They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky is about a civil war in the continent of Africa. Thousands of children are sent on a nauseating journey through horrible hardships, where survival is the only thing on their minds. As the book progresses, you can feel yourself going on this journey alongside them, facing their troubles and their grievings. Three boys who go by the names of, Benson, Alephonsion, and Benjamin are forced to go on this journey. They watch as their friends and family die. Worst part is, this is a true story. It all happened on a peaceful day, rumors about bombs destroying whole villages had been spreading around. These three boys had been going about their daily duties when suddenly, “…fire was poured on them from the sky.” Benson and Benjamin darted in different directions, unaware of each other’s safety. Alepho, however, managed to remain safe alongside his mother. Soon though, Alepho is forced to flee from his village, hiding underneath bushes until he manages to find a group of other boys like him. They all travel to different places in seek of shelter, food, and whereabouts of their family. This remains to be the main issue for most of the book, if you ignore all the deaths and casualties around them. This war lasted twenty-two years! That’s crazy! Going through starvation, dehydration, and illness while not knowing about their family’s safety. Terrible, I know. Anyhow, that’s enough of a summary. Let’s go over reviews. Silas will be making the first review, Kaiya the second. Silas’s Review: This book is written well but the story is just murder and torture walking to different villages trying to find a home. If you love history and pain this is the book for you. If you are looking for depth and emotional value then go grab a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird and read that. The writer seems to not know the extent of how many horrible chapters the reader can take before having an existential crisis, wondering how people can be so terrible. They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky is not a pleasure read, if you ever dare to turn the pages be ready. This book is for those who have a iron stomach and those who have very low expectations of humans. To top it of, the ending of this book feels very rushed. All of the book you are made to think nowhere is safe but suddenly they reach this camp and everything is ok! The writer seemed to fast forward years in the amount of three pages, then there are twenty about one long walk. This proves the author focuses on torture. Kaiya’s Review: This book was a trip! So much was happening at once, and at times, it was difficult to keep up! I can’t say that I enjoyed it, since there was so much gore and death, but I will say that it was well written. It put you in the boy’s perspectives. It’s not meant to be fun, sentimental, or enjoyable. It’s meant to show how much pain these boys went through. This is a real thing that has happened. Sure, maybe Benson, Benjamin, and Alephonsion is safe, but how about everyone else who died? Those who fell down and never came back up? You don’t finish this book satisfied, you finish it with grief, and disappointment. How could people kill over something so unimportant? Was it really so much of a big deal that thousands had to die? The ending may be short, and unsatisfying, but maybe that’s on purpose. Maybe it’s a lesson the author is trying to tell you, maybe it’s on purpose because they ran out of time. Nobody knows. Well, that’s my opinion. If you wish to read this, go ahead. Just be prepared for a long journey, and heartache. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it’s still about a terrible experience that many people had to go through. A true story, in fact. If you were to read it, instead of thinking that people are terrible, think of how you can better yourself. I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but it’d be nice if you did. Thanks for listening to me ramble! Well, that’s it! That’s our opinions on They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky. I hope this helps you decide on reading it or not! Remember, keep on reading! They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky by Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng, and Judy A. Bernstein. PublicAffairs Publishing, 2005. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
Book Reviews
The Pearl, Reviewed by Vandana Ravi, 12
Does bad always follow good? Where does one cross the line between pursuing a dream and being consumed by greed? And how much influence can a small decision have in the world? The novella The Pearl by John Steinbeck explores the answers to these questions to their limits, slowly revealing a portrait of the world which is both terrifying and comforting at once. Through a twisting tale of loss, gain, greed, and – ultimately – death, a beacon of human hope and perseverance shines, making this one of the most memorable books I’ve ever read. The lives of Kino, an impoverished pearl fisherman, and his wife, Juana, are transformed forever when he discovers a perfect pearl, the “Pearl of the World.” Kino dreams of using the money it will make to improve his life in drastic ways; most importantly, sending his infant son, Coyotito, to school. However, he is unwilling to sell the pearl for any sum too small to accomplish his dreams, and the buyers are unwilling to buy it for any sum high enough to do so. The buyers have money and power to steal or kill in order to get the pearl. Kino only has his own strength, knife, and unbending will, and he little realizes how many people are all set on claiming his treasure for their own. Bit by bit, instead of symbolizing invigorating hope for the future, the pearl becomes a painful reminder of the humiliation of the past and the injustice of