Guantanamo Boy

TITLE: Guantanamo Boy
AUTHOR: Anna Perera
OWNED by CCLS? On order.

Guantanamo Boy is a fictional tale of a 15 year old boy named Khalid who is kidnapped while on vacation with his family in Pakistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay. For two years Khalid is held without being charged (considered to be an enemy combatant) and forced to endure torture, interrogations, and less than humane conditions, despite the fact that he is a juvenile, has not been charged with a crime, and is innocent of any terrorist thoughts or acts.

M's Verdict: Whoa! I recommend this book to someone looking for a great tale of overcoming extreme obstacles despite having all of the odds stacked against you. Similar to Markus Zusak's Book Thief, this book took me a while to read due to the intense topic. Although the topic was rather intense and moving, a fictional tale of such a serious and relevant topic is a great way for teen audiences to get involved in current events and become aware of the human rights violations. It would be a great choice if you're looking for something new that has a male teen as the main character and is relevant historical fiction. It will appeal to both guys & girls and is sure to provide a great bridge to other nonfiction titles relating to Guantamo Bay, the Geneva Convention, human rights, the Iraq War, Iraq, Afghanistan, England, and the muslim culture. I have a feeling this book will be used in schools as a teaching tool before too long. Long story short--check it out @ FRE--I recommend it.

Some additional comments on Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera:

"An important work that deserves a wide audience."--Guardian UK Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award (UK)

"This powerful book shows that hatred is never an answer."--Sunday Times (UK), Children's Book of the Week

Check out the book's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GuantanamoBoy#!/GuantanamoBoy

As well as the author's page: (not exactly what one would expect from someone who wrote Guantanamo Boy)
http://annaperera.com/books.php