Esther Jacoby

The Boy in the Wardrobe Esther Jacoby

For a small boy, growing up in a country where the sun shines all day every day, where ripened fruit falls off the trees along the roadside, and where people tolerate children's noisy play, life is good. But for Jaime, growing up in El Salvador of the 1990s, life is fraught with dangers. His family is poor. Before long, the local gangs called "Mara" get interested in him and offer him two choices: Pay protection money or become a member. For Celia across town, the choices are equally stark.

While a foreigner helps Celia to escape to Europe, Jaime is left behind and hides. He becomes the Boy in the Wardrobe. His time is running short: if he is found by his pursuers, there will be no more choices.

This coming of age story tells of lives marked by violence, fear, and the choices people have to make. Set slightly before the refugee crisis that hit Europe in 2015, it tells of why some people risk all to flee to safety.