A great little story told through the eyes a 11-year-old Ghanese boy growing up in London, England. Note: Make sure you read the glossary at the back of the book before you start so you understand the terminology Harrison uses throughout the narrative.

-pg 249

"The war was here. It was real, you just knew it. There was smoke everywhere, it was thick black and it filled up the whole sky. You could feel the fire from miles away. Everybody went to watch the playground die.
Dean: 'I thought it was a plane crash at first. I wish it was, that'd be wicked.'
Somebody set the swings on fire. That's where most of the smoke was coming from. The rubber smell from the seats got in my nose, I couldn't smell anything else. You know when a smell is so big it even makes you laugh? Well that's what it felt like. You only couldn't laugh because all the grown-ups were watching. The fire was a disaster and you had to be serious.
Dean's mamma: 'it's them bloody kids that done it. I saw 'em in there when I come back from the chemist's. They were trying to light it then.'
Lady with big arms: 'When was that?'
Dean's mamma: 'Just now. I was coming back from the chemist's I knew they were up to something.'
Manik's papa; 'Little bastards.'
The climbing frame was on fire was well. All the metal was gone black and the rope from the net was burned off and dying. The fire was very hot. When I got close it made me go proper itchy. It felt lovely and sleepy. It was the biggest fire I've ever seen.
Some smaller kids were playing a game to see who could get the closest. They all ran to the fire and the one who got closest before they ran away again was the winner. It looked brutal. I wanted to play but I had to show respect. When you're Year 7 you have to set an example. Everybody just watched the fire. They didn't even want to talk anymore, they just wanted to watch. The couldn't help it. They were stuck there. They playground was dying but nobody was trying to save it. They knew they couldn't do anything, it was too hot and beautiful. They knew the fire would always win. It was brilliant and sad and hutious all at the same time.
***
I only wanted to snap (a photo of) the pirate ship before it sank forever. I just wanted to be there for when the playground died, so it knew I was there and that I loved it until the end."