Scan barcode
sgrizzle's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
“Amira, sorrow’s fence has locked you in,” she says. “The only way out is through time.”
This middle grade novel told in verse chronicles one family’s experience with the Sudanese war through the eyes of their daughter Amira. I read another middle grade verse novel for last year’s Read Around the World and decided to do it again because of the differing perspective that gave. This was overall strong and I would encourage it for youth, it gives enough of the difficult content to land powerfully but doesn’t get too graphic, we spend the time focusing on how Amira understands it all and how she feels. The ending was abrupt and is why I rated this as I did, but it’s a worthwhile read.
This middle grade novel told in verse chronicles one family’s experience with the Sudanese war through the eyes of their daughter Amira. I read another middle grade verse novel for last year’s Read Around the World and decided to do it again because of the differing perspective that gave. This was overall strong and I would encourage it for youth, it gives enough of the difficult content to land powerfully but doesn’t get too graphic, we spend the time focusing on how Amira understands it all and how she feels. The ending was abrupt and is why I rated this as I did, but it’s a worthwhile read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and War
sometimes_samantha_reads's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
My 5th grade students are doing mini-book-club novel studies in March for Reas Across America. Students will be doing projects at the end of month. My students are in pairs reading a wide variety of books. Two of them chose The Red Pencil from the school library. I had not read it before and wanted to read it in order to help them throughout the month.
It was a deep and reflective book. Sad at many times but glimmers of hopefulness and childhood throughout. I think my students will appreciate and learn from this more serious and "grown up" book.
It was a deep and reflective book. Sad at many times but glimmers of hopefulness and childhood throughout. I think my students will appreciate and learn from this more serious and "grown up" book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Death, Blood, Animal death, Violence, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
emily_mh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I am brand new to reading novels-in-verse, so take this review with a grain of salt.
A lot of the poems here only felt like poems because they were written in the style where one sentence is spread (somewhat randomly) over multiple lines. There wasn’t anything inherently poetic about them, they were just
prose sentences
written like
this.
And the line breaks weren’t really used to poetic effect either. It made me think that this book would have been much more effective as a prose novel, as the verse format didn’t help the story in any way.
I know that Pinkney wrote in verse in order to write about genocide and war in a way appropriate for MGs. However, I think it went too far the other way, so that a MG with no prior knowledge of the Janjaweed or the genocide in Darfur would have no idea what was going on. There needed to be more clarity instead of nebulous references.
The book unfortunately concludes without having wrapped up many loose ends. There needed to be a few more poems at least to round out Amira’s journey (both in plot and character).
While I obviously struggled with some parts of this book, there were others I enjoyed. The poetry was sometimes clever with its repetition of motifs; this was especially evident towards the end, where Pinkney tied these together. I also liked the drawings provided by Evans. He managed to emulate a child-like style so that we could see the world through Amira both in the poetry and illustrations. I also appreciated the theme of the healing power of art: how art is both an outlet and a way to process emotions and trauma. Finally, the characterisation of Amira was well-done. While sometimes the verse acted unintentionally to separate the reader from Amira and her feelings, Pinkney did write a believable 12 year-old girl, whose narrative voice shone through.
Rep: Black Muslim Sudanese MC and SCs
A lot of the poems here only felt like poems because they were written in the style where one sentence is spread (somewhat randomly) over multiple lines. There wasn’t anything inherently poetic about them, they were just
prose sentences
written like
this.
And the line breaks weren’t really used to poetic effect either. It made me think that this book would have been much more effective as a prose novel, as the verse format didn’t help the story in any way.
I know that Pinkney wrote in verse in order to write about genocide and war in a way appropriate for MGs. However, I think it went too far the other way, so that a MG with no prior knowledge of the Janjaweed or the genocide in Darfur would have no idea what was going on. There needed to be more clarity instead of nebulous references.
The book unfortunately concludes without having wrapped up many loose ends. There needed to be a few more poems at least to round out Amira’s journey (both in plot and character).
While I obviously struggled with some parts of this book, there were others I enjoyed. The poetry was sometimes clever with its repetition of motifs; this was especially evident towards the end, where Pinkney tied these together. I also liked the drawings provided by Evans. He managed to emulate a child-like style so that we could see the world through Amira both in the poetry and illustrations. I also appreciated the theme of the healing power of art: how art is both an outlet and a way to process emotions and trauma. Finally, the characterisation of Amira was well-done. While sometimes the verse acted unintentionally to separate the reader from Amira and her feelings, Pinkney did write a believable 12 year-old girl, whose narrative voice shone through.
Rep: Black Muslim Sudanese MC and SCs
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Violence, Animal death, Gun violence, Genocide, Death, Excrement, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Sexism, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, and War
Minor: childbirth, loss of a loved one, child bridesqrb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Gun violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Beautiful story looking at a family living in Sudan who have to leave their farm and the Life they have known and head for the safety of a refugee camp.
Written in Verse, the beauty and joy of little things and important things are reflected in the words and the feelings of our protagonist Amira stand out.
Theme of education, inner strength and family are all explored in here as well as a realistic but age appropriate portrayal of some people's experience in being displaced and living in a refugee camp.
Also includes physical disability rep in Leila, Amira's determined sister.
Really enjoyed this book and learnt alot. I want to read more from this author.
Written in Verse, the beauty and joy of little things and important things are reflected in the words and the feelings of our protagonist Amira stand out.
Theme of education, inner strength and family are all explored in here as well as a realistic but age appropriate portrayal of some people's experience in being displaced and living in a refugee camp.
Also includes physical disability rep in Leila, Amira's determined sister.
Really enjoyed this book and learnt alot. I want to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Genocide, and Death of parent
ladykatka's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This a great book for middle grade and above. It helps kids understand the horrors of war without being overly graphic. It hits the sad emotional notes without being terrifying.
Might be triggering for those who lived in refugee camps or have lived through war.
Might be triggering for those who lived in refugee camps or have lived through war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Animal death, and Grief
Moderate: War and Genocide
More...