The Jungle

There was a story Jahir used to tell me. About how the first humans were born with wings. Can you imagine what that would be like? To fly anywhere in the world without worrying about having the right papers? Setting out in search of a better life, Mico has left his family and home, and finds himself navigating one of the world's most inhospitable environments—the Jungle. For Mico, just one of many "unaccompanied children," the Calais refugee camp has a brutality all of its own. He is unable to buy his way out from the "Ghost Men"—the dangerous men with magic who can cross borders unnoticed. Alone and desperate, the idea of jumping onto a speeding train to the UK begins to feel worryingly appealing. But when Leila arrives at the camp, everything starts to change. Outspoken and fearless, she shows Mico that hope and friendship can grow in the most unusual places.

Pooja Puri has worked in publishing and education.