Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War (CitizenKid)
by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine
illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Date: 2015
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel memoir
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library
Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon Michel and his friends are kidnapped by rebel militants and forced to become child soldiers. Child Soldier is the sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately inspiring true story of the triumph of the human spirit.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
It's unbelievable what some children are forced to endure. Child Soldier tells the story of Michel, who was kidnapped and recruited as a child soldier at the age of five. This very important book tackles a heavy subject in a way that makes it suitable for young readers.
I was impressed by the careful approach this book takes. Although some horrible things happen, the illustrations are never too graphic. Reading the words about what happened to Michel and his family is difficult enough; the text gets the point across without the book needing to resort to overly graphic imagery.
The notes at the end are really interesting, too. I didn't realize that countries like Canada technically use child soldiers (since a child soldier is defined as anyone under 18 who's engaged in military activity, and Canada allows 17-year-olds to join up with parental consent). Also, did you know that Africa is home to half of the world's child soldiers? It's so sad that, in many places, kids aren't allowed to be kids.
This is a strong graphic novel for children, and even though it's short, it's very powerful. This is a topic that probably doesn't get discussed very much in schools, so this book would be a great way to start a conversation about child soldiers.
Quotable moment:
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall: 3.75 out of 5
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