Ash thinks he knows everything about his dad’s background as an immigrant from Uganda in the 1970s, but he doesn’t really appreciate what his father went through until he experiences it himself.
That’s the beauty of time-travel. And for friends Ash, Jess, Nadia and Tomma that’s precisely what they get to do.
Ever since they started at Hickley School, they’ve been momentarily travelling back in time by magical train to a Hickley town and school they recognise, but in an era they don’t. This time, it’s Ash’s turn, and it’s back to 1973 for an unexpected meet with Mr Mundair senior, his brother and their two friends, as they try to fit in as young Asian immigrants in a predominantly white area.
Ash Mundair is sick of his dad telling him how lucky he is and how grateful he should be to go to a good school and be able to get an education. Despite how hard Ash works it seems it’s never enough for his dad, and Ash begins to wonder why he should bother at all. He doesn’t feel he will ever understand what it was like for his dad to have to leave his home in Uganda to come and live in England during the 1970s. That is, until a trip back to that time unveils the true difficulties that people like Ash’s dad faced and what it was really like to be an ethnic minority at such a tense time.
Time School: We Will Stand with Them is the third book in the Time School series which follows Jess, Nadia, Ash and Tomma as they navigate their way through the first year of secondary school (7th Grade) whilst experiencing what life was like during pivotal moments in history and learning about their ancestry.
Ideal for those who love historical fiction, time-travel and books about friendship, the series is upper middle grade, aimed at children aged 9-13 years
A few years ago, I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the Time School series, We Will Remember Them so was delighted when Nikki Young contacted me to ask if I'd be interested in reading the third Time School story, subtitled We Will Stand With Them. I'm delighted to be sharing my review today, many thanks to Nikki for sending me a copy of her book.
The first Time School story saw the four characters, Jess, Nadia, Tomma and Ash - all Year 7 pupils at Hickley School - unexpectedly travelling back in time to 1918. The second book, We Will Honour them finds them in 1947 and establishes that each adventure is centred on one of the friends. Jess and Nadia have both experienced the opportunity to learn something about their forebears and this time, it's the turn of Ash as the mysterious time-slip steam train takes them to 1973.
The book opens in the present day and Ash isn't having an easy time of it. He is coasting at school and achieving decent enough grades but when the children are given their mid-year reports, he knows his father won't be happy. His dad is a first-generation immigrant who came to England after Idi Amin expelled all Asian people living in Uganda. He has worked hard and has high expectations of his children; perhaps too high. After Ash makes a poor choice in judgement, his parents both express their disappointment in him but his dad is especially cross, informing him that he will not be able to see his friends until his attitude - and grades - improve.
However, the magic that sends the children back in time has other ideas and when they experience the now tell-tale signs of a power-cut and a clock stopped at 03:42, they approach Hickley train station with some trepidation. I like that they're apprehensive about what lies in store for them; despite clearly having appreciated what they learned on their previous trips back to the past, the fear of the unknown still looms large. This is perhaps particularly true for Ash and Tommo who realise they will be in the spotlight this time but first, they have to work out what year they've come back to.
They attempt to narrow down the decades by looking at the fashion and hairstyles of the people they see; older readers will immediately recognise the long hair and flares of the '70s but it's entirely reasonable that children would take a little longer to decide. After working out the time period they're in, the children - and most notably, Ash - make a shocking discovery when he is called a racist term and realises he is the only person in the playground who isn't white.
Racism is an important, sensitive topic to explore in a middle-grade fiction book but it's tackled beautifully here. Nikki Young doesn't sugarcoat the subject and it's painfully clear how acceptable it was to be prejudiced back then. It's not just other pupils at the school who are racist, adults are too and I think many young readers will be shocked to discover even teachers could be bigoted bullies.
Ash learns that he isn't the only Asian pupil at Hickley when he meets a group of recent arrivals from Uganda. Why they have come to England is explained in clear and concise language and there's a really thought-provoking moment later in the book about the way prejudice breeds prejudice. Of course, it's not a surprise to find that Ash is connected to the immigrants but it is touching to see how they learn from one another.
Nikki Young captures the spirit of the 70s really well here, as well as the xenophobia stirred up by the arrival of the Ugandan Asians, there are little glimpses into other social issues of the time, especially the industrial action that took place back then. The sense of place is excellent and there's a lovely scene which will mean more to older readers who will enjoy the mention of space hoppers, Choppers and hula hoops but more importantly, the tinderbox nature of the racist violence and discrimination of the period is almost palpable. It is acknowledged that racism still exists today but many younger readers will be horrified at just how blatant it was in the 70s.
One of my favourite parts of the story comes later as Ash learns about the death of Gurdip Singh Chaggar and subsequently the formation of the Asian Youth Movement. I hope it inspires youngsters to believe that change is possible and that, as the subtitle of the book suggests, they can and should stand with the victims of racism and discrimination.
Each book in the series can be read as a standalone but by setting them all within Hickley School, children are reminded of the way we are connected to the past. Time School: We Will Stand With Them never shies away from difficult subjects but by examining them with honesty and empathy, it's an engaging, powerful and hopeful story which should encourage discussions and further exploration of the topic at home and in the classroom. I enjoyed it so much, I've ordered the second book in the series and look forward to reading it very soon! Highly recommended.
Time School: We Will Stand With Them is published by Storymakers Press and can be purchased from the author's website or Amazon.
About the Author
Nikki’s links to Yorkshire remain strong and those memories of her childhood days provided both the inspiration and the setting for ‘The Mystery of the Disappearing Underpants’ and the ‘Time School’ series.
Being a mum to three children has also inspired Nikki’s writing. Having reluctant readers as part of her flock was something she found difficult to understand having been a book worm herself. For Nikki, middle-grade and young adult literature had a big influence on her and was a time that inspired her love of reading and writing stories. This made her even more determined to write stories that could have that same effect on other children, including her own and also encourage them to want to read and discover more.
In July 2017, Nikki set up Storymakers, a creative writing club for children. The aim of this club is to provide weekly writing classes for children aged 7+, to encourage and inspire a love of writing. Nikki has frequently found children are reluctant to write, yet they have incredible imaginations and love to make up stories. Her aim is to get them to translate these imaginings into words.
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