I know, I know.... technically it isn't based on a true STORY, but the story does follow a real life series of events that did really take place in the UK.
This is the heart breaking story of two little boys who come from very different families. One is a white British family, the other is a committed Muslim family. The relationship that these two boys have a children is amazing and a true weapon against a world full of racism and discrimination. However as the two boys grow up and the so called 'war against terror' begins, each boy gets caught up in their own countries battles and are eventually separated. One becomes a British front-line soldier, the other becomes a extreme Islamist soldier, and a beautiful friendship is torn apart.
This is an incredible, thought provoking and poignant story which really does highlight the way that prejudice can split families and communities, and also how easy it is for one person, or group of people to drum up enough support to start a war.
The main puzzlement that the book presents is that it is an older children's book. Personally, I found this emotionally difficult to read as an adult, so I'm not sure how a child would do with it. Never the less it is a really good book and one that I would recommend to more mature younger readers, as it is a brilliant vehicle for telling young people about recent history which they were too young to remember happening. This war was a big event in modern British history which we need to learn from, and I believe that this is a book which we can use to help us do that.
Give it a place on your reading list and share it. Everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment