugee heroes in children’s fiction
And now… write your review!
The Guardian young critics competition is for all young readers to share their views on any of the longlisted books. Anyone aged 18 or under can enter by writing a review of no more than 500 words of one of the books longlisted for the prize. Individuals or school/library classes/bookgroups can enter and there are great prizes to be won including all the longlisted books. You can find out more and enter the competition here.
You can find out more about all the authors Guardian children’s fiction prize book club, links and info will be added as they go live, one author a week for eight weeks!
