My Name Is Samim

“I envy my best friend Zayn, sitting next to me with no worries in the world. The dead have nothing to worry about. The worst thing that can happen to them has already happened.” When tragedy strikes his home in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and claims his closest friend, fourteen-year-old Samim is forced to embark on an unimaginable, treacherous journey alone. Guided by memory, resilience, and a brilliant mathematical mind that recites pi to keep panic at bay, Samim travels across borders, perilous mountain passes, refugee camps, and open seas toward the hope of safety in Glasgow, Scotland. Carrying the weight of survival and the promise to ensure Zayn's name and courage are never forgotten, Samim discovers the enduring strength of friendship, human kindness, and hope in the darkest of places. Inspired by the true story of an Afghan refugee boy.