There's a ship down at the dock. There are places for a few, but not many. If you have enough money and know the right people, you might get a ticket. Or you might not. Malik's mother has been missing for days, his home has become unrecognisable, and his grandfather is insisting that they leave on the next and final ship: The Samaritan.

This journey will take them to a country which promises safety and a new life.

The only problem is, they don't have a ticket, and people are stopping at nothing to get a place on board.

Luckily Papa has a secret that could change everything.

But who can they trust to help them? Reminiscent of Anne Holm and Sonya Hartnett, Close to the Wind is a powerful and moving novel about greed, love, trust and what matters most when your world falls apart.