Child of Dandelions.

Child of Dandelions written by Shenaaz Nanji Second Story Press, 2008 978-897187-50-0 (pb) $9.95 for Grades 7 and up Senior Fiction--Historical Fiction--Africa

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With Child of Dandelions, Shenaaz Nanji opens a new world for her readers--on several different levels. The historical aspect is an important layer, as most 12-year-olds will have no sense of the political turmoil in Uganda during the 1970s. More important however, the novel offers a picture of race relations that, in multicultural Canada, will be unfathomable. That picture is brought down to a level that is all the more tangible as it becomes about friendship rather than heritage--and any young reader can relate to having conflicts with peers, or being ostracized for being different.

Nanji's main character, Sabine, is 15 and living in Uganda in 1972. It is a time of great unrest, as President Idi Amin, the military dictator, has decided that within 90 days, all Indians of non-Ugandan descent must be "weeded out" of the country. Sabine and her family realize that, even though they were born in Uganda and chose Ugandan citizenship at the time of independence rather than retaining their British link, their Indian heritage puts them among those who must be cleansed. In time, it becomes clear that weeding out does not mean sending away: Sabine eventually learns that those from the "wrong African tribe" face death, not merely expulsion.

While the novel concentrates on what it takes to flee Uganda within Amin's 90-day time limit, it also explores the friendship between Sabine and her native Ugandan best friend, Zena, who is pressured by those around her to abandon Sabine in the face of such political upheaval. Young, immature and frightened, Zena collapses under the pressure and Sabine finds herself without the support during the most difficult time in her young life.

What is extraordinary about this story is that ultimately, friendship does prevail--which provides a strong lesson of tolerance and acceptance for young readers. Nanji tells a story in which not only peer pressure, but also loyalty, take on a new dimension. Friendship becomes important enough to make dangerous sacrifices. And while no one would wish for circumstances such as these to help enforce such a lesson, this novel incites its readers to consider the real meaning of loyalty.

Carolyne Van Der Meer is a Montreal writer and editor currently completing her doctoral dissertation in Canadian literature.