Press

What the critics say

In the Sea there are Crocodiles is an extremely touching story of a boy who against all odds, lived and survived to tell his story. It's how the love of a mother kept him strong in the bleakest of times. I feel grateful and honoured to be able to share his story with you all and to have the opportunity to read it... It's a story that is not to be missed or forgotten. 5 stars
- Fantasy 4 Eva

The story alone is superb; add in Enaiatollah's engaging prose and this books sings on the page. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
- The Bookbag

this book is a truly well written account of one man's life. It is both touching and insightful, informative and personal.
- The Bookette

The book is gentle and undemanding, helping to combat the media-fortified view of refugees, offering instead a candid insight into the causes and hardships of those seeking to escape their homelands. It is a tale of courage and luck, and illustrates what motivates people to try against all odds to immigrate illegally, risking life and limb to escape life in their own country.
- Book Geeks

The narrative is fascinating and compelling, resulting in an intriguing story of a political asylum seeker travelling from Afghanistan through Pakistan, Turkey, Greece and Italy.
- We Love This Book

Based on a true story, this extraordinary tale of a young boy's search for a home will be published simultaneously in adult and YA editions.
- The Bookseller

a true story woven into a wonderful piece of fiction... This is a story of perserverance and endurance made all the more moving as it is based on truth.
- The Bookseller

Fabio... has a poetic turn of phrase, but lets events speak for themselves. The result is a moving and eye-opening chronicle of hardships no child should have to endure, mitigated by intermittent kindness.
- The Sunday Times

This is one of the most incredible true life stories I have ever read...Brilliantly written from the perspective of a small but fearless child, this is a book everybody should read!
- Red House

Written as a novel, this amazing book tells the jaw-dropping true story of Enaiatollah Akbari, a ten-year-old boy who is left to fend for himself in a dangerous part of Pakistan. He undertakes an incredible journey, that takes him through Iran, Turkey and Greece, heading for the safety of Italy. Along the way he faces border crossings, mountain treks and other hazards in a compelling narrative of escape. Go behind the headlines and discover the moving story of one child looking for asylum.
- Red House

Fabio... has a poetic turn of phrase, but lets events speak for themselves. The result is a moving and eye-opening chronicle of hardships no child should have to endure, mitigated by intermittent kindness.
- The Sunday Times

Geda's voice combines the plucky survivor's determination of his charge with moments of pathos-soaked poignancy and others of joyful laughter... This little gem, beautifully and unobtrusively translated, will raise tears of sorrow and of joy.
- The Independent

This is the ultimate journey book.
- The Bookwitch

Enaiatollah's story is told in an understated yet engaging way.This story charts the same story thousands of people undertake every day, Enaiatollah is one of the lucky ones. This important book will make you realise the ridiculous nature of nation states and boundaries and how lucky we are to be born in Europe.
- Booktrust

In the Sea there are Crocodiles is a remarkable, heart-warming story of courage and endurance in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles...This is a truly inspirational recreation of the boy's experiences. Highly recommended for age 12 up to adult.
- Irish Examiner

With all the current anxiety and antagonism concerning political asylum seekers, this moving story will bring a new understanding and awareness of the experiences and the desperation of those refugees who search for freedom and security...Fabio Geda listens to Enaiatollah's story and turns it into pages of affecting and engaging prose. Writing in the first person, the author captures the voice of a young boy; his innocence, his resilience and courage in the face of cruelty and exploitation, conveying his despair and pain, his flashes of hope and joy... it will surely inspire readers both old and young.
- The Oxford Times

In the Sea there are Crocodiles is a beautiful story. Written in a simple style...it is an incredibly powerful and compelling read. This is definitely a story that will make you appreciate the little things in life and I can't recommend it highly enough.
- Feeling Fictional

If Fabio Geda's first-person rendition of Enaiatollah Akbadi's story were entirely fictional, it would more than stand up as a page-turner that makes you care about its hero from the outset and willingly accompany him on his often perilous journey from Afghanistan to Italy. That it is based on reality makes it more than just a compelling adventure story. For here is a frank, revealing and clear-eyed testament of the experiences faced by a young asylum-seeker in the contemporary world. If you already know something about what it can be like to be an Afghan child struggling to find a home in the west, then this will enhance your awareness. If you know little, then Enaiat's story will do far more than inform...Salutary and humane, In the Sea There Are Crocodiles, as its 'international bestseller' status indicates, deserves to be read widely by young and older readers alike.
- The Guardian

This book is quite simply breathtaking and is a wonderful way to get to see the world through the eyes of an Afghan child in his journey to find a new place to call home.
- Portrait of a Woman

A story of danger, fear and survival that's told very simply, and ends up, as a result, being very moving.
- Parentdish

A truly stunningly and moving book about one boy's remarkable journey. This international bestseller deserves to be read widely by young and older readers alike.
- Outside In Inside Out

It is moving and uplifting and beautifully told as translated by Howard Curtis
- School Librarian Journal