Azita and Me A journey towards independence and self-belief

Azita and Me is a warm, compelling middle¿grade novel about friendship, courage, and the quiet bravery required to stand up for someone who needs you. Holly is used to keeping her head down. In Year 7 at Stratham College, the pecking order is everything, and Melissa-the queen bee-decides who belongs and who doesn't. Holly has worked hard to stay safely in the middle, unnoticed and unbothered. But everything changes the day Azita Jahanbani walks into the classroom. Holly discovers a beautiful, endangered butterfly, and learns about the environment and the dangers it faces. She will also experience the best of friendships and learn the hard, personal way what tragedy really means. Azita is an Iranian refugee, and immediately singled out as "different." Her uniform doesn't fit, her English is accented, and Melissa wastes no time spreading whispers. Holly knows exactly what will happen next-she's lived it before. But when she sees Azita standing alone, she makes a choice that will cost her her place in the class hierarchy. What Holly doesn't expect is Azita's strength. Behind her quiet determination lies a story of escape, resilience, and hope. Her family fled Iran after her father was imprisoned and tortured for speaking out. They survived a dangerous journey, years in a refugee camp, and the uncertainty of starting over in a new country. Compared to that, Melissa's cruelty is nothing. As the girls navigate schoolyard politics, coding competitions, and the shifting loyalties of Year 7, Holly discovers that doing the right thing isn't always easy-but it is always worth it. And Azita learns that joy, friendship, and belonging can grow even in unfamiliar soil. Told with warmth, humour, and emotional honesty, Azita and Me explores themes of identity, migration, bullying, and the power of standing up for others, and tragedy. It is a story for readers who love character¿driven fiction with heart, and for classrooms seeking stories that build empathy and understanding.