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Soldier Boy
It was just a nightmare.
All Ricky needed to do was wake up. Just open his eyes. And Kony’s red-eyed beasts with their long claws dripping blood and their fiery breath would have disappeared. His brother would be beside him. His parents and sisters would be safe and asleep in their beds.
Just like before.
Here is the true story of Ricky Richard Anywar, abducted in 1989 at age fourteen by Joseph Kony’s rebel army in the Ugandan civil war (one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts). Ricky is trained, armed, and sent to battle government troops alongside his brutal kidnappers, but over his two and a half years of enslavement, he never stops dreaming of escape.
Here also is the story, set twenty years later, of a fictional character named Samuel, a boy deathly afraid of trusting anyone ever again, and representative of the thousands of child soldiers Ricky has helped rehabilitate as founder of the internationally acclaimed charity Friends of Orphans.
All Ricky needed to do was wake up. Just open his eyes. And Kony’s red-eyed beasts with their long claws dripping blood and their fiery breath would have disappeared. His brother would be beside him. His parents and sisters would be safe and asleep in their beds.
Just like before.
Here is the true story of Ricky Richard Anywar, abducted in 1989 at age fourteen by Joseph Kony’s rebel army in the Ugandan civil war (one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts). Ricky is trained, armed, and sent to battle government troops alongside his brutal kidnappers, but over his two and a half years of enslavement, he never stops dreaming of escape.
Here also is the story, set twenty years later, of a fictional character named Samuel, a boy deathly afraid of trusting anyone ever again, and representative of the thousands of child soldiers Ricky has helped rehabilitate as founder of the internationally acclaimed charity Friends of Orphans.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2017
88 people are currently reading
2460 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
March 22, 2025
So heartbreaking but loved it.
June 9, 2017
Add this to high school required reading lists IMMEDIATELY. Eye opening and heartbreaking, Soldier Boy is not a book we want to exist, given that it's a semi-factual account of horrifying events (Ricky's account is true, while the other narrator Samuel is a compilation of the thousands of boy soldiers Ricky has helped). However, given that these child soldiers are real and suffering, and Ricky Richard Anywar is a real person doing real work to help rehabilitate these child soldiers, this book needs to be read. It's not an easy read, given the graphic depictions of killing, rape and mutilation, but it is a fast read in the sense that you want to keep turning the pages. It's written at a perfect level for high school, as well as for adult readers like me who are new to reading about this ongoing tragedy. While the descriptions may be graphic, the events happened and need to be understood by more people worldwide. If we expose US students to book after book about the horrors of the Holocaust, it is our duty to share this story as well.
Please read this. You will squirm and cry and want to believe this is fiction. You may need to spread it out over several days because it's so heavy, but please read it.
You can find more information on Ricky, Friends of Orphans, and the background of the war here: http://frouganda.org/index.html
Note: There is a story in the book "The Moth Presents: Stories From the Unknown" called "Unusual Normality" by Ishmael Beah that describes his experience as a boy soldier in Sierra Leone and struggling to fit in with other teens in his adopted home of NYC. This was a fascinating story, and would be a great one to share with students when reading this book - you can listen to it here: https://themoth.org/stories/unusual-n...
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
Please read this. You will squirm and cry and want to believe this is fiction. You may need to spread it out over several days because it's so heavy, but please read it.
You can find more information on Ricky, Friends of Orphans, and the background of the war here: http://frouganda.org/index.html
Note: There is a story in the book "The Moth Presents: Stories From the Unknown" called "Unusual Normality" by Ishmael Beah that describes his experience as a boy soldier in Sierra Leone and struggling to fit in with other teens in his adopted home of NYC. This was a fascinating story, and would be a great one to share with students when reading this book - you can listen to it here: https://themoth.org/stories/unusual-n...
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
August 10, 2017
Everyone needs to read this.
July 31, 2017
This book is unlike anything I've ever read. It is eye-opening, heartbreaking, and absolutely moving. The writing is lovely, and I cannot recommend listening to the audio version of this book highly enough. I am so glad that I stepped outside of my usual reading box and was able to experience this poignant story. This should absolutely be required reading.
September 6, 2017
It made me want to cry. It showed me a world so far away from me, but so heartbreaking and cruel. I think everyone should read this story. Everyone.
September 23, 2020
Enjoyed the book... true rarity of the unrest in africa with enlisting boys to fight in wars.
June 9, 2019
I wish I could give this book ten stars. It was one of the hardest reads but also impossible to put down. A true story of unimaginable heartbreak and suffering but also of hope and healing and forgiveness. Everyone needs to read this book as it gives our western viewpoint just a glimpse into what is happening in our world. It shows us how our own pain can be used to help others if we would let it. Beautiful.
