Half of a Yellow Sun tells the story of the Nigeria-Biafra war of the 1960's and the years leading up to the war. About a million people died in Biafra during its few years of secession, a great majority of them children suffering from malnutrition. These devastating effects are revealed firsthand through the voices of three main characters: Ugwu, a young houseboy; Olanna, a woman of privilege; and Richard, an Englishman and the boyfriend of Olanna's twin sister. Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes with such compassion and brings her characters so fully to life that I found myself disappearing into this time and place and had difficulty putting the book down. There are a few structural flaws, yet the power of the story and the beauty of the writing easily overcome them. While the events leading up to Biafra and the humanitarian catastrophe that followed took place 40 years ago, this story is timely and relevant. The same horrors and injustices that occurred then are being repeated in Africa today.

On a related note, I also read a good book for teens about more current issues facing Africa. Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney tells the story of a family of refugees, the Amabos, and the American family who takes them in. Parts of this story are not easy to read, as they clearly describe the atrocities being committed in Africa. However, it is an important book for teens to read. Maybe they will finally be the generation that says enough is enough. I hold out hope. ~Torrie