A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Action Adventure Renee Watson explores the experience

Renee Watson explores the experience of young African-American women navigating the traditions and expectations of their culture

And they'll pretend to be the zoo animals featured in the book-- look at the last page

Now Jewel is twelve

Along the way there are dozens of profiles of political trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Action Adventure Renee Watson explores the experienceMy new friends have begun to suspect I haven't told them the full story of my life. "Why did you leave Sierra Leone?" "Because there is a war." "You mean, you saw people running around with guns and shooting each other?" "Yes, all the time." "Cool." I smile a little. "You should tell us about it sometime." "Yes, sometime." This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped up on drugs and wielding AK 47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In