4/5 (audiobook)

I recently listened to the audiobook of First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung from my local library's Hoopla. First They Killed My Father is a memoir that tells the horrific truths from the lives of those living during the 1975 Cambodian Genocide. Loung details the journey her and her family of seven took to flee Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after the Khmer Rouge, under the ruling of Pol Pot, invaded. 

Loung and her siblings were used for labor in camps and trained as child soldiers during this time. Her entire family was slowly starving to death and being sent off to various labor/work camps, but Loung was determined to find a way to overthrow this grisly regime. The memoir details the atrocious traumas and brutalities that the Ung's and many other families faced as they traveled, fleed, and fought for freedom and protection in other countries. 

"Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality." ~Goodreads

Loung details events that happened to both her, her family, and her friends. First They Killed My Father details a topic that is often covered in history classes (genocide) but in a location that is often overlooked in discussion (Cambodia). It is an extremely difficult topic to talk about, but I believe that the way in which it is written along with a discussion about the representation of war and peace would make First They Killed My Father a solid framework for a book or history club for youth in libraries.