Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War

by Jessica Dee Humphreys, Michel Chikwanine, Claudia Davila (Illustrator)

Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon Michel and his friends are kidnapped by rebel militants and forced to become child soldiers.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, War, Africa, Memoir, History, Middle Grade

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's memoir of his early life in Congo and the time he was kidnapped by rebels to be trained as a child soldier. He speaks of the harsh realities of his young life, his escape, his stolen childhood that cannot ever be returned even after he's back home, and his eventual immigration to Canada. An honest, eye-opening book for today's Western children to see what life is like for so many children in this world. Michel was five when he was taken as a soldier and while this book doesn't hide any realities it does keep information appropriate for younger readers. Sharon McKay's "War Brothers: The Graphic NovelWar Brothers" set in Uganda is a much more brutally raw story for older readers and the better of the two, imo. However, "Child Soldier" is certainly a touching and inspiring story to start with on the subject.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for kids (one of the authors is a former child soldier), this memoir has the look of a comic book. Michel Chikwanane relates how he became a child soldier when he was five years old, and how the instability and dangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo forced his family to flee to a refugee camp in Uganda.
There is text at the end that describes how widespread the use of child soldiers is around the world.
This is a frightening and sad book, that ends with some ways kids can learn more about child soldiers, and how kids can potentially get involved with advocating against the use of child soldiers.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well told story of one child's experience with being kidnapped and trained to be a child soldier that then uses that springboard to illustrate the worldwide problem and what kids can do to get involved.

[Scott Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutally honest but written and illustrated in a way that is very accessible for kids.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very accessible book for children about the heart rending topic of children being forced to make war. I especially appreciate that they discuss ways that children can be a part of the solution of ending the use of child soldiers.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple and powerful autobiography that recounts the author's kidnapping at age 5. Forced to train in a militia, he manages to escape and return to his family. Reintegration to society and family life is not easy and his struggles continue as he flees the civil war that ravages his country.

[Mpur Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read more: Reading Wonderland

This story is real based on the author’s experience in his homeland before he immigrated to North America. The issue surrounds the effect of war to the children. Just like the title, this book refers to children who are kidnapped to be trained as a brutal child soldier. Child soldier is anyone under 18 years old who used by an armed group in any way, including boys and girls used as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers, spies, or for sexual purposes.

Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, this story evokes rather than depicts the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for children age group. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children’s rights and even bullying.

Michel believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him. He believes in the ability to make a difference. Michel has worked long and hard to heal from his experience as a child soldier that is a label that was forced to him. Today, he become an activist. And along with researching root causes of poverty and conflict, Michel continues to share his powerful and inspiring message of hope with people all over the world. Check out the video below when Michel got a chance to talk about those issues.

Well, in a slight, Congo reminds me of my country, Indonesia. Besides the nature, the situations are also the same. Back in the past, both countries were conquered by European countries. Congo with Belgium, and Indonesia with Netherland. Then I spotted something that is also similar. The author said that the children in Congo made toys like balls from scrap paper. It reminds me of Indonesian children before 2000s. I mean, the 80s or 90s generation played with their creativity before smartphones conquered them. In this book, Michel spotted the differences between the children in Congo and those in North America. In North America, the kids don’t really care about the issue. Well, yeah, it happens in Indonesia too.

Honestly, this book makes me cry!!! I cry because I’m inspired by Michel who believe that he can change the world and make the difference. In the back of the book, there are some information about child soldier, the current fact, and what we can do. Those information is the important thing because it guides us to be better global citizen.

[Gofita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michel Chikwanine tells his story of becoming a child soldier. What were the circumstances when he was kidnapped? What were the consequences after he escaped and had to live with the trauma?

It's all beautifully and tragically told in graphic novel form. I'm not quite sure how they did it but they kept the book intriguing without being too graphic or too hard to handle for my son. We were able to talk about some things and have a good discussion.

The book also shares more information on child soldiers in the back along with charities and other ways to help fight this atrocity in the world. Just a wonderful book to share and discuss with your kids.