June 8, 2017
*received an ARC of this in exchange for my honest review
Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton, is two stories in one. The first one, is based on a true story by Ricky Richard Anywar, who was a child soldier in the Ugandan civil war. Abducted by Joseph Kony's army when he was only fourteen years old, Ricky was forced to do and witness unthinkable acts of violence and death. I really recommend you hear out his powerful and inspiring story, for after the war, Ricky forms a rehabilitation group, The Friends of Orphans, to help former child soldiers. The next one, is about a fictionalized character named Samuel, who was a former child soldier and is going through the rehabilitation process. Samuel is a fictionalized representation of the thousands of children who went through the civil war and the process of healing afterwards. This novel is utterly heartbreaking, yet captivating, and I truly feel this is an important novel for people to read. Hutton captured Ricky and Samuel's story so well, it was very difficult to read at times, but it felt real and it was interesting to see the progression of the war through Ricky's eyes.
Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton, is two stories in one. The first one, is based on a true story by Ricky Richard Anywar, who was a child soldier in the Ugandan civil war. Abducted by Joseph Kony's army when he was only fourteen years old, Ricky was forced to do and witness unthinkable acts of violence and death. I really recommend you hear out his powerful and inspiring story, for after the war, Ricky forms a rehabilitation group, The Friends of Orphans, to help former child soldiers. The next one, is about a fictionalized character named Samuel, who was a former child soldier and is going through the rehabilitation process. Samuel is a fictionalized representation of the thousands of children who went through the civil war and the process of healing afterwards. This novel is utterly heartbreaking, yet captivating, and I truly feel this is an important novel for people to read. Hutton captured Ricky and Samuel's story so well, it was very difficult to read at times, but it felt real and it was interesting to see the progression of the war through Ricky's eyes.
August 1, 2017
This book is nothing like I've ever read before, especially in the world of YA. It is a powerful and heartbreaking book that tells a story of a boy who learns to forgive when forgiveness doesn't seem possible. I think that books like Soldier Boy are important for young readers, and adults alike, to help people understand that the world that we live in is not black and white. History needs to be talked about, even the bad parts. Keely did a wonderful job of writing Ricky's story in a way that makes you feel what he is feeling. I listened to this book on Audible and I can't rave enough about it. I listen to most of my books and this is probably one of the best audio books I've ever listened to. Although there are moments in this book that may be hard to listen to I highly recommend it.
May 8, 2019
This book is amazing! I recommend it a 100%. I feel like everyone should get the opportunity to read and learn from it. Soldier Boy it’s not a novel but a true story and it leaves such a powerful message. This is something we should learn. The book leaves you with a tremendous appreciation for your life, no matter what your problems are there’s always a another person, a younger kid going through something worst.
It’s written in such a way that it keeps you inside and you always want to learn more about it.
It’s written in such a way that it keeps you inside and you always want to learn more about it.
March 18, 2020
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster I wasn’t prepared for. Everyone needs to read this book. Its on a difficult topic, and is definitely not for the faint of heart. But it’s is very eye opening. I highly recommend it.
May 1, 2023
4.5 stars--SOLDIER BOY is an incredible, heartrending story, based upon the real experiences of Ricky, who was kidnapped from his Ugandan village at age 14 and forced to fight in the infamous Joseph Kony's army. This is one of those books that should be read and taught at the upper high school level.
December 6, 2017
Soldier Boy is a wow. One of those books that everyone, from ages 12 on up, should read. It is our obligation as human beings to be aware that the events that occur in this book really happened and continue to happen. It is our responsibility as human beings to do what we can to stop it. That task can begin by reading this book and telling others about it. And that’s what I’m doing right now.
Soldier Boy is based on actual events that have been taking place in Uganda for decades. Children are kidnapped from their Ugandan villages and forced into slavery - the boys become soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army and the girls become sex slaves. The families of these children are often murdered, sometimes before the eyes of the children. Sometimes, the children are even forced to do the murdering. Soldier Boy consists of two separate stories. One story takes place in 1989 and features a boy named Ricky. Ricky and his older brother, Patrick, are kidnapped. Their mother, father, and three little sisters are murdered and part of their home is burned to the ground. Ricky’s story details two of the years he was forced to soldier for the LRA. His terror, torture, hardship (barely eating, drinking dirty and parasite-infested water, repeatedly sustaining life-threatening injuries, etc., etc.), despair, and soul-crushing duties are beautifully and painfully described. As Ricky fights to stay alive and find an opportunity to escape, it is impossible for your heart not to break for him and the boys and girls like him in the story and in real life.
The second story is Samuel’s and it takes place in 2006 (but it could just as easily take place today). Samuel has just been rescued from the LRA after being left for dead. He is now in a type of recovery center for children who had been kidnapped by the LRA. The reader only learns a bit of Samuel’s struggles from his time in the LRA, but it isn’t necessary because his story is so similar to Ricky’s, to that of every other soldier boy. Instead, the reader learns of the efforts of a kind man in the rehab facility and his efforts to draw Samuel’s story out of him and earn his trust.
