Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid (Catozzella Giuseppe); Faber and Faber, 2017

Based on a remarkable true story, Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid is a moving, inspiring novel of a life lived in hope.

Samia Omar grows up in war-torn Somalia, dreaming of being a world-class sprinter. She sleeps with a photo of Mo Farah by her bed and trains hard. After achieving a place on the national team to compete in the Beijing Olympics, she sets her sights on the 2012 games in London. But with the war encroaching on the lives of her family, Samia decides to join her sister and make the treacherous journey to Europe, putting her life and her dreams in the hands of traffickers.