A Review of Maryam Mohammadi’s My London Yard
Review by Naser Kamali
My London Yard, written and illustrated by Maryam Mohammadi and published by Mehri Publication in London, is a children’s book for readers aged seven to ten. It tells the story of a little fox whose peaceful life with his family in a London garden is suddenly disturbed when humans change their surroundings. The family is separated, and Little Fox has to search for a new home.
Behind this simple story are deeper themes: loss, loneliness, fear, trust, kindness and hope.
One of the book’s strengths is the way children can experience these ideas through Little Fox. Autumn and winter follow the difficult period of his life, while spring brings the possibility of a new beginning.
His meeting with Sam and his mother, Mary, is especially important. Little Fox is afraid of people because humans have already damaged his home. His slow acceptance of their kindness shows something simple but meaningful: once trust has been broken, rebuilding it takes time.
At times, however, the book explains its message more than necessary. The arrival of spring already suggests hope and renewal, so there is little need to explain these ideas directly. Children are able to discover meaning for themselves, and giving them more space to do so could have made the story stronger.
The illustrations have warmth and a personal quality, particularly the night scenes with Little Fox, the trees and the moon. However, the visual style changes across the book. A more consistent approach to the illustrations could have given the book a stronger overall identity.
The author’s background also offers another possible reading. Mohammadi grew up in Iran and moved to Germany on her own at the age of twenty-one. Little Fox also loses a familiar place and searches for somewhere new to belong. The book does not suggest that the fox represents the author, but the story can naturally make us think about migration, displacement and the meaning of home.
There is also an environmental theme. Little Fox loses his home because humans change the garden. In a city such as London, where people and wildlife live close together, the story quietly raises the question of how we share our urban spaces with other living creatures.
It is also worth noting that English is Maryam Mohammadi’s third language. Writing a children’s book in a third language is an achievement, although it should not place the book beyond criticism. The language is generally simple and accessible, but some passages could be shorter and more natural with further editing.
My London Yard is not without weaknesses, but at its heart is a warm and thoughtful story about losing a safe place and finding the courage to trust again.
And it leaves us with a simple but important question:
If we lose the place we once called home, can we find somewhere new where we feel we belong?
Naser Kamali
London, September 2026
Book: My London Yard
Author & Illustrator: Maryam Mohammadi
Publisher: Mehri Publication, London
First published: October 2025
Age group: 7–10
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