Bound To Stay Bound

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Bulletin for the Center... - 12/01/2008 In this beautifully presented photo study, portraits of Afghan children are accompanied by brief excerpts from interviews, accompanied by the child’s name, age, and location. Each child has been affected in some way by the ongoing war; many have lost family members, have been forced from their homes or their country, have dropped out of school, have become breadwinners for their families. Their plainspoken observations are undeniably poignant, but the interviewers’ tendency to draw out the children’s plans for the future too often produces a tone of dreamy sound bites, and the brevity of the reflections does not afford readers the opportunity to develop much empathy with each individual subject. Although the division of the book into sections covering Kabul and rural regions allows the audience to compare experiences of children in different parts of the country (endpapers offer a map of the country for further geographical information), there’s no context provided other than an authors’ introduction, cast in the unadorned opening pages that are generally skipped by readers anxious to dig right in. Nonetheless, upper elementary age children with the patience and sensitivity to examine the photographs with care will begin to appreciate the daily struggles and amazing resiliency of these overlooked victims of war. EB - Copyright 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2008 Gr 4 Up-This handsome photo-essay features contemporary Afghan children ranging in age from 8 to 18 years. They were asked about their families, lives, and hopes for the future. The young people's straightforward statements tell much about the devastating effects of decades of war. Some of them are still able to attend school; others wish they could. Even the youngest children work part of the day, often at street markets or in their family businesses, such as rug making. Two 10-year-olds pick pockets to survive. The matter-of-fact way they describe losing parents, siblings, and homes to war is jarring. Overall, the book provides a sensitive, poignant, and respectful look at the lives of these young people. It avoids sentimentality and politicizing. While the book will need an introduction, it offers Western children insight into a country and society often featured in the news. This is a timely, relevant, and well-executed offering.-Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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