The Lion Above The Door is a book based on racism. It is about a boy named Leo who feels different. He often felt people staring at him from the corners of their eyes. His best friend Sangeeta didn’t feel the same either.
The friends lived in a small village named Whot, filled with a bunch of farms and people who were not like Leo and Sangeeta. One day on a school trip to an RAF museum (Royal Air Force) Leo sees his exact name carved on top of a door, under a golden lion! Suddenly, he feels like a part of his town and country.
So he made a promise to that Leo, that whoever he really was, he would get people like him outside of the United Kingdom to be known in the world and be treated fairly.
At school, Leo and Sangeeta were bullied by Toby, Catherine, and Harry, who were racist to them and called them outsiders. Tobey called Leo “chopstick head” and told him to go home. It was awful, but kind of inspiring and it made me feel like it is just not me. Leo shows persistence throughout the book as he tries to find information about the ‘real Leo’ for the display board his class will be showing on TV. He also shows persistence in dealing with racism and bullies. Leo and Sangeeta make friends with a girl named Olivia as they try to show the world people like them are important.
I would recommend this book for ages 8 and upwards. I think it is really important to learn about racism, friendship, and equality.
Book written by Onjali Q.Rauf
