Laila’s Story

A$29.95

when we were new
such formal words
in your email
please, you wrote
for myself and my daughters
can I call you Mum
like our friend Mr Friday?

In January 2023, an Afghan man – a long-term refugee living in Australia – walks into the home of two older women in Adelaide. What begins as a simple request for help evolves into a year-long journey of connection, resilience, and unexpected friendship. Through the story of Laila, a single mother with five daughters, and her growing relationship with the author, this work explores the power of human connection across seemingly insurmountable divides of language, culture, age, sexuality, and faith. Laila and her daughters now reside in Australia.

3 MARCH 2026 | ISBN 9781922964328 | Paperback | 152 mm x 229mm | 104 pages

Mij Tanith

when we were new
such formal words
in your email
please, you wrote
for myself and my daughters
can I call you Mum
like our friend Mr Friday?

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Watch an interview with Mij on Yellow Shelf Podcast.

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Subscribers can read an extract from Laila’s Story in The Australian here.

Reviews

NON-FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK
At the heart of this moving story is the ever-deepening relationship between Tanith, an Australian refugee advocate, and Laila, an Afghan living in Iran who is desperate to escape with her five daughters. As Tanith, her partner Sue and their team of friends and supporters work frantically to navigate the bureaucratic maze and raise money to sponsor Laila and her girls, they know that if the application fails, the family could be deported to Afghanistan and persecuted. Tanith writes candidly in honed prose and poetry of the fears and frustrations both women experience as the tension builds. Read the full review in the Nine Media here.
— Fiona Capp, The Age | Sydney Morning Herald
This is a true story of hope, hard work and human connection - peppered with poetry and prose.
— The Australian Women’s Weekly (March 2026)

Reader Reviews

What a breathtakingly beautiful and tender true story this was. I am so gratified to have had the opportunity to read this insightful and unbiased piece of work. Highly, highly recommend picking up a copy…
— Bianca Mal
Written in a touching blend of narrative and verse, the reader obtains a greater understanding of the plight of refugees and their desire for a better life. For those who believe that anything is possible with a ‘can do attitude’, community action, determination and tenacity, this moving story is for you. Read the full review here.
— Blue Wolf Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a very engaging story, and well written. I love the combination of prose and poetry. It's great to read about women helping each other, and changing the world.
— Booktopia Reader

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Laila's Story will stay in your memory. Sometimes, never giving up. despite overwhelming odds, can lead to amazing outcomes. Laila's story is an example of this. I enjoyed Mij's skillful prose and loved the poetry. I recommend this book highly.
— Booktopia Reader
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I think Mij Tanith is a brilliant writer. She excels herself in this tale of love, compassion and perseverance. Highly recommended.
— Booktopia Reader