Questions About The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After

by Clemantine Wamariya (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (6)

I'm really interested in reading this, but I was wondering if this has a lot of gore. I'm sorry if this sounds really dumb, I just never know these days and I know a lot of people probably don't have this problem like I do. I'm very squeamish and have a hard time reading detailed accounts of gruesome, horrific atrocities. Can anyone please tell me whether this is the case? Thank you.

Clemantine I hope you had to read it :)

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Would this be suitable for a YA book club? The age range is 12-16 (although the 12yr old is fairly mature). Thanks!

Yaaresse I'm going to disagree with the others, but with some caveats.

The language in the book is written at a level that should not cause a problem. The even…moreI'm going to disagree with the others, but with some caveats.

The language in the book is written at a level that should not cause a problem. The events are horrific, yes, but the author does not go into such graphic description that they shouldn't be able to cope with it. Most video games and movies they've seen show more with far less reason. Yes, the story is difficult, but it is difficult for adults, too. I hope they never become "easy" to grasp for anyone of any age.

There is no magic age where a young person suddenly has "enough" maturity and experience to "handle" difficult concepts, and there is no minimum age to start learning empathy. Maturity and the ability to process difficult information comes from grappling with challenging material and situations, preferably with the safety net of adult guidance and peer assistance. Most teenagers, unless they have been particularly sheltered from the world outside their parents' bubble or taught not to attempt anything they are not sure to achieve, are quite capable and often eager to grapple with difficult material. They may not understand colonialism or be able to find Rwanda on a map, but most are fully aware of prejudice, being scared, and trying to adapt to new situations. They already know violence exists, more than most of us adults would ever suspect.

Not allowing young readers the freedom to tackle challenging material makes for lazy readers and narrow thinkers. You're more likely to have more trouble from the bubblewrap parents than from the teens when it comes to reading material suitability.

If it were me, I'd present both the YA version and the adult version and let them decide which to read. It might even be that some what to read one and some the other. Since it's the same story, the differences between the two might end up being the main talking point for them. (less)

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I actually listened to the audiobook, so I have a question because I couldn't see the text: Who is the German author that Wamariya references for a chapter or so? The author wrote a book that she loved. . . was it Sebald?

Jen Yes it was Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald

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Would this be a good book for a Book Club? Would there be adequate discussion? It appears there would be but I have only read an excerpt.

Karen K. Fantastic choice for a book club if members are interested in immigration, refugees, Central Africa, coming-of-age as a refugee. Plenty of provocative…moreFantastic choice for a book club if members are interested in immigration, refugees, Central Africa, coming-of-age as a refugee. Plenty of provocative themes.(less)

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is there a book club guide to this book?

Sara I know this is late but hopefully someone else can use these.

1) When the sisters did finally meet up with their parents, was it even possible to rebui…moreI know this is late but hopefully someone else can use these.

1) When the sisters did finally meet up with their parents, was it even possible to rebuild a sense of family?
2) Surviving the six years without a home, without a country, without a single possession to call one’s own was just the beginning of Clemantine’s path toward healing and self-discovery. What could she grab on to?
3) How would you cope if you were a happy six-year-old, but then one day your entire world is turned upside down when everyone in your country starts killing each other?
4) Who in the world would blame her or think less of her for her scars on her legs?
5) How could one place have such excess while in another, just a plane ride away, people starved?
6) Who ultimately profited from the Rwandan and Zairian civil war and genocide? Who sold the grenade launchers, missiles, mortars, anti-personnel mines, bombs, explosives, detonators, machine guns, bullets and other munitions to the combatants?
7) How much does one bullet cost? How much do ten million bullets cost? What yacht are they sitting on right now?
8) Why don’t we hear about them when we hear all the time about drug cartels and human traffickers?
9) Who is sipping Champagne and eating caviar on the profits of the war? Which Chairman of the Board is meeting with which CEO to see how they can maximize profit on the blood of women, children, aged and infirm? When they die, who mourns them? Do nations mourn their loss?
10) What good are the politicians in suits in the UN if they really can do nothing about these people? Who will? How will it get done? If we don’t ask these questions every day, are we partly responsible too?
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Unanswered Questions (2)

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

ok😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I will ask my daddy if i can read it ?

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