2007, New York: Sarah Crichton Books.
ISBN: 9780374105235
226 pages
Annotation: A former boy soldier recounts his experiences before being a soldier and how he became a soldier in his war torn country.
Summary: During the 1990s one of the most violent civil wars was happening, this violence was taking place in Sierra Leone, Africa. Ishmael Beah was a boy who loved his family, loved rap music, and even loved school, although was sometimes known as the mischievous one along with his older brother. Ishmael memorized all the rap lyrics he could hear and treasured his rap cassettes that included some of the most famous rappers from America. As a twelve year old he looked forward to participating in near by talent shows with his friends doing rap and dancing hip-hop. But, on one trip to a talent show in a neighboring village he is swept up into the atrocities of war. Not knowing where his family has ended up, but knowing he can’t go back to his town, he spends months continually running from the rebel forces and the armed forces. He knows if he is found he will be forced to be a soldier. He continually struggles to survive, lacking food and lacking much human contact. He travels by foot with hope that he can make it to somewhere safe. After many tragedies and near starvation and desperation he must become a soldier in the army. As a teenager he is trained to carry and shoot AK-47s. These soldiers became numb to the evil they were committing from cocaine and marijuana that was provided by the army. For several years he lives in these conditions becoming very hateful. Unexpectedly one day an international organization pulls Ishmael from the army and places him in a rehabilitation center in the capitol city. He gets off drugs and strives to learn and understand that none of what he did and what happened is his fault.
Rank: 5 Stars-An interestinig must read for all, although it is very serious and does not avoid any of the realities of war.
