My Name Is Leon (2025)

Leon manages the trauma of separation by seeking connection in new, unexpected places like the allotments.

💡 If you are writing this for a GCSE English Literature exam, focus your analysis on writer's methods , such as how de Waal uses Leon’s limited perspective to create empathy for his situation.

The narrative is told through a third-person limited perspective, sticking closely to Leon’s observations and feelings. This "child's-eye view" allows the reader to experience the confusion and trauma of abandonment without adult cynicism. Leon is portrayed as a loyal and observant child who often takes on a caretaking role for his mother, Carol, who suffers from severe postpartum depression. His growth throughout the book is marked by his interactions at a local allotment, where he finds a sense of belonging and learns to navigate his complex emotions of loss and hope. My Name Is Leon

Carol’s breakdown highlights the lack of support for struggling parents in the 1980s.

In the novel My Name Is Leon by Kit de Waal, the protagonist’s journey through the foster care system of 1980s Britain serves as a lens to explore deep-seated social issues. Set against the backdrop of the Birmingham riots, the story follows nine-year-old Leon as he is separated from his mother and his white, baby brother, Jake. While Jake is quickly adopted, Leon, being mixed-race and older, remains in the care of foster guardians, highlighting the systemic inequities and racial biases inherent in the adoption process. Leon manages the trauma of separation by seeking

Leon's mixed-race heritage and the social unrest of the era shape his understanding of where he fits in the world.

Explores how race and age impact a child's "desirability" in the adoption market. This "child's-eye view" allows the reader to experience

Ultimately, de Waal uses Leon’s story to critique the failures of the social welfare system while celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. The novel emphasizes the importance of community and unconventional family structures in providing the stability that formal institutions often fail to deliver. By the end, Leon's quest to reunite his family evolves into a personal reclamation of identity, proving that his name—and his story—hold significant weight in a world that often tries to overlook him. Key Themes & Elements