Hello! This is A. M. Dassu’s official website.
You can learn more about me, my work and what I’m up to here.
A. M. Dassu is a multi award-winning writer of both non-fiction and fiction including the internationally acclaimed novel Boy, Everywhere, one of The Guardian’s, Bookriot’s, Kirkus’s, American Library Association’s Booklist’s, CLPE’s and BookTrust’s Best Children’s Book of the Year. It has coveted starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly and is also an American Library Association’s Notable Book. Boy, Everywhere also featured as one of The Guardian’s Children’s Best New Novels on publication in October 2020, is on Amnesty’s Books That Inspire Activism list and has been listed for 25 awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Carnegie Medal, and is the 2021 winner of The Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction and has been noted by National Literacy Trust experts as one of 50 books every child should read. Her second novel, Fight Back was listed for 25 awards including the 2023 Carnegie Medal, The Week Junior Award and Little Rebels Prize. It was a Book of the Month and Best New Novel in The Guardian upon publication, an Independent Bookshop’s Book of the Month across all Indie bookshops in the UK, an ‘Editor’s Choice’ in The Bookseller and is a Waterstones, CLPE, Scholastic Bookclubs‘ Best Book of 2022. It is also a Jane Addams Peace Book Award Finalist for Older Children in America and the winner of the Two Cities Award 2023.
A. M. Dassu is former Deputy Editor, now Advisory Board member of Words & Pictures magazine for children’s writers and illustrators, and a Director of Inclusive Minds, a unique organisation for people who are passionate about inclusion, diversity, equality, and accessibility in children’s literature. A. M. Dassu is patron of The Other Side of Hope, a new literary magazine edited by immigrants and refugees, which serves to celebrate the refugee and immigrant communities worldwide. She is also one of The National Literacy Trust‘s Connecting Stories campaign authors, aiming to help inspire a love of reading and writing in children and young people.
A.M. Dassu grew up in the Midlands dreaming of becoming a writer but studied economics instead and worked in marketing and project management before realising her dream. She writes books across a wide genre, including non-fiction, that challenge stereotypes, humanise the “other” and are full of empathy, hope and heart. Her work has been published by The Huffington Post, Times Educational Supplement, Scoop magazine, DK Books, Scholastic, Lee and Low, Old Barn Books, Hachette, Oxford University Press and Harper Collins.
Her latest book, Boot It! was a World Book Day novel and published in February 2023, selling a whopping 175,000 copies and staying in the bestseller chart for over 4 weeks!
You can also find her on Twitter @a_reflective or Instagram @a.m.dassu
KICKED OUT
⭐️”An important and triumphant read.” Kirkus starred review
⭐️A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book
⭐️BOOK OF THE MONTH and BEST NEW NOVEL ON PUBLICATION, THE GUARDIAN
“Boasting down-to-earth, believable characters and pacy action, Dassu’s intensely readable sequel to Boy, Everywhere, best suited for 9+, deals squarely with the racism and intimidating bureaucracy facing young refugees.” The Guardian, a Book of the Month
⭐️EDITOR’S CHOICE, THE BOOKSELLER – The UK’s definitive book industry magazine and website, and in the Bookseller Buyer’s Guide: Ten [Books] Not to Miss
“This is a story of friendship, resilience and hope, and while Dassu doesn’t shy away from the horrors of racism and the refugee experience, she spreads a message that
everyone, including children, can do something to help. Uplifting and powerful.”
BOOK OF THE MONTH and BEST NEW NOVEL ON PUBLICATION, THE GUARDIAN:
“… fearless, compelling story of trauma, solidarity and testing which rules are made to be broken…”
EDITOR’S CHOICE, THE BOOKSELLER – The UK’s definitive book industry magazine and website:
“Dassu explores themes such as racism, identity, heroism and male aggression in this gripping novel, which asks the reader to think about the nature of bravery and what rights we should fight for.” Order here
Waterstones ‘Our Best Coming Soon Books’:
An “inspiring and engaging middle grade”
As seen in…
THE GUARDIAN’S BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF 2020!
Also featured in Books of the Month, Children’s Best New Novels on publication:
“Carefully researched, wholly convincing, it’s a gripping, uncompromising debut, super-charged with the power of empathy.”
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S BOOK PRIZE 2021
THE BOOKSELLER – The UK’s definitive book industry magazine and website
ONE TO WATCH:
‘poignant and powerful… An impressive, thoughtful debut…’
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Featured in Amnesty’s books that inspire activism list:
“A fantastically well-researched and empathetic story that gives humanity and respect to those seeking sanctuary, busting a number of stereotypes about refugees along the way.”
BOOKRIOT’S BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF 2020!
“Essential reading for middle grade students and anyone hoping to gain insight into the plight of refugees.”
BOOKTRUST’S BEST KID’S BOOK OF 2020 LIST!
“I spend a lot of time talking to teachers and they are in awe of this book.”
CLPE’S BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF 2020 LIST!
“…powerfully strikes the balance between heartbreak and hope, staying with you well after you’ve finished reading.”
A. M. DASSU 