The Red Pencil

The Red Pencil

Juvenile literature
"Finally I am twelve.
Old enough to wear a toob.
As soon as I wake
Mama whispers a birthday wish.
'Blessings for all the years to come, Amira'."
Amira, free verse narrator of Andrea Davis Pinkney's The Red
Pencil, is coming of age. She would like to go to school. Her very
traditional mother is very much against the idea, believing that farm
work and marriage are a woman's true vocation. So maturity comes with
a lot of responsibilities including raking cow poop for fertilizer.
Amira's mother begins to teach her about the Janjaweed, whom she
describes as 'devils on horseback'. She tells her daughter to run if
they are attacked. Soon Amira begins to see fear in the eyes of all
the adults in her life.
One day the Janjaweed attack, shooting people and torching
buildings. Amira's beloved father dies in front of her eyes. Her
special sheep is burned to death.
In a Displaced People's Camp Amira is despairing and mute. Even
her mother's tender coaxing doesn't bring her voice back. It takes a
very special present and the promise it symbolizes.
On a personal note, tis the day before Christmas. Eugene is out with
his brother. It's just Joey and me to home. Joey is napping under
our beautiful tree. I am so lucky he's still in my life. It's been
over 3 1/2 years since the vets operated 4 1/2 hours to save his
precious life. We've treasured every one of those days. This
afternoon Eugene and I will go to Amber and Brian's house for a
special family get together. Katie will sleep over in her bed in the
studio. Then tomorrow is the big day.
A great big shout out goes out to my little friend, Joey Cat, the vets
who recognized his strong will to live and used their skills to buy
him precious time, and the other companion animals who add so much
love and joy to our lives.
jules hathaway


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