Both Samuel and Ricky’s stories merge beautifully at the end. And I mean, big, fat tears rolling down your face beautiful. It’s one of those catch your breath moments of reading that only happens every so often. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook which is perfectly narrated in an African accent. The afterword is both written and narrated by Ricky Anywar himself.
Soldier Boy is based on actual events that have been taking place in Uganda for decades. Children are kidnapped from their Ugandan villages and forced into slavery - the boys become soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army and the girls become sex slaves. The families of these children are often murdered, sometimes before the eyes of the children. Sometimes, the children are even forced to do the murdering. Soldier Boy consists of two separate stories. One story takes place in 1989 and features a boy named Ricky. Ricky and his older brother, Patrick, are kidnapped. Their mother, father, and three little sisters are murdered and part of their home is burned to the ground. Ricky’s story details two of the years he was forced to soldier for the LRA. His terror, torture, hardship (barely eating, drinking dirty and parasite-infested water, repeatedly sustaining life-threatening injuries, etc., etc.), despair, and soul-crushing duties are beautifully and painfully described. As Ricky fights to stay alive and find an opportunity to escape, it is impossible for your heart not to break for him and the boys and girls like him in the story and in real life.
The second story is Samuel’s and it takes place in 2006 (but it could just as easily take place today). Samuel has just been rescued from the LRA after being left for dead. He is now in a type of recovery center for children who had been kidnapped by the LRA. The reader only learns a bit of Samuel’s struggles from his time in the LRA, but it isn’t necessary because his story is so similar to Ricky’s, to that of every other soldier boy. Instead, the reader learns of the efforts of a kind man in the rehab facility and his efforts to draw Samuel’s story out of him and earn his trust.
Both Samuel and Ricky’s stories merge beautifully at the end. And I mean, big, fat tears rolling down your face beautiful. It’s one of those catch your breath moments of reading that only happens every so often. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook which is perfectly narrated in an African accent. The afterword is both written and narrated by Ricky Anywar himself.
August 11, 2017
Last night I finished reading Keely Hutton's SOLDIER BOY. Actually, I completed it at 3AM, because I couldn't put it down. I'm so impressed with Keely's commitment to her craft and her gift as a writer. Despite the agony in those pages, she pulled me through, with her amazing ability to find just the right words. And the hope both she and Ricky Richard Anywar offer. Though there are violent scenes (it IS real, after all), nothing is gratuitous. And the alternating stories create a perfect balance. Well done!
November 13, 2017
This amazing book was not only well-written, but is a true story that is historical, heart-breaking and important to read.
The book includes stories from two POV's. One is Ricky's, and this is the true story part. In 1989, Ricky and his brother were taken from their home by force and turned into fighting rebels in northern Uganda. Joseph Kony and his LAS rebels stole children from their homes to fight his war. The children's existence was brutal.
The second story, which takes place in 2006, is Samuel's. The author explains that he is a culmination of many children who have come through the Friends of Orphans home after escaping the Kony's rebels.
The book will break your heart and give you hope. The real Ricky is Richard Awywar, who escaped Koney's LAS three times before he was completely free. He founded the Friends of Orphans to help the children of Uganda recover from the abuse and brain washing Kony's army exposed them to. Also to help them recover from the many physical sicknesses that came along with their captivity.
As I said, a must-read story.
The book includes stories from two POV's. One is Ricky's, and this is the true story part. In 1989, Ricky and his brother were taken from their home by force and turned into fighting rebels in northern Uganda. Joseph Kony and his LAS rebels stole children from their homes to fight his war. The children's existence was brutal.
The second story, which takes place in 2006, is Samuel's. The author explains that he is a culmination of many children who have come through the Friends of Orphans home after escaping the Kony's rebels.
The book will break your heart and give you hope. The real Ricky is Richard Awywar, who escaped Koney's LAS three times before he was completely free. He founded the Friends of Orphans to help the children of Uganda recover from the abuse and brain washing Kony's army exposed them to. Also to help them recover from the many physical sicknesses that came along with their captivity.
As I said, a must-read story.
July 31, 2019
Disturbing but necessary reading.
This is the true life story of one child who was torn from his families to fight someone else’s war. It is a fast-paced, terrifying look at the child soldier issue.
Western children complain about not having enough game time or lagging internet speeds, but what they take for granted, children in Africa hope only to make it to adulthood without seeing their families murdered before their eyes and forced to kill. These children are subjected to conditions that most adults would be crippled by; yet perceiver.
This should be part of every high school curriculum. We need to know that these horrors are happening worldwide and the entire civilized world must demand a stop to these horrific crimes. Only by educating can we bring awareness to these human right violations.
I salute Ms. Hutton and Ricky Richard Anywar for bringing this horrible condition to light.
This is the true life story of one child who was torn from his families to fight someone else’s war. It is a fast-paced, terrifying look at the child soldier issue.
Western children complain about not having enough game time or lagging internet speeds, but what they take for granted, children in Africa hope only to make it to adulthood without seeing their families murdered before their eyes and forced to kill. These children are subjected to conditions that most adults would be crippled by; yet perceiver.
This should be part of every high school curriculum. We need to know that these horrors are happening worldwide and the entire civilized world must demand a stop to these horrific crimes. Only by educating can we bring awareness to these human right violations.
I salute Ms. Hutton and Ricky Richard Anywar for bringing this horrible condition to light.
July 26, 2017
I don't know how to shelf this book. It is part true story, part fictional composite of true stories. Readers who like Ismael Beah's story will be as equally enthralled and horrified by this one. Ricky's example of hope and courage are inspiring. His desire to help children in other dire circumstances equally moving.
July 30, 2019
This was very hard to listen to especially since it is true, but I could not put it down. I would definitely suggest listening to the audio as the reader was wonderful. Also, I agree with another reviewer that it should be on high school reading lists.
December 8, 2017
Incredible story of the loss of childhood innocence in the wake of war's savage cruelty. Crisp writing and a pair of heart wrenching stories, skillfully interwoven, make this a worthy addition to the growing pantheon of genocide books. Based on the story of Ricky Richard Anywar who was abducted at age 14 and forced to join the LRA in the brutal Ugandan Civil War, Solider Boy is gripping and emotionally captivating.
July 8, 2019
Moving, beautifully written account of the human impact of Ugandan civil war. I had to walk away from the book a few times to digest the horrific events of Ricky’s story. I sobbed multiple times as I read the book. Recommend this for high school and up.
February 6, 2020
This book was an extremely powerful account of child soldiers who were forced to fight in the Ugandan conflict. I had already read Ishmael beah’s memoir about being a child soldier - which was so powerful that I had a hard time thinking this book would be as transformative and impactful. However, this book surprised me with how powerful and well written it was. One of the aspects that was very well done in this book was the alternating narrators/perspectives. To be fair, that technique is somewhat overdone now - every writer is doing it. However, the alternating perspectives are very significant in this book, and it helps to weave parallel stories together. There was a clear purpose to the technique. I also enjoyed that the author (who is white) relied on the true story of a child soldier. As a writer, she was able to use well-crafted language to tell an authentic story of child soldiers - and it rings true. It also focuses on the psychological impact of being a child soldier, which I think is an important point to make.
September 10, 2017
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you @kidlitexchange and publisher for sharing this free ARC of Soldier Boy by #KeelyHutton -all opinions are my own!
Wow. A sad, riveting telling based on the true story of a soldier in the Ugandan Civil War. This is one of those books that will take time to process and you will grieve, with the characters and over the events that seem too unreal to fathom. The unique point of views, switching between the soldier, Ricky Richard Anywar, and Samuel, a fictional soldier, who emulates the many soldiers Ricky has helped after escaping and recovering from his own horrific experience.
A book that will remind you it's important to look around, understand and know the horrors of the world we live in, and combat it with goodness and kindness any way you can.
#bookstagram #books #yalit #read #readandlearn #readandshare #reading #bookreview #yabooks #book
Thank you @kidlitexchange and publisher for sharing this free ARC of Soldier Boy by #KeelyHutton -all opinions are my own!
Wow. A sad, riveting telling based on the true story of a soldier in the Ugandan Civil War. This is one of those books that will take time to process and you will grieve, with the characters and over the events that seem too unreal to fathom. The unique point of views, switching between the soldier, Ricky Richard Anywar, and Samuel, a fictional soldier, who emulates the many soldiers Ricky has helped after escaping and recovering from his own horrific experience.
A book that will remind you it's important to look around, understand and know the horrors of the world we live in, and combat it with goodness and kindness any way you can.
#bookstagram #books #yalit #read #readandlearn #readandshare #reading #bookreview #yabooks #book
February 26, 2017
This is truly a moving story of overcoming adversity, but serves more broadly to educate generations of readers about the harsh realities endured by a nation in the grips of civil war; fellow human beings who, until this author’s story, seemed another world away. Keely Hutton captures the human element of such atrocity in a poignant, graceful manner; through Ricky's and Samuel's stories, the reader is able to travel the roads of war-torn and ravaged Uganda, and experience the stark, sometimes horrifying realities inflicted by Joseph Kony and his LRA. Readers will most certainly benefit and be enriched by Ms. Hutton’s moving tribute to Mr. Anywar's past, and will be forever impacted by what he and his Friends of Orphans charity continues to do to make this world a better place for all.
