the red pancil

​This is an excellent introduction to the culture and tragedy of Sudan and Darfur.
Author Andrea Pinkney uses narrative verse, vivid imagery and figurative language that immerses the reader in the Sudan landscape and culture.  
12-year-old Amira and her family must flee as the Janjaweed militia invades and sets their village ablaze. They end up at the Kalma refugee camp where the gift of a red pencil sets Amira’s imagination on fire.