ABANDONED. YA - boy gets kidnapped from village for resistance army

[Lenna]

I don't remember too many details, especially considering how many times I read this book.

I read it in the early 00s or the late 90s. It opens with a boy hiding in his house/hut at night because either the army or the resistance has arrived to come and take boys to "join" their forces. The kids who woke up earlier are already hiding in the woods, like the main character has done in the past. The protagonist gets taken and the whole book is about his life in the army.

He maybe finds an old friend later in the story. He laments that it is just pure chance it was the resistance/army that grabbed him/his friends and they could be fighting each other right now. It took place in the jungle, I believe in South/Central America.

If anyone else remembers this book, I would be very appreciative!! thanks, guys!

[Arielle]

No chance it's Dave Eggers' "What Is the What", set in Sudan?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
https://images.gr-assets.com/books/13...

[Lenna]

Unfortunately it's not. "What is the What" was written too recently. Although, reading about "What is the What," suggests some similarities in the story-telling - a Huckleberry Finn-esque narrative.

Arielle wrote: "No chance it's Dave Eggers' "What Is the What", set in Sudan?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
https://images.gr-assets.com/books/13..."

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lenna, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Rainbowheart]

The Forty-Third War?

[Kris]

No response, moving to Abandoned folder.

Lenna (OP) was last active on the site in July 2018.