April 14, 2018
If possible, listen to the audio version of the book. I have been to Uganda a number of times and they’ve done such a fantastic job in describing life there as I have seen it and the narrator has a fantastic Ugandan accent that really helps you immerse in the book.
The description of the LRA and child soldiers is chilling and sad. I agree with all of the other reviewers who think this should be more widely read. It is a very difficult but very much worth reading.
The description of the LRA and child soldiers is chilling and sad. I agree with all of the other reviewers who think this should be more widely read. It is a very difficult but very much worth reading.
July 28, 2017
Il bambino soldato è un romanzo crudo, che se ne frega e ti sbatte in faccia la realtà. E' un libro per ragazzi, eppure alla soglia ormai degli enta, mi sono sentita toccata, squarciata, aperta in due, inserendolo lì al posto del cuore in pieno petto.
Partendo dall'inizio, è molto facile apprezzarne la copertina dai toni così vivi. L'immagine di quel bambino nascosto tra le foglie, l'immagine di quegli occhi che ci scrutano mescolati tra rabbia e paura, sembra la visione di uno dei documentari che spesso tra un canale e l'altro attraversa la tv. E' in televisione. Non ci tocca minimamente. Eppure viverlo, leggerlo, toccarlo con mano diventa un'altra cosa, ma sto divagando. Dicevo..della copertina: Si apprezzano i toni, i colori, la scritta del titolo che ci narra - anticipando - che tutto ciò che andremo a leggere è frutto di una storia vera.
Dalle prime pagine veniamo colpiti dalla nota dell'autrice, che se ne apprezza anche per averla inserito all'inizio - prima della lettura -. L'autrice sottolinea con forza e determinazione l'accurata ricerca, l'osservazione, le interviste e la minuziosità dei dettagli scritti in questa storia. L'autrice sottolinea come nonostante alcuni nomi siano inventati, tutta la storia sia frutto di testimonianza e studio e su come il ringraziamento va al ragazzo di cui scrive, che si è aperto a lei e ha raccontato quella storia che non tutti avevano il coraggio di ascoltare.
Come dicevo all'inizio, il bambino soldato non è un libro facile, già dalle prime pagine ci si rende conto che la storia non è poi così romanzata o abbellita, l'autrice come un fiume in piena, narra velocemente tutti i fatti, non trascurando nessun dettaglio, trovandosi quindi anche in scene crude e violente, tracciandone un dettaglio superficiale per non rimanere poi traumatizzati dalla paura - che comunque si sente e si vive -
Il dolore, la rabbia che si legge tra le pagine, nei discorsi di ogni personaggio, ci porta a correre, a voler immediatamente cambiare pagina per capire che quel lieto fine arriva, che quelle botte, quei colpi, quelle violenze finiranno e noi potremmo di nuovo ricominciare a respirare. La storia di Ricky, (che l'autrice ci presenta già nella nota) è una storia potente, è un urlo squarciato in mezzo al cielo, è la testimonianza di come un figlio, un ragazzo, diviene ed è costretto ad essere un soldato per combattere la guerra che attraversa il paese. Pagina dopo pagina notiamo come il nostro protagonista non si arrende, cerca quella luce in fondo al buio, cerca di sopravvivere a quell'esistenza dura e violenta fino ad arrivare alla fine e a realizzare quella luce in fondo al buio: quell'aiuto concreto per i bambini ex soldati.
Il libro varia tra capitoli su Ricky e capitoli su Samuel, un personaggio quest'ultimo che racchiude la storia di tutti quei bambini.
Abbiamo tutti una storia
Ma Ricky era un ragazzo normale, aveva una famiglia, aveva il sole sulla pelle e a suo modo viveva la sua felicità, fino a quando quel giorno i soldati non gli han portato via tutto, trascinando con loro non solo la violenza della morte, ma lui e suo fratello per farli diventare anch'essi macchine da morte.
Il bambino soldato è un libro che va vissuto, che va letto, che va divorato pagina dopo pagina, è un libro che non può tacere ed è ora di gridare.
Partendo dall'inizio, è molto facile apprezzarne la copertina dai toni così vivi. L'immagine di quel bambino nascosto tra le foglie, l'immagine di quegli occhi che ci scrutano mescolati tra rabbia e paura, sembra la visione di uno dei documentari che spesso tra un canale e l'altro attraversa la tv. E' in televisione. Non ci tocca minimamente. Eppure viverlo, leggerlo, toccarlo con mano diventa un'altra cosa, ma sto divagando. Dicevo..della copertina: Si apprezzano i toni, i colori, la scritta del titolo che ci narra - anticipando - che tutto ciò che andremo a leggere è frutto di una storia vera.
