This was such a hard book to read. The images were beautiful and striking. The story.. broke my heart. The atrocities that children witness and are made to be part of is horrible. I felt this was really well depicted, because how do you show these things with a sensitive way while educating and showing how these kids deserve better.

A heart-wrenching and engaging story based on the real experiences of child soldiers. Portrayal of the situation and emotions is nuanced and complex.

It is a good, though brief introduction to the reality of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Tamba is kidnapped from his village at jut s 8 years old and is immediately taught to kill or be killed. Even after he escapes and finds a refugee camp, he struggles with the effects of PTSD and the tremendous guilt he carries from everything he was forced to do.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t say I enjoyed this, there’s no way someone can enjoy something like this. It’s completely heartbreaking. While, the perspective changes were a bit confusing, overall it was well constructed and engaging. With a haunting art style and deep, yet soft color tones, even the occasions of joy are steeped in sorrow. This is much needed if we are to keep history from repeating, if we have any chance for compassion, these stories need to be told. I’m thankful for the opportunity to hear more about situations like Tamba’s, so that I might aid in efforts to fight the reoccurrence of such atrocities. This is truly an outstanding work.

TAMBA, CHILD SOLDIER by Marion Achard and Yan Degruel

"My name is Tamba Cisso. When I was eight years old, I lived in the village with my father, my mother and my sister. I went to school and had learned to read. I knew there was war in my country, but I didn't know that children could wage it."

TAMBA, CHILD SOLDIER is the riveting and heart-wrenching true story of a young boy, ripped from his home and forced to become a child soldier.

Written in graphic novel format, Tamba's horrible story is brought to life in vivid detail.

The choice to tell his story in graphic novel format is brilliant. I believe this type of novel will be well received by middle grade and young adult readers. This is important, because Tamba's story is important.

I am not sure how much young adults and middle grade children know about the plight of children on other continents. The issue of children being forced into the role of soldier and the acts of brutality they endured is something that would mentally break even the most resilient of adults. Awareness is an important tool to fight back against those who want to exploit these children. TAMBA, CHILD SOLDIER brings about that much needed awareness.

The illustrations are absolutely fabulous.

I rate this book as 4 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Great Book! Awesome and deeply touching story. The main character was really relatable and drawn you in. I like the imagery in the writing as well. I would definitely recommend this book to people.

'TAMBA, Child Soldier' by Marion Achard and Yann Degruel is the story of a young child soldier and what happens to him.

The book opens with a hearing. On the stand is Tamba Cisso who is being asked questions about his life as a child soldier. When he was 8, his village was overthrown and he was kidnapped. He learned to fight and trick opponents. He made friends in the group, and decides to escape. He makes it to a refugee camp, but his troubles are far from over.

This is a composite story of things happening in the world. The story has some pretty terrible things in it, but the main character is trying to find some redemption. The art is a bit weak at times, but it's a decent story. The graphic novel ends with some essays about child soldiers.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing, Papercutz, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars

A startling and empathetic story of a childhood lost to war.

Tamba is the haunting story of a young boy who was kidnapped and forced to become a soldier at just 8 years old told, he recounts his story to a UN tribunal several years later and is forced to relive his years in slavery for the court.

I enjoyed the depth at which the characters were explored, their motivations, lack of motivations and drive of survival create an impactful and diverse exploration of war.

The graphic novel is beautifully drawn, there is a clear difference between the flashbacks and the present-day trial. The story does not shy away from the horrors of war and I think the art style compliments the narrative well. It highlights the brutality of war and forces the reader to experience the violence with the characters. However, having said this I think it deals with scenes of sexual assault very well, choosing to focus on PTSD rather than the act itself.

Overall, this graphic novel is worth every penny.

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️: War, Sexual Assault, Child Slavery, Child Soldiers.

Pre-Order now and receive your copy for $24.99 on when it's released on November 15th 2019.

I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley in alliance with Oni Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily 📚

TAMBA, Child Soldier
by Marion Achard; Yann Degruel

Papercutz

NBM Publishing

Biographies & Memoirs , Comics & Graphic Novels

Pub Date 15 Nov 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Tamba Child Soldier through Papercutz/NBM Publishing and Netgalley:

At only eight years old Tamba Cisso was taken from his village and his family where he had lived and gone to school when he was taken away and forced to become a Child Soldier, at only eight he was forced to learn to kill, several years later he is forced to sit in front of a council telling of what he and other child soldiers.

