Alem escapes to England from a violent civil war in Badme, which at the time of the novel (2000/1999) was disputed to be either in Ethiopia or in Eritrea.

After returning to Eritrea the family begins to experience the same discrimination, and Alem is attacked and beaten at school.

Alem's father takes him to London, England, under the pretext of a holiday to celebrate his fourteenth birthday.

Then, Alem wakes up and looks over to the empty bed beside him and thinks his father is at breakfast, but finds that he has left him alone with a letter.

Alem returns from his first day at school, where he has made two friends, Robert and Buck, to discover a letter from his father indicating his mother has gone missing.

An appeal date is set for 7 January 2000, where Alem meets Nicholas, his barrister, and charms the judge by wishing everyone a happy Christmas.

The judge rejects the application for asylum on the basis that there are millions of Ethiopians and Eritreans unaffected by the war and that Alem is no longer without a family member to take care of him.

Robert, Buck and Asher decide to start a campaign though Alem's father is not initially pleased with the idea but agrees to go to the first meeting.

The Monday following the march Alem receives a hero's welcome from his school, and a Positive Pupil Certificate from the Headmaster.

The author then notes that the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments signed a peace treaty in Algeria on 20 December 2000.