Children in War - Hardcover

Raymond, Alan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1575000989 ISBN 13: 9781575000985

Publisher: TV Books, 2000

Synopsis

The stories of children in Bosnia, Israel, Rwanda, and Northern Ireland who have lived through war and widespread terrorism reveal the attrocities they have witnessed, the losses suffered, and the effects of war on their lives.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Adult/High School-Though this title came out of the authors' documentary of the same name, it stands on its own as a powerful addition to the literature of witness. The book contains concise but thorough chapters on the conflicts in Bosnia, Israel, Rwanda, and Northern Ireland, before stepping back to allow these nations' youngest citizens to have their say. These youngsters have lived so long (sometimes their whole lives) with violence and fear that a suicide bombing just down the block can be spoken of casually and the loss of one's arm as a regrettable inconvenience. They've seen their fathers shot and their playmates killed in the streets. They've seen their sisters raped and their mothers' throats cut. They have sometimes been specifically targeted: a Hutu extremist broadcast in Rwanda proclaimed that, "To destroy the big rats, you must kill the little rats"-the "little rats" being Tutsi children. In addition to interviews, the book includes a generous selection of children's art. Vivid, simple, and alternatively sad and terrifying, much of the work was produced in art-therapy courses designed to help child witnesses through post-traumatic stress. Photographs of the children, often pictured in the ruins of their neighborhoods and villages or in relocation camps and schools, appear throughout. Carefully balanced, the illustrations and text each have a great impact, and taken together form an essential, highly readable book that cannot be dismissed.-Emily Lloyd, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

According to a recent United Nations report, over two million children have been killed in wars over the past ten years. This horrifying statistic motivated the Raymonds, Academy and Emmy Award-winning filmmakers, to undertake the dangerous mission of finding child survivors of these wars and reporting their experiences. Accompanying the HBO special of the same title, aired in January, the book encompasses four different war zones (Bosnia, Israel, Rwanda, and Northern Ireland). The Raymonds interview the children, letting them tell their stories honestly and passionately. Samples of the children's artwork punctuate these shocking revelations. Additionally, the authors include brief background information on the countries and the ideologies behind the conflicts. This book is a brutal look at war today--not between soldiers but against the innocent and helpless sectors of the populace. For another look at children's war experiences, see Laurel Holliday's Why Do They Hate Me? Young Lives Caught in War and Conflict (Archway, 1999). Recommended for all public libraries.
-Maria C. Bagshaw, Lake Erie Coll. Lib., OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: TV Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1575000989
• ISBN 13: 9781575000985
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160