Cuando callaron las armas. (When Guns Went Silent)

Reviewed by Gisela Norat, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA -- Críticas, 1/15/2008

Iturralde, Edna.
illus. by Olga Lucía Aldana. Colombia/U.S.: Norma. 2007. 124p. ISBN 978-958-45-0249-0. pap. $9.95.

 Gr 5-8–These 12 powerful stories expose readers to daily life in war-torn countries and look at how children in these areas are forced to fight for survival. Each tale is culturally unique and yet similar in the way fear, trauma, and loss affect young lives. Covering several continents, the author elucidates the underlying reasons for national conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Sudan, Liberia, Rwanda, Chechnya, Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, the Basque “country” in Spain, Israel and Palestine, and her native Colombia. She unmasks the reality of war in dreadful tales of children who are kidnapped and turned into soldiers, or sold into slavery, or blown to bits by toy-looking explosives, or made to witness the massacre of their families. All the victims are redeemed by those who struggle to overcome the memory of human carnage and toil to build bridges for future peace. An appendix further details the present state of affairs, and the black-and-white illustrations add artistic imagery to most stories. A must-read guaranteed to provoke reflection on man’s remarkable capacity for cruelty and love. Highly recommended for all libraries and schools.

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