The red pencil
(Book)

Finally, Amira is twelve. Old enough to wear a toob, old enough for new responsibilities. And maybe old enough to go to school in Nyala -- Amira's one true dream. But life in her peaceful Sudanese village is shattered when the Janjaweed arrive. The terrifying attackers ravage the town and unleash unspeakable horrors. After she loses nearly everything, Amira needs to dig deep within herself to find the strength to make the long journey -- on foot -- to safety at a refugee camp. Her days are tough at the camp, until the gift of a simple red pencil opens her mind -- and all kinds of possibilities.

Ages 9-12.

HL620L,Lexile

Decoding demand: 87 (very high),Semantic demand: 100 (very high),Syntactic demand: 81 (very high),Structure demand: 88 (very high),Lexile

Accelerated Reader AR,MG,4.2,3,168792.

Accelerated Reader,Grades 5-8,4.2,3,SD,Quiz 168792,English fiction.

Amelia Bloomer Project: Middle Grade Fiction (2015).

NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People: Geography, People, Places, Culture (2015).

Notable Books for a Global Society (2015).