Dalle prime pagine veniamo colpiti dalla nota dell'autrice, che se ne apprezza anche per averla inserito all'inizio - prima della lettura -. L'autrice sottolinea con forza e determinazione l'accurata ricerca, l'osservazione, le interviste e la minuziosità dei dettagli scritti in questa storia. L'autrice sottolinea come nonostante alcuni nomi siano inventati, tutta la storia sia frutto di testimonianza e studio e su come il ringraziamento va al ragazzo di cui scrive, che si è aperto a lei e ha raccontato quella storia che non tutti avevano il coraggio di ascoltare.
Come dicevo all'inizio, il bambino soldato non è un libro facile, già dalle prime pagine ci si rende conto che la storia non è poi così romanzata o abbellita, l'autrice come un fiume in piena, narra velocemente tutti i fatti, non trascurando nessun dettaglio, trovandosi quindi anche in scene crude e violente, tracciandone un dettaglio superficiale per non rimanere poi traumatizzati dalla paura - che comunque si sente e si vive -
Il dolore, la rabbia che si legge tra le pagine, nei discorsi di ogni personaggio, ci porta a correre, a voler immediatamente cambiare pagina per capire che quel lieto fine arriva, che quelle botte, quei colpi, quelle violenze finiranno e noi potremmo di nuovo ricominciare a respirare. La storia di Ricky, (che l'autrice ci presenta già nella nota) è una storia potente, è un urlo squarciato in mezzo al cielo, è la testimonianza di come un figlio, un ragazzo, diviene ed è costretto ad essere un soldato per combattere la guerra che attraversa il paese. Pagina dopo pagina notiamo come il nostro protagonista non si arrende, cerca quella luce in fondo al buio, cerca di sopravvivere a quell'esistenza dura e violenta fino ad arrivare alla fine e a realizzare quella luce in fondo al buio: quell'aiuto concreto per i bambini ex soldati.
Il libro varia tra capitoli su Ricky e capitoli su Samuel, un personaggio quest'ultimo che racchiude la storia di tutti quei bambini.
Abbiamo tutti una storia
Ma Ricky era un ragazzo normale, aveva una famiglia, aveva il sole sulla pelle e a suo modo viveva la sua felicità, fino a quando quel giorno i soldati non gli han portato via tutto, trascinando con loro non solo la violenza della morte, ma lui e suo fratello per farli diventare anch'essi macchine da morte.
Il bambino soldato è un libro che va vissuto, che va letto, che va divorato pagina dopo pagina, è un libro che non può tacere ed è ora di gridare.
September 6, 2017
This novel was fantastic! There are two stories running simultaneously with one story being the true story of Ricky Anywar, who in 1989 at the age of 14, was abducted from his home and thrown into the rebel army of Kony in the Ugandan Civil War. His story is heroic, frightening, and fascinating. The other narrative begins with Samuel who is recovering from war wounds and will soon be returning home but is dealing with the horrors of war. His story is sad yet true. The ending of this novel is beautiful!
Patrick and his brother Ricky live in a small village with their parents. Patrick, being the older brother is concerned about the ongoing war, which is close to their village, but his brother Ricky is more concerned with playing with his friends. The war is closer than they realize when one day, the rebels walk up their road and cause havoc on their village. They gather 5 boys, including Patrick and Ricky, tie them together and march them out. These boys will be marching for days without much food or drink. They learn that they are now part of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) and the only way out is death. This group believes that their top commanders words are words from the Holy Spirit and no one can question what he says. Later, when I get to meet this leader Kony, his words sound like a preacher. He calls upon the Lord and tells his troops that if they should perish it is because they did not believe in him (Kony). For Kony will protect them and only nonbelievers will be killed. These rebels were salvages and their tactics were extensive as they march their abductees day-in and day-out, looting villages and adding youngsters to their group. The conditions and situations these two brothers face and their love for one another made this a wonderful story. They are eventually separated from one another but that does not stop them from their commitment, their commitment to return home.
Samuel needs to remember his past, to come to grips with what has happen so he can heal and move forward but Samuel can’t see this. Samuel sees corruption, lies and evil in front of him and it will take time, patience and love for him to realize that he is not alone and that he is safe now.
What a great novel. I couldn’t stop reading this once I started. It was horrendous the situation that Ricky was in but I believe it was his outlook on life that helped him get through it. I loved his relationship with his brother and his relationship with his charges. He made the best of the situation. Ricky was smart, quick and a person who took charge. Samuel’s story was sad as we see the effects of war on an individual. Samuel is overcome with his past. As the novel began to close, I loved all the twists the author put in this novel. I began to experience different emotions for Ricky, things were changing for him and I began to wonder how things would be like for him. I was on the fence with Samuel and now I knew which way he was going to fall. I loved how the author brought everything together. I highly recommend this novel.
