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Young Adult Fiction
JANUARY 15, 2019 BUY
From Penguin Random House:
Forced to become a child soldier, a sixteen-year-old Somali refugee must confront his painful past in this haunting, thrilling tale of loss and redemption for fans of A Long Way Gone and What is the What
When Abdi’s family is kidnapped, he’s forced to do the unthinkable: become a child soldier with the ruthless jihadi group Al Shabaab. In order to save the lives of those he loves, and earn their freedom, Abdi agrees to be embedded as a spy within the militia’s ranks and to send dispatches on their plans to the Americans. The jihadists trust Abdi immediately because his older brother, Dahir, is already one of them, protégé to General Idris, aka the Butcher. If Abdi’s duplicity is discovered, he will be killed.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he’s even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber’s vest, which still leaves stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what’s become of the family that was stolen from him. But everything changes when Abdi’s picked up for a petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he’s been trying to forget.
In this riveting, unflinching tale of sacrifice and hope, critically-acclaimed author Natalie C. Anderson delivers another tour-de-force that will leave readers at the edge of their seats.
Read an excerpt HERE
Press and Reviews:
Indies Next Kids List – Winter 2018-2019
★ “Anderson…breathe[s] ferocious life into a story that needs to be told. This is one of those tough but invaluable books with the power to increase a reader’s awareness of and empathy for teens who have lost the right to be young.”--Booklist, starred review
“A riveting account…[where] greed, guilt, and redemption are layered in a sober yet tender narrative showing the lengths one will go to for loved ones.”--Kirkus Reviews
“An intriguing examination of ways familial loyalty and guilt can lead anyone to make desperate choices. Anderson uses the exploration of manipulation and coercion to craft a thought-provoking narrative.”--School Library Journal
“[Anderson] makes it clear how difficult it is for even children to survive this faith-based and historically rooted conflict unscathed.”--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Young Adult Fiction
JANUARY 15, 2019 BUY
From Penguin Random House:
Forced to become a child soldier, a sixteen-year-old Somali refugee must confront his painful past in this haunting, thrilling tale of loss and redemption for fans of A Long Way Gone and What is the What
When Abdi’s family is kidnapped, he’s forced to do the unthinkable: become a child soldier with the ruthless jihadi group Al Shabaab. In order to save the lives of those he loves, and earn their freedom, Abdi agrees to be embedded as a spy within the militia’s ranks and to send dispatches on their plans to the Americans. The jihadists trust Abdi immediately because his older brother, Dahir, is already one of them, protégé to General Idris, aka the Butcher. If Abdi’s duplicity is discovered, he will be killed.
For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he’s even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber’s vest, which still leaves stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what’s become of the family that was stolen from him. But everything changes when Abdi’s picked up for a petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he’s been trying to forget.
In this riveting, unflinching tale of sacrifice and hope, critically-acclaimed author Natalie C. Anderson delivers another tour-de-force that will leave readers at the edge of their seats.
Read an excerpt HERE
Press and Reviews:
Indies Next Kids List – Winter 2018-2019
★ “Anderson…breathe[s] ferocious life into a story that needs to be told. This is one of those tough but invaluable books with the power to increase a reader’s awareness of and empathy for teens who have lost the right to be young.”--Booklist, starred review
“A riveting account…[where] greed, guilt, and redemption are layered in a sober yet tender narrative showing the lengths one will go to for loved ones.”--Kirkus Reviews
“An intriguing examination of ways familial loyalty and guilt can lead anyone to make desperate choices. Anderson uses the exploration of manipulation and coercion to craft a thought-provoking narrative.”--School Library Journal
“[Anderson] makes it clear how difficult it is for even children to survive this faith-based and historically rooted conflict unscathed.”--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
CITY OF SAINTS AND THIEVES
Young Adult Fiction
BUY
From Penguin Random House:
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn’t exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill’s personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it.
With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller.
Read Chapter One in USA Today here
Press and Reviews:
“... a twisty-turny, chock-full-of-secrets, so-exciting-you-have-to-force-yourself-to-take-breaks-and-breathe kind of novel."
--New York Times Book Review
* “[A] solidly plotted, swiftly paced international murder mystery that’s laced with just a hint of romance. . . . Highly recommended for teens looking for a gritty, suspenseful, immersive read driven by a tough, smart, realistic heroine.”
--School Library Journal, starred review
*"Anderson, a former aid worker, deftly addresses issues in the region in this fast-paced thriller, highlighting the struggles of refugees in war-torn eastern Congo and the human rights violations that women in particular face."
-- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
*"[T]he nicely twisted climax is totally believable, and readers will be sorry to leave Tina, whose fierce loyalty to her family drives her actions."
-- Booklist, starred review
*"Tina is a fiercely intelligent, scrappy, and resourceful character worth cheering for ...heart-stopping excitement..."
-- BCCB (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books), starred review
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