[Christopher Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and real. A graphic novel/memoir in picture book format that is engrossing while equally hard to keep reading. Knowing events like these have happened to countless children keeps you going. An important companion to LONG WAY GONE or the recent movie BEASTS OF NO LAND. The chilling recount is a lesson in human resilience and a reminder of what war can do to children and adults. Absolutely recommended.

[Yasamin Seifaei · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a heartbreaking story based on the author's experience when he was a kid.
its about when he was living in Congo and got kidnapped to be a soldier and kill people.
its a well written story for kids to understand.
i hope everyone read this book and understand the vitality to put an end to child soldier.

thanks to Kids Can Press and NetGalley for giving me an ebook of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

[lapetitesouris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this.

[Susan Eberhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for 10-14 year olds, Michel Chikwanine tells the story of how he was kidnapped and forced to be a boy soldier in his country of
Democratic Republic of Congo. Looking forward to reading this and discussing with middle school students.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War' is the true story of Michel Chikwanine. The book is also written by Jessica Dee Humphreys and illustrated beautifully by Claudia Davila.

Michel grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When he was only 5 years old, he was captured by rebels and forced to become a child soldier. He is forced to do some very bad things before he escapes. The rest of the book talks about his family and their attempts to find a new home because the one they lived in was too dangerous. Since the book is part of the Citizen Kid series, the book concludes with ways to find more information and ways that kids can become active against this sort of issue.

I appreciated the way this rather brutal story was told in a way that kids could understand without being graphic. I also appreciate that Michel tells children that the events they are about to read won't suddenly happen to them. The book doesn't attempt to use scare tactics or graphic violence to get it's point across. It's a brutal story, and a horrific and tragic one. That Michel came through this experience and wants to change things is incredible. A wonderfully told and illustrated story. Kudos to everyone.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Kids Can Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michel Chikwanine and Jessica Dee Humphreys share the powerful memoir of Michel's months as a child soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his escape, and his dedication to helping end the widespread kidnapping and manipulation of children by armies and rebel militias around the world. Five-year-olds should spend their days playing, exploring, laughing, and loving; but for far too many children life means fighting, killing, and struggling to stay alive while being forced to fight battles in which children are expendable. Michel's story is heartbreaking but uplifting, simply and even-handedly told. The author's do not dwell on the harrowing events Michel experienced but neither do they ignore them. Likewise, Claudia Davila's illustrations for this graphic novel are sensitive and age-appropriate. Readers in grade 4-8 will find the account enlightening and horrifying while the appended information and links to primary documents encourage more in-depth exploration.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michel's story is tragic. Kidnapped at age 5 and forced to kill as a rebel soldier, Michel eventually finds his way home only to have his family ravaged by war before he is able to immigrate to Canada. With all respect to Michel and others with similar experiences, Child Soldier doesn't hold together very well as a reading experience. Although the book is heavy on text, very little of it is directly integrated with the art. The supplementary material at the back is useful but too ponderous for the young readers most likely to encounter Child Soldier. This book can be helpful for students and teachers working on a nonfiction or social studies unit, but few are likely to choose it on their own or recommend it to their friends. Still, it helped me understand some of the background of international conflicts that I didn't really know about.

[Joy Kirr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very quick rendition of a mature YA book I’ve read - A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. In 1993, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Michel was stolen from a soccer game and forced to kill his best friend. He escaped and came home, but things were never the same again. I agree with Gary Anderson's review in that the photos don't really help tell the story. I feel like I understand it more only because I have background information. There is a ton of information in the back of the book. I think this would be a good book to get readers wondering about child soldiers.

