Children's Express reviews two new novels tackling the difficult lives of children in other countries.
| I felt I was right there in the middle of the action as the characters scrounge for money or perform menial tasks for small change. |
No Turning Back
by Beverley Naidoo
Beverley Naidoo's novel No Turning Back follows the journey of Sipho, a 12 year old South African boy, who runs away from his abusive father and ends up on the streets of Johannesburg.
It becomes clear that Sipho's story is similar to that of many other young South Africans. He meets loads of other young children who are also on the run from abusive homes and fending for themselves on the streets.
Life is tough for these children, or 'malunde' as they are called in Zulu. They have to be on constant guard against gangsters who force them to steal. Even the police are sometimes violent towards them.
Set against a backdrop of the rising support for Nelson Mandela, the novel deals with many of the issues prevalent in South African society at that time. The author tackles homelessness, child abuse, racism and the conflict between black and white people.
Her depiction of the life of these young children is heart rending. She manages to bring the story to life. I felt as though I was right there in the middle of the action, walking beside the characters as they scrounge for money or perform menial tasks for small change.
Although the language that Beverly Naidoo uses makes this novel easy to read, it doesn't lack creativity in portraying such sensitive issues and gives a thought-provoking message.
I am sure that No Turning Back will appeal to people of all ages; it's definitely one not to miss!
The Breadwinner
By Deborah Ellis (Oxford University Press)
As a result of September 11th and the ensuing media coverage, young people have become increasingly curious about what life in Afghanistan is really like.
The Breadwinner attempts to answer some of the questions raised in the wake of the terrorist crisis. It tackles this from the perspective of a young girl, the 11-year-old Parvana, living in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
Her life is very difficult. Women in Afghanistan can only go outside if a male adult accompanies them and girls can't go to school. Parvana is the only female in the family who leaves the house regularly as it falls on her to accompany her disabled father to work. When the Taliban arrest her father life becomes even harder. The 11 year-old has to take on responsibility as the breadwinner - earning money to get food and water for her family.Parvana cuts off her hair and disguises herself as a boy in order for her family to survive.
The Breadwinner is a very a powerful story, especially because it's based on a true story. The author, Deborah Ellis, has spent a lot of time in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, talking to women and documenting their lives. She approaches the subject matter in a very sensitive manner, but doesn't spare the reader from the harsh realities. The Afghan capital, Kabul, is described in lots of detail, as is life under the Taliban.
Obviously the publication of this book is very timely. It's claimed that it's the only children's novel currently available on this subject. However, we could tell that a lot of time and effort has gone into the novel and that it's not just a topical cash-in.
Despite the harsh issues it deals with, The Breadwinner is very easy to read. It has a steady pace and keeps the reader guessing how things will turn out until the very end.
Although this book is aimed at 9 to 12 year olds we believe it would appeal to children and adults alike. We feel we now know a lot more about Afghanistan than before and look forward to reading more from this author.
About the team
No Turning Back review by Juliana Lisk, 16. The Breadwinner review by Daniel Cohen, 13, and Benjamina Avro-Owiriwa, 14. These reviews were published in Young Minds magazine.
