Amina: through my eyes, paperback/j. l. powers

A moving, fictional account of one childs life in a conflict zone, in Mogadishu, Somalia Amina lives on the edges of Mogadishu.

Her familys house has been damaged in Somalias long civil war, but they continue to live there, reluctant to leave their home.

Aminas world is shattered when government forces come to arrest her father because his art has been officially censored, deemed too political.

Then rebel forces kidnap Aminas brother, forcing him to become a soldier in Somalias brutal ongoing war.

Although her mother and grandmother are still with her, Amina feels vulnerable and abandoned.

Secretly, she begins to create her own artwork in the streets and the derelict buildings to give herself a sense of hope and to let out the burden of her heart.

Her artwork explodes into Mogadishus underground world, providing a voice for people all over the city who hope for a better, more secure future.

About the Author: J.

Powers is the author of two previous novels, The Confessional and This Thing Called the Future , and the editor of a number of books, anthologies, and journals.

She is a regular contributor to The Pirate Tree , a blog on social justice and childrens literature.

She lives in San Bruno, California.

Lyn White is a primary school teacher-librarian and ESL teacher with more than 20 years of experience.