Reading Level: Young Adult

Adam Bagdasarian has written a remarkable first novel that is hard to put down and hard to get out of your mind once it is finished. It is based on his uncle's real life experiences as the 12-year old son of a wealthy Armenian family living in Turkey in 1915, enjoying the comforts and security of a loving family. All that is taken away from him, literally overnight, as he witnesses the violent death of family members at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish rule. He spends the next three years (and 250 pages) running, hiding, trying to survive alone in the world.

Written in first person, you are immediately in this young boy's mind as he endures one unbelievable ordeal after another. It is written in clear, concise language with vivid details of the people, places and many of the hideous acts of inhumanity. This only lends to the authenticity of the novel, depicting that time in history. Does he survive by luck or by his sheer determination to not accept the fate he has been dealt? With each terrifying episode he searches within himself for the strength he remembers in his father.

This paperback edition has an added bonus of an epilogue telling what happened to the uncle in real life, discussion questions, and an interview with the author. I highly recommend this book not only to teens, but also to their parents and teachers. As the author said," it was written not just for young adults, but for people everywhere." It is not surprising that it is the recipient of numerous young adult awards as it is historical fiction at its best.

— Vy Armour, Member SCBWI