3/2/2017 0 Comments The Red Pencil2014, Written by Andrea Davis Pinkey, Illustrated by Shane Evans Amelia Bloomer Project for Middle-Grade Fiction (2015) The Red Pencil is the story of Amira, a girl living in the Darfur region of Sudan in the early 2000s. When her village is attacked by the Janjaweed militants, her life is shattered. Amira and what is left of her family and her village make the long journey on foot to a refugee camp. Devastated by the loss of her father, Amira's bright light begins to go out...until the gift of a red pencil lights her spark again. The Red Pencil is an extremely moving tale about the power of family, understanding, and literacy. Amira's deepest wish is to learn how to read and write, which will inspire many students who take those skills for granted. The poetry of his Novel in Verse helps immerse readers in a world that may be very foreign to them, and also helps them understand the horrors of genocide without becoming too much. The prose is sparse, but it is powerful.
The Red Pencil would be great for many readers, especially girls (this book is full of girl power!), especially girls of color. Amira is a character many young readers will be able to connect with, and her struggles will challenge them and make them think (as well as feel). I would recommend this book for readers from 3rd grade up through middle school.
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