Age: High School-College
Tough Issue: Child soldiers

Obviously a tough read, Ishmael provides a glimpse into his life running away from a civil war in his country of Sierra Leone until he gets swept up into the battle. Although Ishamel is in his younger teens throughout the book and the writing style is easy to read, the subject matter is not necessarily suitable for middle school children who may not comprehend the extreme circumstances of the book. Ishamel provides no flowery language, just straight facts focusing on the harrowing story of how young boys fall into the soldier life in order to survive and stay in the soldier life because they know no other family and have found worth in pride in their skills. With only these mastered skills to kill, Ishamel describes his path to rehabilitation through school and, more importantly, forgiveness.