By Deborah Ellis (author)
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Fact written as fiction this is a fast moving, gripping and thought-provoking story of the dilemmas faced by Diego, a young boy in Bolivia who having escaped the ruthless drug thugs in the jungle is taken in by a family, but a family who is completely reliant on the coca leaf for survival. Diego is swept along by the excitement of it all, and by the sense of belonging.
He makes himself invaluable, running errands, helping out where he can, and making new friends. But the good humour soon sours. A powerful stand-alone novel yet also a sequel to the equally impressive, yet harrowing story in The Prison Runner, both books provide a frightening realisation of drugs and their effects.
Diego has managed to get away from thugs who were forcing him to make cocaine paste in the jungle, but he doesn't know where he is or how he will find his parents. When he's taken in by the Ricardo family, he's eager to help them harvest their coca crop. Doing so reminds him of home because, like his family, the Ricardos need the harvest for survival.
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But the army doesn't want any coca getting into the hands of criminals who will turn it into cocaine for the western market and so destroys every leaf it can find. Every family in the area now faces devastation. In protest, the people organise a blockade of Bolivia's main road.
At first the army merely threatens to break the blockade, but then its threats become a violent reality. When Diego is given the chance to escape, he is tempted. And when he discovers that the person offering rescue could take him to his family, it's almost impossible to resist.But should he stay and fight, or leave silently and perhaps, finally, find his family?
Deborah Ellis has achieved international acclaim with her courageous, sensitive, and dramatic books that give western readers a glimpse into the plight of children in developing countries. Her Breadwinner trilogy has sold hundreds of thousands of copies in twenty-five languages, and she was awarded the Governor General’s Award for her book, Looking for X.
Deborah grew up in Ontario, Canada and from the age of 17 has been a political activist, advocating non-violence. After high school she went to Toronto and worked in the Peace Movement. Later she got involved in the Women’s Movement, focusing on women’s rights and economic justice. She has spent a lot of time in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, talking to women and documenting their lives through 20 years of war.
The stories she heard and the children she met were the inspiration for The Breadwinner, Parvana’s Journey, Mud City, My Name is Parvana and One More Mountain.
the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Diego has managed to get away from thugs who were forcing him to make cocaine paste in the jungle, but he doesn't know where he is or how he will find his parents. When he's taken in by the Ricardo family, he's eager to help them harvest their coca crop.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Beyond The Barricade and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Beyond The Barricade features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers
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Beyond The Barricade was written by Deborah Ellis and published by Oxford University Press
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