THE RED PENCIL

It is the story of 12-year old Amira, whose life is shattered when terrifying Janjaweed attackers arrive in her peaceful Sudanese village, ravage the town, and unleash unspeakable horrors. After she loses nearly everything, Amira makes the long journey to the safety of a refugee camp where conditions are crowded, smelly, noisy, and sad—until the gift of a simple red pencil opens her mind to all kinds of possibilities.

“The artfully orchestrated novel is related with grace, restraint and a wealth of historical detail.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review).

“Pinkney weaves quite a bit of 1930s history into her story and succeeds admirably in showing how Louis came to represent so much more than his sport. Her detailed notes make this an accessible and inspiring piece of historical fiction that belongs in most collections.”
—School Library Journal