Chanda, a teenager living in an unnamed sub-Saharan African country, is the sole caretaker for her younger sister, Iris, age 6, and her brother, Soly, age 5. Her mother died six months earlier from AIDS, and Chanda promised her she would take care of them. When Iris and Soly are kidnapped during a rebel raid, Chanda feels she must keep her promise to her mother, so she and another teenager, Nelson, go on a dangerous quest to track the rebels and rescue the children. Allan Stratton’s sequel to Chanda’s Secrets (Annick Press, 2004) touches on the complex politics and economics that leaves the government of Chanda’s country turning a blind eye as some its youngest citizens are kidnapped by guerilla armies for use as soldiers and slaves. Chanda and Nelson know the odds are they will die trying to save the children, but they also know they have to try. Stratton’s detailed author’s note positions him as a knowledgable writer about human rights issues in African nations, including the horrifying reality of children who are brutalized and turned into soldiers. His choice to make the setting a fictional rather than real African nation is almost certainly one that protects real people while reflecting a truth that crosses geographic borders. The outcome for the characters in his story is a hopeful one, despite the trauma they endure. (Ages 12–15)

Chanda has struggled to keep her family together ever since her mama died of AIDS (see Chanda’s Secrets, reviewed in vol. 3). But her younger brother and sister are drifting farther from her, and the family feud, which began when her father left the family’s rural village for the city, worsens. However, moving to the family compound does not alleviate Chanda’s worries. Instead, she finds herself forced to track General Mandiki’s rebels from the neighboring state, who have conscripted her siblings as child soldiers. Sequel to Chanda’s Secrets (2004). 2008 Junior Library Guild Selection USA, CCBC Best Books List, 2009 Canadian Library Association’s Best Book for Young Adults Award (finalist), 2009 Ontario Library Association White Pine Award (finalist). lmp

She promised her mama she'd keep them safe.

It's been six months since Mama died, and Chanda is struggling to raise her little brother and sister. Determined to end a family feud, she takes them to her relatives' remote rural village.

But across the nearby border, a brutal civil war is spreading. Rebels led by the ruthless General Mandiki attack at night, stealing children. All that separates Chanda from the horror is a stretch of rugged bush and a national park alive with predators. Soon, not even that. Before she knows it, Chanda must face the unthinkable, with a troubled young tracker as her unlikely ally.

Chanda's Wars is the unforgettable story of a teenager who risks everything to save her brother and sister. Epic in its sweep, intimate in its humanity, here is a gripping tale of family intrigue, love and courage, forgiveness and hope.