Gervelie was born in 1995, in the Republic of Congo. When fighting broke out in 1997 in Brazzaville, Gervelie and her family had to flee to safety. Her father became a wanted man and the family was torn apart. Gervelie suffered at the hands of her stepfather, a violent police commander, and her grandmother took her away to the Ivory Coast, where her father had gone to live. But then war broke out in the Ivory Coast and Gervelie and her father, unable to return to the Congo, escaped to Europe to seek asylum. Gervelie is an articulate young girl of enormous courage and resilience; this is her true story, told in her own voice, supported by a mixture of family photographs and illustrations. Gervelie and her father are now living in the UK, and have just been granted asylum and leave to remain.

 In the photograph from left to right: Standing: Author Annemarie Young, Kate Johnson (Heffers Children¹s Bookshop) Gervelie and her friend Patience, Janetta Otter Barry (Editorial Director at Frances Lincoln) Phil Robey (UK Sales Representative) Author Anthony Robinson and Judith Escreet (Art Director at Frances Lincoln)

This book is the first in a powerful new series for children aged 8 and upwards, published by Frances Lincoln. These true stories highlight the plight of people who are forced to leave their homes to seek refuge and asylum. (Other titles , published in 2009, will tell the stories of children from Iraq, Chechnya and Bolivia. ) The authors¹ aim is to make as many children (and their parents) as possible see what it's like to have to flee your home and seek refuge. Their hope is that through these individual stories of real children, 'refugees' and 'asylum seekers' might become real people with whom readers can empathise.

 Anthony Robinson is a writer and teacher who has lived and travelled all over the world, from Australia to Southeast Asia, Japan and Europe. Annemarie Young is a series editor, publishing consultant and writer. She has also travelled extensively and lived in many different countries. The authors live in Cambridge and this is their first book for Frances Lincoln. June Allan has always loved drawing. She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a Diploma specialising in Painting and Glass Design. She taught for a while before starting to paint professionally. In 1999 she ventured into the field of children's book illustration, and since then has successfully illustrated many children's books.