Fiction - Age 11 up

USA Writer

J. L. Powers

Amina

Through My Eyes series

Allen & Unwin 2013  $19.99pb  183pp

ISBN 978 1 7433 1249 0

Themes:   Civil war/ Mogadishu/ Somalia/ Street art/ Survival

At heart Amina is an artist; she paints and writes poetry and life, in spite of the Civil War in Somalia, is as good as it can be. Then her father is arrested, her brother abducted and with a frail grandmother and a pregnant mother it is over to Amina to support her family.  She turns to Street Art that tries to show the situation in her country and to make some money. It is a dangerous thing to do.

This is one of a series of stories based on truth that aim to show children living in contemporary conflict zones.

For an interesting interview with the author, Google J.L. Powers Amina

Year 7 up/ Age 11 up