|
|
|
by Ishmael Beah
Biographies and Memoirs
217 pages
Imagine walking three days from your home to another village, then finding out your village has been taken over by a violent, terroristic rebel army. On your journey home to see about your family, you see babies shot, huts blazing and explosions killing random, innocent people. Af if this isn't bad enough, you and the five friends you're traveling with turn out to be the most sought after weapon both armies (the rebel and the national) are looking for. After all, they know that you've got nothing to lose, and can make one excellent killer because of your fear and sadness.
This is the beginning of one boy soldier's story, and it only gets heavier as we follow him through the African jungles on his search for peace. His name is Ishmael Beah and he is a young Serria Leon teenager who loves American rap, soccer and his family--especially his brother junior. He is incredibly personable, intelligent, kind and resilient. It seems there is nothing that Ishmeal has or won't survive.
The major theme in the book is about the destructive nature of war--especially on the innocent children. There are other themes that emerge as well, such as compassion, determination, friendship and the power of people who help.
I highly recommend this book. It teaches the reader so much about what happens in other parts of the world and lets us know that we can and should help. The compassion it elicits from readers is profound and lasting--I know I'll never look at refugees the same and that I'll work harder to take action to help displaced people. I also found a sense of strength to draw from in Ishmael. What he does and manages to survive is incredible. I doubt I'd believed him if his voice didn't come across as so honest, so matter of fact. That is one thing that I found very interesting, the lack of sentimentality in his description. He is really stright forward, he's just giving us the facts. The sad, horrifying facts.
One thing I'm left with is the knowledge that I live an extremely privileged life, one that I want to use to help others who don't. If Ishmeal can lose his family, run from a war he's eventually drugged and threatened into only to have to run again, and leave what love he's regained behind, well, I think I can manage what comes my way, too. And on top of this, I think I owe it to people like Ishmael to help others along the way.
- Reviewed by Katie K.
React to this Review Great Rivers Regional Library
Hennepin County Library
|
|
|