Tamba’s story is told in the form of a powerfully illustrated Graphic Novel, with clear pictures of what he was forced to go through.

I recommend Tamba, Child Soldier to Highschool age and older due to the difficult subject matter.

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Wow. This book was hauntingly honest and completely stole my breath. The horrors that happen for the sake of greed, power and money are unimaginable. Except, this novel attempts to shed light on the deplorable acts children are forced to commit daily around the world. This novel forced me to imagine what that living hell would be like. I was utterly heart-broken and yet in awe. The graphics in this novel were some of the best I’d seen. The vivid colours and striking scenes almost pulled me out of the story they were so good!


What really made this book stand out from the crowd was the emphasis it placed on the rehabilitation and healing process of the people when the war ended. While kidnapping and forcing children to fight a war they don’t understand is unimaginably harsh, the after-effects of the war were arguably as bad. You’d expect freedom and peace with the cessation of fire. Instead, a land was left torn from the destruction its own people had caused. Children were murderers and seen as the perpetrators of extensive human rights violations. How does a country come back from that? How is peace attained? And who is ultimately responsible for the horrors committed?

This depiction of an attempt to create peace after shockingly vile and destructive events was poignantly written and tore apart my heart. It was so authentic and achingly real. I loved the inclusion of the author’s own history that had inspired this novel. This is one I would recommend everyone (who is aware of the triggers) to read!

Eye opening and moving telling of the experience of young people kidnapped into slavery for the purpose of warfare. Tamba tells his story at the office of truth and reconciliation in front of the community. The illustrations add to the overall feeling of the story and do a fantastic job of depicting emotions, movement, and growth of the characters.

TAMBA, Child Soldier chronicles the harsh realities of guerilla warfare and child soldiers as Tamba recounts his experiences as a child soldier to a UN tribunal. It does not sugarcoat anything and superbly captures the idea of finding hope and redemption in horrific situations- not an easy read, but an important one. This book would be an excellent read after reading Ismael Beah's A Long Way Home.

*Thank you to NetGalley and NBM Publishing for providing a free ARC

3.70 stars⭐

"Tamba, I don't know what happened in that forest. I don't know why you scream at night. But you can't erase the past. It all stays in here. So go to the center. Go to school. Stay busy! By building new things, your wounds will turn into scars and one day, they'll fade away some."

This was a tough read but a necessary one. I would recommend this to everyone, especially those who aren't familiar with the atrocities that can happen to a child in war times.

Very important story, in a graphic novel format. This makes it easier for younger generations to understand the horror of child soldiers.

I'm not normally a fan of graphic novels but the subject matter of this one really appealed to me so I thought I'd give it a go. And I'm so pleased that I did. We follow Tamba on his harrowing journey from innocent child to child soldier to victim. The story shows just how easily innocent people, including children, can be forced in to situations where they become the offender. It was a great moment when Tamba met the elderyl man who became his guardian/role model. This elder spoke about how we can't change our past but that what we do now and in the future can turn open wounds in to scars. Scars will always be there but don't affect our lives and they fade over time. Which I feel is something that many people can relate to and take away from the novel.
This story of Tamba and his friends shows how even when people are removed from horrific situations, what they have experienced continues to haunt them and affect their behaviour, thoughts, mood and relationships. It also broached another delicate subject, that of the helplessness that refugees can feel. Being given handouts makes them feel dependant on others. I know there is currently a very big movement and awareness of the 'White Savour' and I think this graphic novel does well to broach the subject in a gentle way and tell us how those receiving aid can feel. The factual info on the last few pages make for heartbreaking reading. Sat here in the UK, safe and comfortable it's hard to imagine that the horrific problem of child soldiers actually exists.

I didn't enjoy the story as much as I would a book as books go in to so much more detail and really make you feel and connect with the characters. But the graphic novel did provide a good overview and I think it will definitely be more accessible to a wider range of readers than a full book as it's less dense and less intimidating. I would love to see my Sons studying something like this in school.

Trigger warnings for rape and violence