Children have long been the innocent victims of war, enduring unimaginable suffering and loss. Therefore, The Redpath Book Display for August is on the theme of “Children and War.” The Humanities and Social Sciences Library has put together a thoughtful collection that highlights the voices of these children through literature, history, and personal accounts. These books and films highlight children’s lives who have been afflicted by armed conflicts since WWII.

Here are some notable titles from the display:

1. “Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine” by Refaat Alareer: This collection features short stories from young Palestinian writers in Gaza, who share their experiences of life under occupation and conflict. Their stories highlight resilience, fear, and hope amidst war (2008-2009), offering personal glimpses into a region often depicted only through politics and violence.
2. “The Drone Eats with Me: Diaries from a City Under Fire” by Atef Abu Saif: Abu Saif’s powerful diary details life in Gaza during Israel’s 2014 military offensive. Saif’s narrative is raw and vivid, detailing the daily struggle to survive amidst the constant presence of drones and bombings.
3. “Beasts of No Nation” by Uzodinma Iweala: Agu, a young boy in an unnamed West African nation, is recruited into a unit of guerrilla fighters as civil war engulfs his country. Haunted by his father’s own death at the hands of militants, which he fled just before witnessing, Agu is vulnerable to the dangerous yet paternal nature of his new commander.
4. “The Breadwinner” by Deborah Ellis: Young Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan. Because he has a foreign education, her father is arrested by the Taliban.
5. “War Brothers” by Sharon E. McKay: This graphic novel provides a harrowing look at child soldiers in Uganda. It follows the lives of boys abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army and their desperate journey to escape, offering a deep and empathetic portrayal of their struggles.
6. “To the Starry Island” by Park Kwang-su: Moon Chae-Ku and his friend Kim Chul try to bring the body of Moon’s father back to his native Kwisong Island for burial. Their ferry is intercepted by resentful islanders who will not let the boat dock, because of the father’s political activities during the Korean War.
7. “Children’s Rights and International Development: lessons and challenges from the field” This collection of essays, edited by Myriam Denov (Professor & Canada Research Chair at McGill; Director of Global Child McGill), Richard Maclure, and Kathryn Campbell, combines accounts of the experiences and perspectives of marginalized children in ten developing countries with critical assessments of current child rights policies and strategies of intervention.

This collection at the Redpath Library is a reflection on the resilience and bravery of children facing the horrors of war. These stories provide insight into the psychological, emotional, and physical toll of conflict on children, offering readers a way to connect with history and current global issues through the eyes of its youngest victims. Visit the Redpath Library display to explore these in addition to other impactful works.