When 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village in Sierra Leone, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown. Memoir.

Please note that some of these novels contain explicit treatment of sexuality, drug culture, and violence. Teachers should always read material before suggesting it to students. Not all of these titles will be appropriate for all students in the class.

Contains 5 books.