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Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his schoolyard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel's experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Dávila's illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful. The back matter contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children's rights and even bullying. Michel's actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito... In deze Engelstalige graphic novel vertelt Michel Chikwanine over zijn jeugd in de Democratische Republiek Congo en over hoe hij op vijfjarige leeftijd gekidnapt werd door rebellen die hem dwongen om kindsoldaat te worden. Hij beschrijft de wreedheden, zijn ontsnapping, zijn verloren jeugd, de gevangenneming van zijn vader die mensenrechtenactivist was en zijn uiteindelijke migratie naar Canada. Achterin het boek vind je meer informatie over kindsoldaten, wat er internationaal gebeurt om dit probleem op te lossen en wat kinderen zelf kunnen doen. Inhoudelijk is het boekje geschikt voor kinderen vanaf 9 jaar. (Bron: catalogus Docatlas Antwerpen)

Child soldiers --- Children and war --- Chikwanine, Michel --- Childhood and youth --- Congo (Democratic Republic) --- History