the present world. One thing that struck me when I was reading The Pearl was how small, everyday actions worked together to play a surprisingly significant part in the tragic resolution of the book. One might not think that things like a doctor’s refusal to treat a poverty-stricken patient with a scorpion bite, or a furious pearl fisherman’s diving deeper than usual to burn off his anger, would indirectly cause the death of a child. But, strangely, they do: independently, these actions are only foolish; together, they are fatal. This aspect of the plot lends an unsettling – almost ominous – feel to the story. The thought It’s only going to get worse was ubiquitous in my mind as I read, and even as I could not put down the book, I didn’t want to read another page. One of the joys of reading is watching someone else’s story unfold in front of you, sympathizing with their losses and triumphs. But, aside from the discovery of the pearl, Kino and his family did not have any triumphs. As I read, their lives went from contented to unhappy to terrified to remorseful and grieved. At the resolution, there was a sense of helplessness and disappointment, of pure human weakness against the forces of ill luck and nature. One of the reasons I love to read is that it uplifts me. Watching good win over evil again and again, in scenario after scenario, inspires me. But what about when good doesn’t win over evil? What about when a sad ending is not diluted by even one small triumph? Does that mean the point of reading the book is lost? On reading the resolution of this novella – and the parts which led up to it – a second time, I think I have an answer. The utter despondency of The Pearl’s plot tends to overpower another element: an underlying thread of hope and shared goals which binds Kino’s family together. Whenever they receive a particularly heavy blow, they are able to rebound because – according to the narrator – Juana, Kino and Coyotito are “one thing and one purpose.” The family has suffered the same hardships and rejoiced at the same successes, and they are all working, together, toward the accomplishment of one ambition: a better life, as much for each other as for themselves. Only when Kino begins to push Juana aside does their life really begin to go downhill. In one scene, rather than give up the pearl or even hear Juana’s opinion, Kino shoves Juana down onto the boulders near the sea. He walks away, holding the pearl which she had advised him to destroy, and is attacked by thieves and almost killed. Eventually, when they flee from the village, Juana walks behind Kino. She is following him because she cares about him, and knows that she cannot change his mind; but she also knows that they are no longer working together toward the same goal, that they are no longer “one thing and one purpose.” When Kino and Juana come back to their tiny hut at the ending, they walk side by side instead of one behind the other: equal again – perhaps more equal than before – and sharing one last bitter loss. Their quiet acceptance of defeat as they walk into the village, heads down, seems like the most incredibly sad ending possible. But when one dries one’s tears and more closely examines the image, a second thing, showing itself even in the way they walk, comes to light: equality and love have been restored between Kino and Juana. Even more importantly, they have learned the importance of what they had lost and have now regained – and how much it can positively influence their lives. In a way, good has won over evil: the anger and greed which had torn their family apart is gone, and though the couple has lost much, they are rich in the things which matter most. The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Penguin Random House, 1947. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
Noggin, Reviewed by Lucy Ward, 13
Can you imagine waking up to find your head is stuck on a different body? Noggin, by John Corey Whaley, is a stunning science fiction story about Travis Coates, a boy with cancer, who wakes up to find his head is attached to a different body. When his cancer becomes teminal, the 16-year-old has a decision to make. Stay alive for a few more weeks or have his head chopped off, only to be frozen and reattached to a different body. Now, five years later, Travis is alive again and everything is the same. Well, almost. His head is on a completely different body and he’s still 16. To add to this, Travis realizes that his girlfriend is engaged and his best friend has forgotten he’s even back on this earth. Travis, a new town hero due to his new body, struggles to find his way in high school. Again. Whaley has taken a tough topic, cancer, and given it a comedic twist, shaping the characters into relatable people. Whaley not only tells the saga of a a teen battling with cancer while discovering his new self, but also adds witty and passionate parts that make the book lively and full, like you’re talking to Travis himself. For example; when Travis is talking to Kyle, his best friend, about his how weird his situation is, “You know things are weird when you start appreciating your farts,” he says. This is an example where Whaley has taken a sci-fi topic and added humor, constructing an accessible plot. I am not a huge fan of science fiction, so when I was assigned to read a sci-fi book, I was discouraged. But once I read the blurb on the back, I was hooked. Whaley slips sci-fi elements into the novel, not an overwhelming amount, but enough to still add to the story line. The book is told by Travis, so you can be engrossed in the story and his experience. Overall, this a pleasurable read, poignant and humorous, and I would recommend it to anyone thirteen and up looking for a feel-good novel. Noggin by John Corey Whaley. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
