Tony O'Brien is a photo journalist who has been to Afghanistan many times in his work for major publications such as Time and Life. Here, he and his brother-in-law, Mike Sullivan, interview children of all ages about their lives, their fears and their dreams. The children's voices and their images are haunting, illuminating and make for compulsive and compulsory reading.
This book consists of succinct first-person accounts of the realities and aspirations of Afghani children and teens interviewed by O'Brien and Sullivan. The volume is artfully designed, with stirring photographs providing a portrait of the country and its people.
A photojournalist and a filmmaker visit "a country at war with itself and a country that has been a pawn in the wars of imperial interests for centuries" and return with compelling portraits of 35 of its boys and girls. Ranging from eight to 18, the Afghani children are photographed in a soft light, exhibiting expressions from pensive to joyful and usually posed face-on so they gaze directly up at viewers. Most look older than their years; some display scars or other (healed) injuries; all have been touched in by violence. Their accompanying remarks, in the form of answers to questions about schooling, families and wishes for the future, are revealing, though couched in language that echoes the formality of the portraits: "I have been working as a thief for twenty days, stealing from people's pockets. I've done it ten times, it's true, ten times in twenty days. I want my real father to come back, I want my sisters and brothers, and I want a house," says 10-year-old Wahaab. The goofy grin of 13-year-old Najmudin in the final photo lightens the solemnity but strengthens the overall message that these resilient young folk haven't lost their hope of better things to come. (Informational picture book. 8-10)
Gr 4 Up-This handsome photo-essay features contemporary Afghan children ranging in age from 8 to 18 years. They were asked about their families, lives, and hopes for the future. The young people's straightforward statements tell much about the devastating effects of decades of war. Some of them are still able to attend school; others wish they could. Even the youngest children work part of the day, often at street markets or in their family businesses, such as rug making. Two 10-year-olds pick pockets to survive. The matter-of-fact way they describe losing parents, siblings, and homes to war is jarring. Overall, the book provides a sensitive, poignant, and respectful look at the lives of these young people. It avoids sentimentality and politicizing. While the book will need an introduction, it offers Western children insight into a country and society often featured in the news. This is a timely, relevant, and well-executed offering.-Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.