Book review by Jane
This book is definitely another one of those fiction stories, or collection of stories in this case, that speak of truth in a way only a story can. It is a collection of stories surrounding young characters from various parts of Africa.

A question mark has always entered my head whenever I heard that orphaned children were among a group of refuges. Where did they come from, and how did they get there? On their very own? In this book, maybe there are some answers to that question. The thing that strikes me about the child characters in the stories is that they are all either on the move or ready to be on the move. There is no real stability in their lives. But each story is compelling.

When I first considered reading this book, I thought it might be a little hard to read because it is about children. I’m glad I read the book. The stories are not sugar coated, but there are some things that go on in the world we should just know about. How else will these things stop? I’m not sure how me knowing these things will stop them, either. But I’m a strong believer in shining the light on things that aren’t right, or fair. I think the author does this quite nicely, in an unbiased voice of a child. A child knows more of what is going on than given credit for; true in any setting. The fact that there are children suffering similar fates of these outlined in the book makes me wish their innocence would last longer, and that the adult world they finally come into would be peaceful. You will have to read the book to see what you think and if it changes you any.

The copy I received from the library has the approval seal of Oprah's Book Club, a 2009 Selection, and many, many paragraphs of praise from various sources. Nominated for awards, it also won awards. In my copy, it included an interview with the author, Uwem Akpan, who is also a Jesuit priest from Nigeria. There is an afterword written by his bishop.

Jane.