Independent Reading Level: Grades 4th-5th grade
Awards: New York Times Notable Children's Book (2014), Children's Africana Book Award (2015)

The war in Sudan -- not an easy topic, nor a happy one, but Pinkney brings a grace to her storytelling, centers her story on Amira bright and her family lost and found. A novel in verse about the thirst to learn and to teach, about grief and beauty and love in the hard times and places. Beautiful voice, and manages to hold the balance between overwhelming tragedy and hope in endurance. ( )

This is a novel in verse told by a young girl in Sudan. In the first part of the book, she paints a picture of life in her small desert village. At the end of Part 1, the Janjaweed, a guerilla army, invades her village, killing everyone they can before riding away. Amira loses her father, and much of what she loved in life - including her ability to speak (a PTSD result, not physical injury). She, her mother, sister, and an older man who was her father's best friend, all survive and make the trek across the desert to a refugee camp. Part 2 tells of that journey, and of life in the camp. And it tells of Amira's growing desire to get an education - something her mother disapproves of - so that she can read and write. While her mother is not supportive, her father's friend, Old Anwar, is. He secretly begins to teach her to read and write. And then a humanitarian aid worker comes one day and gives Amira the best present ever... a notebook tablet, and a red pencil. Between the help from Old Anwar and the inspiration of the red pencil, Amira begins to get a real meaningful life back again.
A beautifully told, powerful story. Both horrifying and heartwarming. ( )

A 12-year-old girl in Darfur faces challenges, including losing her father and loving a sister born with deformities. An aid worker in her refugee camp gives her a red pencil—how will it save her? Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, Glossary/Pronunciation Guide

Twelve-year-old Amira narrates what life is like on her family's farm -- hard work but also great love between the family members. But when militia attack her village, Amira's life is never again the same. Moving to a refugee camp with her family is incredibly difficult, but Amira starts to find hope once again...

This was a wonderfully done story, written in prose verse with gray-scale illustrations. The 'novel in verse' format doesn't always work out great, but here it is fantastic. I felt like I really got a sense of Amira's voice and personality, as well as a story that was compelling me to read on. The illustrations are lively and feel like they could be Amira's creative expressions.

I also appreciated that while the story doesn't shy away from difficult topics (e.g., war, death, even child marriages), it doesn't laser in on those with gratuitous horror. The focus is always on hope and the possibility of what's next. The idea that education can help change the world leaves for a cautiously optimistic ending.

Backmatter includes a note from the author explaining some of her inspiration and meticulous research; a glossary of Arabic words and one of English terms that might be new to young readers; and a pronunciation guide.

The only reason I don't give this book a full 5 stars is one thing did not sit right with me. Amira's younger sister Leila is born with some physical maladies and while it's lovely that the family says they embrace her and love her no matter what, Amira is constantly referring to her as 'bent,' 'broken,' 'crooked,' etc. I wasn't a fan of that.

Still, I highly recommend this beautifully told tale overall and will leave you with my favorite poem from it:
TO...

To craft letters.
To see reading's beauty.
To write English.
To recite the Koran, our holy book.
To know reading's music.

To me, these are wondrous treasures. ( )