Nobody's Child by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch Date of Publication: 2003 ISBN: 1550024426 Number of Pages: : 248

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Average
GENRES: Historical Fiction
THEMES: Survival, Friendship, Life versus Death, Coming of Age, Good versus Evil

SUMMARY:
In 1915, the Armenians of Turkey are marched into the desert to die. Mariam, a young Armenian girl, is rescued by her Turkish friend, Rustem, and lives as a guest in his father's harem. Kevork, a young Armenian boy who is in love with Mariam's sister, is shot and left for dead in a mass grave in the desert. He is rescued by nomadic Arabs and is nursed back to health. Both teens now have food, their health, and a safe haven, but at the cost of hiding their true identities and heritage.

Although both of the teens have escaped death, eventually they must choose between the security of their adopted homes or risk death in order to search for their families. Mariam and Kevork decide to find their families. During their separate journeys, their goals are the same: to return to their homeland and to face the devastating results of the Armenian Genocide.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...

• wants to expand his or her understanding of different religions and cultures
• is interested in historical knowledge about the 20th century
• enjoys stories that weave fact with fiction
• can identify with both female and male protagonists
• has a strong sense of what it means to be part of a family
• has a strong identity with his or her national heritage
• is Armenian
  

WHAT ELSE?
This is a companion novel to The Hunger, and is a 2004 Red Maple Award Nominee.
The tragedy of the Armenian Genocide is humanized through the teenage protagonists, and at times, it is quite accurately graphic.


RELATED LINK:
Author's Website
Teacher's Resource Guide