Overview
A searing, shocking bookāpart non-fiction, part novelābased on the true story of a child soldier in Uganda who survived war and enslavement and went on to create a haven for others who suffered a similar fate.
Soldier Boy begins with the story of Ricky Richard Anywar, abducted at age fourteen in 1989 to fight with Joseph Kony's rebel army in Ugandaās decades-long civil war. Ricky is trained, armed, and forced to fight government soldiers alongside his brutal kidnappers, but never stops dreaming of escape.
The story continues twenty years later, with a fictionalized character named Samuel, representative of the thousands of child soldiers Ricky eventually helped rehabilitate as founder of the internationally acclaimed charity Friends of Orphans.
Working closely with Ricky himself, debut author Keely Hutton has written an eye-opening book about a boyās unbreakable spirit and indomitable courage. Beginning in Africa amidst the horrors of civil war, his is a story that is as uplifting as it is heartwrenching.
Praise for Solider Boy:
āUnapologetically searing and catastrophically truthful, a reminder to readers that it demands much to meet harsh realities with impossible courage.ā āKirkus Reviews
āIn this brutal debut novel inspired by real-life events, Hutton addresses the horrors of the Ugandan civil war through two child soldiers. Hutton approaches the setting, conflict, and characters with unremitting honesty, drawing from Anywarās own life (he contributes an afterword) while using the fictional Samuel as a stand-in for the current generation of unwilling soldiers. This isnāt an easy or pleasant readāHutton doesnāt shy from discussions of rape, torture, and abuseābut itās eye-opening and relevant.ā āPublishers Weekly, starred review
āA visceral indictment of manās inhumanity to man, while also celebrating human beingsā ability to empathize and to rescue those who desperately need saving.ā āBooklist, starred review
āA compelling tale . . . with a message of hope . . . A must-purchase for teen collections.ā āSchool Library Journal, starred review
āHuttonās debut novel seamlessly blends the biographical account of Anywarās experiences with the fictional story of Samuel . . . Anywar will inspire a multitude of readers with his phenomenal ability to make peace with his past and his desire to help others like him . . . A must-have for every library with a teen collection.ā āVOYA
āA story that stands up for the unrelenting power of the human spirit to reject evil, the nigh-impossible odds that must be conquered to escape enslavement, and the deep scars that remain for a lifetime . . . Unapologetically searing and catastrophically truthful.ā āKirkus Reviews
āOver the years I have read many novels and memoirs about children and warfare in modern Africa, but Soldier Boy stands out as one of the very best. Based on actual historical events, this compelling novel is a story of great violence and pain, but it is also one of tremendous strength, courage, and resilience. I will definitely be assigning it to my students for many years to come.ā āAlicia Catharine Decker, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University, author of In Idi Aminās Shadow: Women, Gender, and Militarism in Uganda
This book title, Soldier Boy, ISBN: 9781250158444, by Keely Hutton, published by Square Fish (June 12, 2018) is available in paperback. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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