Say You're One of Them

Say You’re One of Them

By Uwem Akpan

Little, Brown and Co., 2008. 358 pgs. Fiction

This collection of five stories brings home the plight of children growing up under terrible circumstances in Africa. A young girl witnesses horrific events in her family that are part of the Rwandan genocide. Another young girl learns that she can no longer see her best friend, due to differences in religious beliefs. Another tale tells of a very young girl working the streets as a prostitute in order to bring in a little money for her family. These stories of intolerance, hatred, and violence seen from a child’s perspective are heartbreaking and disturbing.

SML