Junior Library Guild Selection * New York Public Library's Best Books for Teens * Goodreads Choice Awards Nonfiction Finalist * Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books for Teens: Nonfiction * 2018 Texas Topaz Nonfiction List * YALSA's 2018 Quick Picks List * Bank Street's 2018 Best Books of the Year
“This gut-wrenching, poetic memoir reminds us that no life story can be reduced to the word ‘refugee.’" —New York Times Book Review
“A critical piece of literature, contributing to the larger refugee narrative in a way that is complex and nuanced.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
This profoundly moving memoir is the remarkable and inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringiyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.
Sandra was just ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. She had watched as rebels gunned down her mother and six-year-old sister in a refugee camp. Remarkably, the rebel didn’t pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped.
Thus began a new life for her and her surviving family members. With no home and no money, they struggled to stay alive. Eventually, through a United Nations refugee program, they moved to America, only to face yet another ethnic disconnect. Sandra may have crossed an ocean, but there was now a much wider divide she had to overcome. And it started with middle school in New York.
In this memoir, Sandra tells the story of her survival, of finding her place in a new country, of her hope for the future, and how she found a way to give voice to her people.
Her journey from a refugee camp to the world stage is a testament to the power of a single voice:
- A Gripping Survival Story: Witness the harrowing night ten-year-old Sandra survived the Gatumba massacre, an event that claimed her younger sister and shaped the rest of her life.
- The Refugee Experience: Journey from a UN refugee camp in Burundi to a middle school in New York, navigating the profound culture shock and racism of being an immigrant in America.
- Overcoming Trauma: Discover how Sandra processed immense grief and trauma, finding healing and purpose through the unexpected outlets of art and photography.
- A Voice for the Voiceless: Follow her transformation from a silent survivor to a powerful activist, speaking out for her people, the Banyamulenge, and other refugees on a global stage.