[Jennifer Guerin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong graphic narrative memoir that will grip young readers without overwhelming them with fear. The illustrations are softly colored and expressive, suggesting the details better left unwritten, given Humphreys and Chikwanine's primary audience. Ends with hopeful call to activism among youth, along with excellent biographical info, definitions, organizations and contact info for young people looking to get involved in this important issue.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good look at children in war torn countries for children. Yes, there's violence present, but it is not too violent for children. This would be a good resource for kids asking questions about things they hear about in the news. Michel only spends a small amount of time as a child soldier, but it very deeply affects his entire life.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful story set in 1993 in the Democratic Republic of Congo about a five-year boy kidnapped by a rebel group to be a child soldier, effectively told in a comic narrative. Compelling and insightful with good end matter information on child soldiers.

[Don Witzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A personal look into child soldiers and one's experience. Not knowing much on this topic this was a fantastic starting point in graphic novel format. I want more of Michel Chikwanine personal story. Not for the faint of heart due to topic. The graphic novel provides fact pages at end to educate.

[Angela Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A graphically true story that everyone should read to become more aware of the terrible things happening in the world.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended to me by my daughter. And I recommend it to everyone. Should be required reading for all. Might make you think differently about refugees, as the world that they are fleeing is unimaginable to us (though I'm guessing those who oppose refugees will not bother to open a book like this). This book is a graphic autobiography of Michel Chikwanine who, at the age of 5, was kidnapped and forced to join a rebel troop in the Democratic Republic of Congo back in 1993.

Some good quotes, "A person is not described by their money or success, but rather by their heart and what they do for others".

"If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito".

"Listening to stories like these night after night, I began to realize that everyone there had gone through horrible things, just like me. I thought, 'This must be normal, so I shouldn't feel sorry for myself.' Some stories I heard around the fire never made sense: the ones people told about North America. We hoped to immigrate there one day and escape the violence of home. People said that huge trucks like the ones that brought food to our camp were driven just for fun. That a man named Michael Jordan was paid $30 million dollars to throw a ball into a basket. And, weirdest of all, that people paid hundreds of dollars to go to a park to see a giant mouse with big ears. 'Yeah, right! Who would pay to see a big mouse?'"

[Chelsie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story of the unimaginable account of a child soldier. Great to pair with A Long Walk to Water or When Stars Are Scattered. This has much more details of the violence that took place and was hard to read at times. Will have in my 5th grade library but will be aware of students reactions and emotions. Difficult but important read.

[Megan Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad, but eye opening.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Victoria Bozarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sad story told from the view point of a child who was actually taken from his home and used in a war. This is a graphic novel where all the pictures help explain what is happening in the store.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book about the sad reality of child soldiers. But one thing I don't understand was why was it a comic? It was really sad. I am not a wimp but I will admit I cryed.

[Amanda Woo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely blown away with this story and the truth it brings out to readers about child soldiers in another world. An ex–child soldier tells his horrifying story, that begins by being kidnapped at the age of 5 and forced to kill his best friend. Michael was abducted by a rebel militia at age five while growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1990s. Michel and his best friend, Kevin, are kidnapped with other boys by a rebel militia when they’re playing soccer on the field after school. They’re thrown into trucks and taken to the soldiers’ camp in the hills, where Michael is forced to become a child soldier. This book represents the culture and conflicts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This story can be used to teach students and generate discussion about the history in different countries. Davila’s illustrations stay clear of explicit violence, using facial expressions to convey vividly the rebels’ brutality, the shock of their child captives, and the narrator’s emotional scars. This is giving students a realistic glimpse of what happened in the 1990s. This book also gives important political and historical context to these events. I believe this is a perfect resource for engaging students in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and classroom discussions about conflict, children’s rights and even bullying. This can associate with other historic events that are similar. They’ll also gain an awareness that the horror of child soldiers remains an issue in many countries of the world today, as well as military services. This true story does not hide away the truth.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing, so heart-wrenching, super important read. The story was great, the illustration amazing, and the structure of the book made it very enjoyable to carry and read.

[Jenny Mock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a topic that impacts everyone. Yes, even Lady Liberty. The memoir is intense, realistic, but not overly graphic. It is pretty tame compared to other child soldier memoirs I've read. I wouldn't hesitate to put this in the hands of my upper elementary students.