...gives voice to the children of Canadian and American soldiers...it is their accumulation that makes an impact...Ellis continues to be an important voice of moral and social conscience...
Off to War
Voices of Soldiers' Children
Description
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book
Deborah Ellis has been widely praised for her gripping books portraying the plight of children in war-torn countries. Now she turns her attention closer to home, to the children whose parents are soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In frank and revealing interviews, they talk about how this experience has marked and shaped their lives.The children, who range in age from 7 to 17, come from all over North America. They were interviewed on military bases, in the streets, in their homes and over the phone. The strength of Off to War is that the children are left to speak for themselves, with little editorial interference beyond a brief introduction.
Includes a glossary, a list of organizations and websites and suggestions for further reading.
Reviews
...the voices of these children remind us that when we send an Army off to war, we are sending human beings with families and friends...Ellis offers reader a fascinating, and sometimes searing glimpse into these children's lives as she briefly introduces them and allows them to tell their stories in their own words...compulsively readable.
Powerful and eloquent, Ellis' subjects are sad, scared, funny, angry and loving - just like all kids, but maybe more deeply...Kids with deployed parents will certainly find comfort in the similar feelings and voices of other kids going through the same.
Ellis...comes home to share stories that remind us that the human cost of war is borne not just by those who fight, but by their families...a rare and deeply affecting glimpse into the lives of children whose voices are seldom heard...a powerful and eloquent statement about the families of the men and women who fight for our country, and the burden they bear
