Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees by Deborah Ellis
The book consists of short autobiographical pieces that are narrated by children who have been victims of the war in Iraq and who range in age from 8 to 19. The children's stories serve to humanize the war by exposing the everyday lives of citizens who must cope with the immediate and long-term effects of that war. These are stories that we do not often hear behind the reported statistics of military and civilian casualties or the mainstream news stories that document the progress of the war from a North American perspective without the inclusion of those who are most affected by it. Through these children's stories, Ellis's book exposes the complexity of the issues surrounding the war and discourages any simplistic understandings that her readers may have held about the war's origins, its effects upon individuals and communities, and the possible solutions that can be implemented to assist the people affected by it. Royalties from this book are being donated to the Children in Crises Fund of IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People.