Patrick and his brother Ricky live in a small village with their parents. Patrick, being the older brother is concerned about the ongoing war, which is close to their village, but his brother Ricky is more concerned with playing with his friends. The war is closer than they realize when one day, the rebels walk up their road and cause havoc on their village. They gather 5 boys, including Patrick and Ricky, tie them together and march them out. These boys will be marching for days without much food or drink. They learn that they are now part of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) and the only way out is death. This group believes that their top commanders words are words from the Holy Spirit and no one can question what he says. Later, when I get to meet this leader Kony, his words sound like a preacher. He calls upon the Lord and tells his troops that if they should perish it is because they did not believe in him (Kony). For Kony will protect them and only nonbelievers will be killed. These rebels were salvages and their tactics were extensive as they march their abductees day-in and day-out, looting villages and adding youngsters to their group. The conditions and situations these two brothers face and their love for one another made this a wonderful story. They are eventually separated from one another but that does not stop them from their commitment, their commitment to return home.
Samuel needs to remember his past, to come to grips with what has happen so he can heal and move forward but Samuel can’t see this. Samuel sees corruption, lies and evil in front of him and it will take time, patience and love for him to realize that he is not alone and that he is safe now.
What a great novel. I couldn’t stop reading this once I started. It was horrendous the situation that Ricky was in but I believe it was his outlook on life that helped him get through it. I loved his relationship with his brother and his relationship with his charges. He made the best of the situation. Ricky was smart, quick and a person who took charge. Samuel’s story was sad as we see the effects of war on an individual. Samuel is overcome with his past. As the novel began to close, I loved all the twists the author put in this novel. I began to experience different emotions for Ricky, things were changing for him and I began to wonder how things would be like for him. I was on the fence with Samuel and now I knew which way he was going to fall. I loved how the author brought everything together. I highly recommend this novel.
August 9, 2017
I appreciated how the author wove together two stories of boys, boy soldiers, whose experiences were quite similar. It is not difficult to imagine what might have happened to Ricky without the kindness of others, and how he seems determined to pay it back by reaching out to the orphans left behind by conflict in his country. Because readers don't realize at first that the adult interacting with Samuel is Ricky, and that their experiences mesh so well, there is a bit of a mystery about the story and what might happen next. This is not an easy book to read, but then again, how could it be since it's based on the actual experiences of Ricky Richard Anywar who was kidnapped and taken from his Uganda village by soldiers serving at the behest of Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army back in 1989? The fourteen-year-old was forced to watch as his parents and siblings, all except his older brother Patrick, were burned to death. They are kept moving quickly through the jungle, literally eating on the run and barely consuming enough calories to stay alive. Hygiene is not a priority, but making a high number of kills and glorifying Kony is, and Ricky watches as many young girls are forced to serve as "wives" to the soldiers. Of course, all Ricky and Patrick can think about is trying to escape and trying to survive, and throughout their induction into the rebel military forces, they never lose sight of that goal or the desire to return home. Over the two and a half years that he lives with these rebels, Ricky becomes very good at what they ask him to do, sometimes scouting and sometimes fighting on the battlefield, and he and Patrick barely acknowledge one another in order to allay any doubts their leaders have. Both young men are eventually given positions of leadership, and when the time is right, they make their separate ways home. But home isn't home anymore, and Ricky must move on. Flash forward twenty years, and an eleven-year-old boy named Samuel is plotting his next moves and how he can escape from the peaceful area to which he has been taken. Although the book is set in Uganda rather than Sierra Leone, it brings to mind the equally powerful A Long Way Gone by Ismael Beah and certainly challenges readers to wonder what they themselves might have done in Ricky's shoes or how they might start on the long road toward healing. In Ricky's case, his efforts have gone into work with Friends of Orphans, a rehabilitation facility he founded, and middle grade readers will be impressed at his resilience and willingness to give back to others. The author uses vivid language to describe Ricky's experiences, but thankfully she doesn't dwell on the bloodshed or body counts. After all, this is a story of survival, hope, and determination that may change the lives of many readers.
December 19, 2017
Thanks to @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I needed to take a bit to process this book because WOW. Soldier Boy is the true story of Ricky Richard Anywar, who was abducted in 1989 to fight with Joseph Kony's rebel army in the Ugandan civil war. He was 14 years old. From that fateful moment when he and his brother and friends are captured and made to bear witness to the destruction of their homes and families, the reader lives Ricky's unimaginable nightmare alongside him. Forced to kill government soldiers or be killed by the very rebels he fights with, forced to show loyalty to no one but Kony or risk a slow and torturous death, and later forced to train new abductees (even children), it's a marvel that Ricky not only eventually escaped the rebel army, but went on to found Friends of Orphans, a non-profit organization that aids in the rehabilitation of those who've been, and continue to be, affected by the war.
The story switches between Ricky's account and a second perspective 20 years later in the form of Samuel, a fictional abductee whose character is molded from the thousands of child soldiers Ricky has helped to rehabilitate.
