The Middle of Somewhere: A Story of South Africa

The Middle of Somewhere by Sheila Gordon is a fascinating story about apartheid, the system that kept whites and blacks apart. The book shows the determination and bravery of a young black South African girl's struggle to save her village. Nine year old Rebecca is terrified that bulldozers might come and demolish her house to build a village for white people. As Rebecca copes with her fears, her best friend moves away. That's when Rebecca's family joins the fight to save her village. The Middle of Somewhere illustrates how people in South Africa lived during apartheid. I recommend this book because it teaches an important lesson about life and people's attitudes about other people who are different. The lesson is that being prejudiced against other people is wrong. Also, this book is continuously suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat because something breathtaking was always happening. The author really makes apartheid come alive for the reader. Although the Middle of Somewhere is a moving story, it is not very long. However, the book has enough detail to draw you in. I am glad the author didn't use a lot of descriptive African words because I don't understand the local language. The Middle of Somewhereis a captivating story about apartheid, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this subject.

The book introduces the reader to the very serious issue of South African Apartheid while still conveying the authentic emotions of the characters in the story. Most remarkable is how the reader is immersed in the story and in the perspective of a nine-year old girl. The author makes the reader both sympathize and empathize with the sadness, confusion, and loneliness that Rebecca feels throughout the story. Also noteworthy is that Gordon does not answer every question that the reader may have which encourages further reading and research in the subject.More children's books should be written about this very important and contemporary issue, since there are still issues about racial inequality in South Africa even after the alledged end of the Apartheid.A great story for ages ten and up.