Photos of child victims of war appear regularly in the North American press. While the pictures may move us, or cause us to lament about the cruelty of war, the children remain anonymous pawns in conflicts that are well beyond our control. In The Bite of the Mango, the face of war becomes all too real as Mariatu Kamara relates her horrifying experiences at the hands of rebel soldiers in her native Sierra Leone.
 
As a child growing up in a small rural village, she lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. But during rebel uprisings, 12-year-old Mariatu was kidnapped and tortured by soldiers who were themselves children. In a brutal act of senseless violence, they cut off both her hands. Mariatu miraculously survived and eventually found her way to Canada, where she lives today. This heart-rending memoir, written by journalist Susan McClelland as told to her by Mariatu, not only chronicles Mariatu's physical and emotional journey, but stands as a testament to her courage and astonishing resilience.

Links:

www.mariatufoundation.com

www.susanmcclelland.com

Books: