The Red Pencil

What if the only way to find your voice was to lose everything you ever loved? Imagine being a young girl in war-torn Sudan, where your dreams of an education are as distant as safety. This is the story of Amira, whose world is shattered by conflict. Discover how Amira, silenced by tragedy, rediscovers her hope and her voice through a simple gift: a red pencil. You’ll learn how creativity can become a powerful tool for survival, how art can heal deep wounds, and how one small act of kindness can reignite the biggest dreams.

Andrea Davis Pinkney is a New York Times bestselling author and a four-time Coretta Scott King Award winner, celebrated for her powerful historical fiction for young readers. A deep commitment to telling the stories of African and African American history inspired her to write The Red Pencil, drawing upon extensive research into the Sudanese conflict. Pinkney uses her unique voice to illuminate the resilience of children who, like her protagonist Amira, find hope and strength through the creative arts in the face of adversity.