Just Holding On

When a devastating earthquake hit Tariq’s town in the mountains of Pakistan, it destroyed his school. To avoid a three-hour hike over the mountains to the neighbouring village school, a makeshift gondola, Dolly, was installed and the trip was now a five-minute ride high over the valley below.

On the last day of school, Tariq climbs nervously aboard Dolly. He’s worried about sneaking off to sit his final exam, as his mum needed him to care for his sick brother at home.

Halfway through the trip one of Dolly’s cables snaps. Tariq and his friends are stuck, hanging by a wire in midair. The kids struggle to keep each other’s spirits up as they wait for help. When night arrives and hope wanes, Tariq and his friend Aya confide their worries to each other and share their hopes for the future—but will they live to see it? If the government resources have failed them, who will save them?

‘Irresistibly appealing and genuinely inspiring—a story that helps us to see the world more clearly, and to see ourselves as powerful enough to change it.’ Rebecca Stead on Omar Rising

‘A delightful read, with lots to say about self-belief, confidence, and the importance of family.’ Magpies Magazine on Hafsa’s Way

‘Raw, honest, funny, charming and hopeful.’ Randa Abdel-Fattah on Amal Unbound