It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi's mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant, dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star. Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend's wedding. He has everything he ever wanted: starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate test: can he show his true self to his community? Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.

Brought to you by Puffin.
A funny, heartbreaking and uplifting tale about family, bravery and living in the here and now, perfect for fans of Time Travelling With a Hamster and Wonder.
I'm going back in time to save this family.
Eleven-year-old Zubair is a seventh son. This means a LOT of big brothers. But when Zubair's granny arrives from Pakistan and gives him a mysterious amulet, he discovers it means something else, too: he has inherited a gift. The seventh sons in his family have the ability to time-travel.
With his dad a shadow of his former self since his car accident, and his mum always tired and angry, Zubair has a genius idea. He'll use time-travel to fix things between them.
But each trip comes at a cost. If he changes something small in the past, it can have a huge effect on his future. And if he gets it wrong, the results could be devastating . . .
'Spectacular' Sophie Anderson
'I loved it' Ross Welford
'Funny, exciting and tense . . . A wonderful, wonderful read' Phil Earle
'Will break your heart and make it soar . . . A triumph' Rashmi Sirdeshpande
'Witty and poignant' Louie Stowell
'Refreshingly inventive and gorgeously written . . . I could not put it down' Clare Harlow
'Astonishing . . . A beautiful book' Philippa Leathley
+ Iqbal Hussain 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Brought to you by Puffin. A funny, heartbreaking and uplifting tale about family, bravery and living in the here and now, perfect for fans of Time Travelling With a Hamster and Wonder. I'm going back in time to save this family. Eleven-year-old Zubair is a seventh son. This means a LOT of big brothers. But when Zubair's granny arrives from Pakistan and gives him a mysterious amulet, he discovers it means something else, too: he has inherited a gift. The seventh sons in his family have the ability to time-travel. With his dad a shadow of his former self since his car accident, and his mum always tired and angry, Zubair has a genius idea. He'll use time-travel to fix things between them. But each trip comes at a cost. If he changes something small in the past, it can have a huge effect on his future. And if he gets it wrong, the results could be devastating . . . 'Spectacular' Sophie Anderson 'I loved it' Ross Welford 'Funny, exciting and tense . . . A wonderful, wonderful read' Phil Earle 'Will break your heart and make it soar . . . A triumph' Rashmi Sirdeshpande 'Witty and poignant' Louie Stowell 'Refreshingly inventive and gorgeously written . . . I could not put it down' Clare Harlow 'Astonishing . . . A beautiful book' Philippa Leathley © Iqbal Hussain 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

'Funny, touching, thought-provoking . . . Richly imagined and deeply inventive' Guardian

'Fresh, affectionate . . . Sweet and sparky' The Times

I'm going back in time to save this family.

Eleven-year-old Zubair is a seventh son. This means a LOT of big brothers. But when Zubair's granny arrives from Pakistan and gives him a mysterious amulet, he discovers it means something else, too: he has inherited a gift. The seventh sons in his family have the ability to time-travel.

With his dad a shadow of his former self since his car accident, and his mum always tired and angry, Zubair has a genius idea. He'll use time-travel to fix things between them.

But each trip comes at a cost. If he changes something small in the past, it can have a huge effect on his future. And if he gets it wrong, the results could be devastating . . .

An uplifting, unforgettable story about family, bravery and living in the here and now, perfect for fans of Time Travelling With a Hamster and Wonder.

'Spectacular' Sophie Anderson

'I loved it' Ross Welford

'Funny, exciting and tense . . . A wonderful, wonderful read' Phil Earle

'Will break your heart and make it soar . . . A triumph' Rashmi Sirdeshpande

'Witty and poignant' Louie Stowell

'Refreshingly inventive and gorgeously written . . . I could not put it down' Clare Harlow

'Astonishing' Philippa Leathley

'A small miracle of a book' Max Boucherat