Soldier Boy

Soldier Boy

<p><b>A searing, shocking book―part non-fiction, part novel―based on the true story of a child soldier in Uganda who survived war and enslavement and went on to create a haven for others who suffered a similar fate.</b></p><p><i>Soldier Boy </i>begins with the story of Ricky Richard Anywar, abducted at age fourteen in 1989 to fight with Joseph Kony's rebel army in Uganda’s decades-long civil war. Ricky is trained, armed, and forced to fight government soldiers alongside his brutal kidnappers, but never stops dreaming of escape. </p><p>The story continues twenty years later, with a fictionalized character named Samuel, representative of the thousands of child soldiers Ricky eventually helped rehabilitate as founder of the internationally acclaimed charity Friends of Orphans. </p><p>Working closely with Ricky himself, debut author Keely Hutton has written an eye-opening book about a boy’s unbreakable spirit and indomitable courage. Beginning in Africa amidst the horrors of civil war, his is a story that is as uplifting as it is heartwrenching. </p><p><b>Praise for <i>Solider Boy</i></b>:</p><p>“<b>Unapologetically searing and catastrophically truthful</b>, a reminder to readers that it demands much to meet harsh realities with impossible courage.” ―<i>Kirkus Reviews</i></p><p>“In this <b>brutal debut novel inspired by real-life events</b>, Hutton addresses the horrors of the Ugandan civil war through two child soldiers. Hutton approaches the setting, conflict, and characters with <b>unremitting honesty</b>, drawing from Anywar’s own life (he contributes an afterword) while using the fictional Samuel as a stand-in for the current generation of unwilling soldiers. This isn’t an easy or pleasant read―Hutton doesn’t shy from discussions of rape, torture, and abuse―but it’s eye-opening and relevant.” ―<i>Publishers Weekly, </i><b>starred review</b></p><p>“A visceral indictment of man’s inhumanity to man, while also <b>celebrating human beings’ ability to empathize</b> and to rescue those who desperately need saving.” ―<i>Booklist</i>, <b>starred review</b></p><p>“<b>A compelling tale</b> . . . with a message of hope . . . A <b>must-purchase</b> for teen collections.” ―<i>School Library Journal</i>, <b>starred review</b></p><p>“Hutton’s debut novel seamlessly blends the biographical account of Anywar’s experiences with the fictional story of Samuel . . . Anywar will inspire a multitude of readers with his phenomenal ability to make peace with his past and his desire to help others like him . . . A <b>must-have</b> for every library with a teen collection.” ―<i>VOYA</i></p><p>“A story that stands up for the unrelenting power of the human spirit to reject evil, the nigh-impossible odds that must be conquered to escape enslavement, and the deep scars that remain for a lifetime . . . <b>Unapologetically searing and catastrophically truthful</b>.” ―<i>Kirkus Reviews</i></p><p>“Over the years I have read many novels and memoirs about children and warfare in modern Africa, but <i>Soldier Boy</i> stands out as one of the very best. Based on actual historical events, this <b>compelling novel</b> is a story of great violence and pain, but it is also one of<b> tremendous strength, courage, and resilience</b>. I will definitely be assigning it to my students for many years to come.” ―Alicia Catharine Decker, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University, author of <i>In Idi Amin’s Shadow: Women, Gender, and Militarism in Uganda</i></p>