First, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. I hope there were one or two books in your Christmas goodies too. I also want to wish you all a great, happy and healthy 2014.
There is a wonderful new series called Through my eyes where the first two books were published this year and another two coming in 2014. They are gritty, moving novels aimed at readers perhaps aged 10 through 12 or 13. They deal with the day to day struggle of surviving in areas of conflict.
Shahana
By Rosanne Hawke
“Shahana lives alone with her young brother in the shadow of the Line of Control, the border patrolled by Pakistani and Indian soldiers that divides Kashmir in two. Life is hard, but Shahana ekes out a living with her beautiful embroidery. Then she finds a boy lying unconscious near the border. Zahid is from across the Line of Control, and Shahana takes a terrible risk by sheltering him. But how can she give Zahid up to the authorities when she knows he’ll be imprisoned – or worse?”
I love the music in this trailer. It has a quiet beauty to it letting us know that this book will impact on us as readers.
Amina
by J.L. Powers
“The year is 2011, and Somalia’s civil war has been raging for two decades. Amina’s world is shattered when government forces come to arrest her artist father and rebel forces kidnap her brother. Can Amina use her own street art to provide a voice for others like herself?”
For those readers who loved the Parvana series by Deborah Ellis, I think this series will be ideal. I do urge you, especially if you are a teacher or librarian, to check out the teacher notes available on the Through my eyes website.
booktrailers4kidsandYA 