Star!

The True Story of an Extraordinary Journey

Written by Michaela Morgan

Publication date: June 2025
Ages: 9+
Format: Paperback / 198 x 129 mm / 96 pages
ISBN: 9781912745432
Rights available: World
UK retail price: £8.99

This is the extraordinary story of Nadia Nadim, a refugee from Afghanistan who went on to become a world-class professional footballer, based in Europe.

Nadia was born into a prosperous and well-connected family in Afghanistan, but along with her mother and four sisters, she had to leave their war-torn country in fear of severe repression and even violence against them.

Nadia’s story is one of an incredible and often dangerous journey across continents to start a new life in Denmark, in the hope of living without fear of war and subjugation. It’s a story of starting all over again, with nothing, and yet with determination, courage, resilience - and talent. Nadia’s story is also a story of hope, one in which she arrives in a strange country as a refugee with no understanding of the local language, and grows to become not only a world-famous football star, but also a doctor and surgeon, a linguist, a UNESCO champion for girls’ and women's education, a broadcaster and (of course) a role model.

On the subject of football, Nadia says: “When I’m on the pitch I’m not foreign or native, not rich or poor, not a refugee – I’m a footballer”.

Today, Nadia plays as a striker for Italian club AC Milan, as well as for the Danish national team. Discover more about her incredible journey in this inspiring book!

Resources

Read Michaela’s blog: "Let me tell you a story... about a girl": Michaela Morgan introduces her inspiring new non-fiction book 'Star!'