This book is difficult to read (that's an understatement), but goodness is it important. Ricky's story is unforgettable, but in Northern Uganda it is unfortunately not unique. The horrors described are unimaginable, but even in the midst of such violence and terror, Ricky's unshakable spirit and unwavering bravery pulse with a small but vital spark of hope, a thread that might have been missed if not for the careful and exceptional writing by Keely Hutton.
I needed to take a bit to process this book because WOW. Soldier Boy is the true story of Ricky Richard Anywar, who was abducted in 1989 to fight with Joseph Kony's rebel army in the Ugandan civil war. He was 14 years old. From that fateful moment when he and his brother and friends are captured and made to bear witness to the destruction of their homes and families, the reader lives Ricky's unimaginable nightmare alongside him. Forced to kill government soldiers or be killed by the very rebels he fights with, forced to show loyalty to no one but Kony or risk a slow and torturous death, and later forced to train new abductees (even children), it's a marvel that Ricky not only eventually escaped the rebel army, but went on to found Friends of Orphans, a non-profit organization that aids in the rehabilitation of those who've been, and continue to be, affected by the war.
The story switches between Ricky's account and a second perspective 20 years later in the form of Samuel, a fictional abductee whose character is molded from the thousands of child soldiers Ricky has helped to rehabilitate.
This book is difficult to read (that's an understatement), but goodness is it important. Ricky's story is unforgettable, but in Northern Uganda it is unfortunately not unique. The horrors described are unimaginable, but even in the midst of such violence and terror, Ricky's unshakable spirit and unwavering bravery pulse with a small but vital spark of hope, a thread that might have been missed if not for the careful and exceptional writing by Keely Hutton.
June 24, 2017
Received advanced reader copy from publisher via Baker & Taylor book supplier
Ricky Anywar is kidnapped in 1989 and made to fight in the Ugandan Civil War. He tries to survive among the abuse, brutality, and inevitable anguish of war but he never stops dreaming of escape.
The portion of this book that is about Ricky is based on a real-life account. Inserted in between various chapters about Ricky are chapters about Samuel, a fictional character who represents the many children that Ricky now helps rehabilitate through his charity. I wonder if the brutality, though present, was dialed back a bit because it is a “young adult” book. Sometimes, it had that “holding back” feel when various scenes played out.
This is a story to read and share. I had a friend ask why on earth I would read something so depressing. She said she wanted to spend her reading time among happy stories with happy endings. I can understand that sentiment. But I often read to learn. And this book was a true lesson. I learned about a war I had previously known nothing about. I had my eyes opened further about the atrocities child soldiers encounter. And I felt helpless when I got to the end, wondering what I could do to help encourage change. I hope the finished copy has some resources to lead readers wishing to do something after reading. At the very least, information should be provided about Ricky’s charity.
Place this into the hands of a teen in your life. Start a discussion. Spread the knowledge. Encourage activism. Hope for peace.
Ricky Anywar is kidnapped in 1989 and made to fight in the Ugandan Civil War. He tries to survive among the abuse, brutality, and inevitable anguish of war but he never stops dreaming of escape.
The portion of this book that is about Ricky is based on a real-life account. Inserted in between various chapters about Ricky are chapters about Samuel, a fictional character who represents the many children that Ricky now helps rehabilitate through his charity. I wonder if the brutality, though present, was dialed back a bit because it is a “young adult” book. Sometimes, it had that “holding back” feel when various scenes played out.
This is a story to read and share. I had a friend ask why on earth I would read something so depressing. She said she wanted to spend her reading time among happy stories with happy endings. I can understand that sentiment. But I often read to learn. And this book was a true lesson. I learned about a war I had previously known nothing about. I had my eyes opened further about the atrocities child soldiers encounter. And I felt helpless when I got to the end, wondering what I could do to help encourage change. I hope the finished copy has some resources to lead readers wishing to do something after reading. At the very least, information should be provided about Ricky’s charity.
Place this into the hands of a teen in your life. Start a discussion. Spread the knowledge. Encourage activism. Hope for peace.
July 22, 2019
Based on Richard "Ricky" Anywar's life as a child soldier in Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda in the late '80s/early '90s, Soldier Boy is not an easy read. But, it is an important window story. Through Ricky's tale, we experience, first-hand, the trauma, the violence, the bloodshed, the horror of guerrilla warfare as Ricky goes from abducted preteen to soldier to respected soldier to escapee and beyond. Coupled with Ricky's chapters is a dual narrative: Samuel, a former child soldier who had been taken to an orphanage for healing. There, he plays checkers with a man and listens to the story of Ricky. How the two are connected is for you to read and and find out.
Soldier Boy is excellently done, and though it doesn't shy away from the gruesome horrors, it is appropriate for older tweens.
Soldier Boy is excellently done, and though it doesn't shy away from the gruesome horrors, it is appropriate for older tweens.
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