A review by rjozinga
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

4.0

This is a story about two young boys in Burma and the intersection of their lives. Chicko is a Burmese boy who became the man of the house when his father was taken away by soldiers. He answers a job posting for teachers, which was just a ruse to force him into the army. When he is a mission his group runs into a land mine which kills the rest of the group and leaves Chicko seriously wounded. The story then switches to Tu Reh's point of view. Tu Reh is a Karenni boy who despises the Burmese soldiers for destroying his village and his way of life. When a group from the refuge camp where he is living runs across the injured Chicko, Tu Reh must decide whether to let him die or risk his own life to save Chicko's. Both boys grow up during this experience and learn to see life from the perspective of others. I enjoyed this book and learned about some current events that I was pretty clueless on before. After the story there is a brief history about the situation in Burma. While this book tackles some serious issues, it does so in a more gentle manner. I would recommend this book to ages 11 and up.