Now or Never: A Dunkirk Story

Another approachable read, I can totally see why we study it with KS3. Rai approaches the concepts of British attitudes and outdated views beautifully yet simply. Relationships with animals were hugely important in this story, as well as a spotlight on how changeable people's prejudiced views can be under such serious circumstances.

Abandoning his home in India to become part of Company 32, Private Fazal Khan is proud to be supporting the British in World War Two. But as events in France take a turn for the worst, the frightening journey to the evacuation zone inn Dunkirk becomes nothing compared to the betrayal he and his comrades face at the point of rescue.
Why should a boy from India show loyalty to people who don't all see him as their equal?

A story of struggles and loss of Fazal and his friends far away from his home in India.
He starts to wonder was it worth it to leave his family and home and fight for an empire which he thinks now has betrayed him. He and his friends must now find a way to stay alive . ' To each his own'.

It shows you can get tough anything. i recommend it.

Could not put this down- such an easy read. Just had to keep reminding myself it was a fiction book.

The Voices series of books published by Scholastic should be read by all teachers and shared with their classes. This series helps to write black history back into British history through a series of highly engaging and accessible stories set in different times. They're perfect for bringing the History curriculum to life through great stories.

Now or Never: A Dunkirk Story, gives us an alternative view of the story we've been told about Dunkirk. Fazel is an Indian soldier in the Royal Indian Corps who runs away from his home to follow in his beloved grandfather's footsteps and become a soldier. Fazel's romanticised perception of what it would be like and the reality couldn't be more polar. He finds himself weaponless (the Indian troops were not allowed guns) and responsible for three mules while trying to survive relentless bombing from the Germans. His regiment are trying to support British troops but with the Germans advancing, Fazel's captain is given the orders to get to Dunkirk and evacuate. It's in Dunkirk that the true horror of Fazel's situation becomes apparent.

While the story is accessible for UKS2 children and can be read and enjoyed independently, I feel it would be most beneficial to have opportunity to read and discuss it with an adult.

I thought that the book Now or never: A Dunkirk story was a frightening book to read as all it talked about was moments of war. My favourite character was Private Fazal Khan (who is a member of the royal Indian army service corps in the story) as him and his friend Mush had been made fun of just because of the colour of there skin but they still did not feel bad. The thing that interested me was that Mush and Fazal taught the soldiers all about their religion after not getting treated equally and all the men from the British empire try their best to fulfil all their duties. I would recommend this book to 10 years and older and rate it 3/10 as it wasn't my type and I felt like it is for kids who enjoys reading scary war stories.

This book was very emotional and actually made me cry at how the Indians were treated because of the colour of their skin. I would recommend this to other people as I found it very educational.