Good For Nothing

When three teens are landed with a community service order after an incident involving a spray can and an inconveniently timed patrol car, their stories start to converge. Amir is the angry boy who won't talk about the brother he lost, but won't let his name be forgotten either. Eman is the awkward girl whose favourite evenings are spent at home watching soaps with her Nani. Kemi is the determined athlete who knows she deserves as good a shot as anyone else, if only she can get to the starting line. As they spend more time together they learn more about themselves, and in the process realise the true cause of Amir's brother's death - and the grave role police prejudice played in it. This is one summer they will never forget. Good for Nothing is a tender, witty and heartfelt coming of age story that redefines small town mentalities and explores the power of friendship and human connection.

Mariam Ansar is a freelance writer and trainee teacher. Her writing was personally selected by guest editor Kate Bush to feature in The Mays Anthology 2017/18 - a collection of the best new writing from Oxford and Cambridge. She was the first recipient of the At Sea writing residency and was also an Editorial Fellow at BuzzFeed UK. Her work - which ranges from feature writing to politics to film studies and music - has been featured in NME, gal-dem, VICE, Dazed, Catapult Story, Rookie Magazine, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, and many others.