Malini by Robert Hillman
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743312551.
(Age: Yrs 5-8)
'Malini watched the Tamil Tiger intently. She was standing with the
other students under the six hemlocks that had been planted by the
British half a century earlier. 'This year', the commander said,
'the war will be won. The soldier-martyrs of the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam will tear the hearts from the chests of our enemies.
In fire and blood, our homeland will be born. And you will play your
part.' He extended his hand towards a group of six boys standing
together under one of the hemlocks, the youngest, Malini knew, just
eleven years old. 'Come to me', he said. After some hesitation, the
six boys walked to the front of the gathering and lined up beside
the commander. He only ever took six boys at a time..Tears found a
path down Malini's face. She would never see these boys again. They
would fight the enemy and they would die.'
This is not the first time that Malini has seen this and so when the
soldiers come to her home at dawn and order the family outside, they
go, knowing that to disobey will mean they will be killed. They are
to be part of a human shield protecting the defeated soldiers as
they make their way to the coast as this war between the Hindu
Tamils and the government-backed Buddhist Sri Lankan Army winds down
after 30 years. But on the march, Malini's father sees an
opportunity for Malini and her sister Banni to escape and, pushing a
mobile phone into her hands, shoves them into the forest and urges
them to make their way to their grandfather's village in the
north-east away from the fighting.
And so begins a remarkable tale of danger, adventure, hardship, and
friendship as Malini, at just 14 becomes 'mother' and protector to
Banni as well as a rag-tag crew of others as they make their way
across a landscape which poses enough problems without the added
peril of being caught by soldiers of either side or wandering into a
village where culture dictates they will have to stay.
In an account that is balanced between Hindu and Buddhist
perspectives, as well as Tamil and SLA, the author provides an
amazing insight into the life of children in a war zone that, at the
very least, should help our students appreciate what they have here.
Malini is a strong protagonist but even she buckles at times, giving
her a real personality that make her credible and the reader is
compelled to read on to find out whether she will reach safe haven.
Malini is the latest is a series called Through My Eys
which 'invites young readers to enter the fragile worlds of children
living in contemporary war zones' and includes Shahana set
in Kashmir; Amina in Somalia; Naveed (Afghanistan);
Emilio (Mexico); and, in March 2015, Zafir set in
Syria. While it is tragic that conflict continues to engulf the
children of the world so that there is always a story to be told,
nevertheless the stories do have to be told and our students need to
read them.
There is an interview with and information about Robert Hillman as
well as
teachers' notes for 'Malini' at the publisher's website. The
book itself offers a brief history of the war and a timeline of Sri
Lankan history as well as links to sources for more information.
Teachers' notes and other resources for the entire series are
available through the main website.
When Malala Yousafzai was asked which book she thought everyone
should read, she replied Parvana (also available through
Allen & Unwin) but I believe she would also recommend this
series if she knew about it.
Barbara Braxton