Anita and Me by Meera Syal (author)

It’s 1972. Meena is nine, growing up in the only Punjabi family in the Black Country mining village of Tollington. Like all the kids her age, she wants freedom. But her struggle for independence is different from most. Meena wants fish fingers and chips, not chapati and dhal. She wants an English Christmas, not the usual endless Punjabi festivities. But – most of all – she wants to roam the backyards of working-class Tollington with blonde, aloof, feisty Anita Rutter and her gang…

• The debut novel of best-loved writer/comedian Meera Syall

• A hilarious story of family, friendship and youthful rebellion

• Meera wrote the screenplay to the film Bhaji on the Beach

• She also starred in the hit comedy Goodness Gracious Me