Chalkline

Jane Mitchell

Synopsis:
Its an ordinary morning at nine-year-old Rafiqs school in rural Kashmir when the silence of dawn prayers is ripped apart by gunfire. Soldiers of the Kashmir Freedom Fighters have raided the village in search of new recruits they scrawl a line in chalk across the schoolroom wall, and any boy whose height reaches the line will be taken to fight. Rafiq is tall for his age and becomes the first boy to cross the chalkline into a life of brutality and terrorism.

This is the story of Rafiqs transformation from child to boy soldier as he is indoctrinated into a cause of fanatical belief. But even when he can no longer recognize himself, his family remembers the boy he was and continues to hope he will come back.

Endorsed by Amnesty International UK as contributing to a better understanding of human rights and the values that underpin them.

Suitable for ages 12+