'There are times, though, that no matter how much food I eat, I find the food does nothing for me, like I am hungry for my country and nothing is going to fix that'.

This is the story of Darling, uprooted from her family home by paramilitary police, and living in a Zimbabwean shanty called Paradise. Despite the turmoil, she revels in mischief and adventures with her friends, like stealing guavas from the rich neighbourhood, and singing Lady Gaga at the top of her voice. But when Darling has a chance to forge a different life in America, she realises that this new paradise brings its own set of challenges.

In We Need New Names a spirited girl grows into a powerful observer of global identity.