Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York: Sarah Chrichton Books, 2007. 229 pages. (Nonfiction / Memoir)
This book is about a group of African boys who live in Sierra Leone, Africa. There is a terrible war going on and you can’t trust anyone. You always suspect the worst, which is that everyone around you is rebels. Ishmael Beah is a 9 year-old boy who is just trying to find his family. His village, Mattru Jong, has been taken over by rebels who would take a red-hot bayonet and carve the letters RUF (Revolutionary United Front) on your stomach. This meant you were not only scarred for life, but you could never escape the rebels. If you went into a village, you would be unwelcomed and thrown out. He will never be the same. What will happen next? You’ll have to read it for yourself.
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone because, even though there is bad language and lots of blood and violence, everyone should know what it’s like to be in a war and why we should be grateful that we are alive today. Because of its goriness, blood and violence, you should probably not read this book if you are easily sickened or saddened.
Reviewed by: Jazzy GB
