Crisis in Rwanda

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10--An examination of the genocide that swept this small African nation in the mid-1990s. In addition, background information on Africa, Rwanda's history and place in the context of the continent, and the role of the international community in responding to the crisis and reestablishing the country are given. Using United Nations definitions of genocide and its crimes, the author discusses the massacre of the Tutsi people and draws comparisons with the Holocaust in Germany. The text moves logically from one point to the next to show these connections. However, the author states, without documentation, that "perhaps as many as a million died" in Rwanda, while other sources put the number at 500,000. Practically every page has a large sidebar that presents quotes from citizens, government documents, or news sources. They provide perspective but make the actual text rather slim. Large, full-color illustrations, some of which are quite graphic, appear throughout. The writing often falls into a politically didactic tone, informing readers how the world should have responded to this situation and passing judgment on the nations and organizations that played roles in the relief efforts. A necessity only where there is an emphasis on African studies.--Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL