Scan barcode
kait_rose_reads's review
4.0
Heartbreaking and hard to read, but an important story to be told. The ending and afterword were a great tying together of themes and important issues.
teenlibrarian's review
5.0
Powerful and hard to read book depicting the fictionalized story of a real child soldier, Ricky, abducted by the LRA, marched everywhere as a prisoner until barely trained and eventually given a gun to fight the government.
The only hope he had was that if he and his brother escaping and making it back to their ‘obeno,’ codeword for their home.
There is also the story of Sammy, a fictional amalgamation of the experience of many child soldiers, set decades in the future/present day.
Suited for a high school audience, told in 3rd person, this book naturally depicts a lot of violence that occurred. Rape is never mentioned overtly, though Ricky mentions new wives being taken from most village raids, and traded between different fighting units so no one gets too loyal to each other. Heartbreaking.
The only hope he had was that if he and his brother escaping and making it back to their ‘obeno,’ codeword for their home.
There is also the story of Sammy, a fictional amalgamation of the experience of many child soldiers, set decades in the future/present day.
Suited for a high school audience, told in 3rd person, this book naturally depicts a lot of violence that occurred. Rape is never mentioned overtly, though Ricky mentions new wives being taken from most village raids, and traded between different fighting units so no one gets too loyal to each other. Heartbreaking.
melissajung's review
5.0
This book is extraordinarily powerful. It’s heavy, and it’s important. Would highly recommend for anyone, but would especially recommend for my teacher friends who teach high school or 8th grade.
karisjmadison's review
4.0
This was an uncomfortable but important story based on the real sufferings of child soldiers in the Ugandan civil war. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but I’m glad I read it.
cozykrysti's review
5.0
This book is unlike anything I've ever read. It is eye-opening, heartbreaking, and absolutely moving. The writing is lovely, and I cannot recommend listening to the audio version of this book highly enough. I am so glad that I stepped outside of my usual reading box and was able to experience this poignant story. This should absolutely be required reading.
booknrrd's review
3.0
A 2019-2020 Missouri Gateway Readers Award preliminary nominee (grades 9-12).
The story of Ricky and Patrick, Ugandan brothers who are abducted and forced to join Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army and also Samuel, a child soldier who is in a relief camp but doesn't understand his situation.
This is a powerful and moving story. It is very difficult to read at times, and it doesn't shy away from the horrors of what happened, but it's fairly sensitive and appropriate in its presentation.
The story of Ricky and Patrick, Ugandan brothers who are abducted and forced to join Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army and also Samuel, a child soldier who is in a relief camp but doesn't understand his situation.
This is a powerful and moving story. It is very difficult to read at times, and it doesn't shy away from the horrors of what happened, but it's fairly sensitive and appropriate in its presentation.
alliemr24's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
magicalshelves's review
5.0
I finished this audiobook in two days while on a long drives up the coast of California. Ricky Anwar’s story of being a child soldier in Uganda’s civil war is heartbreaking, haunting and powerful. Everyone should read this.
evamadera1's review
4.0
This is a heavy book to read but so necessary.
Everyone by now has some sort of familiarity with the plight of child soldiers of the LRA. However, most of that familiarity remains in the "aww, that's so sad" stage without delving any deeper. People rarely face the question of what they might do should the table turn, should they find themselves either as the child soldier or "wife" of a child soldier, or if they manage to survive as a "lucky" one in the village and then come face to face with someone rescued from that tragedy. Will you forgive? How will you live with yourself, with others?
I take heart in the knowledge that this book comes from a true story, not in the tragedy of Ricky's suffering and the suffering of so many others, but rather in the fact that people can find forgiveness and healing.
I definitely recommend this book.
Everyone by now has some sort of familiarity with the plight of child soldiers of the LRA. However, most of that familiarity remains in the "aww, that's so sad" stage without delving any deeper. People rarely face the question of what they might do should the table turn, should they find themselves either as the child soldier or "wife" of a child soldier, or if they manage to survive as a "lucky" one in the village and then come face to face with someone rescued from that tragedy. Will you forgive? How will you live with yourself, with others?
I take heart in the knowledge that this book comes from a true story, not in the tragedy of Ricky's suffering and the suffering of so many others, but rather in the fact that people can find forgiveness and healing.
I definitely recommend this book.