”The Red Pencil”

By Andrea Davis Pinkney, Ages 8 to 12.

Amira wants to go to school. But in the African country of Sudan, many people believe that girls should do farm chores and prepare for marriage instead. Even her mother thinks this way!

What do you think of that? School’s out now, and it probably feels good to have a break. But what if your summer was filled with endless chores and you were not allowed to read — today or ever?

Amira tries to learn on her own. Even though she can’t read or write, she secretly draws her ideas in the dirt with a stick.

But soon something terrible happens. Anti-government soldiers attack Amira’s village and destroy everything. This occurs often in Sudan. In a note in the back of this book, author Andrea Davis Pinkney explains that, since 2003, 300,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million like Amira have lost their homes.

Amira and her family flee to a refugee camp. It is safe but also dirty, crowded and smelly. Water and food are carefully rationed, or given out in small amounts. Amira feels so sad and frightened that she loses her ability to speak.

Then a visitor to the camp brings pencils and writing pads for all the children. Amira receives a special red pencil. Its color is “ripe with promise,” the girl says in one of the short poems that make up this novel.

An older friend starts teaching Amira in secret. When her angry mother finds out, Amira decides that she will never go back to being illiterate, or unable to read. She begins to plan a new adventure, one that is dangerous but full of hope.