Annick Press, 2008    North America	Bloomsbury, 2009    United Kingdom

also to be released in:

Australia/New Zealand by Allen & Unwin (2009)
Holland and Belgium - De Kern/De Fonteyn (2009)
French North America - La courte échelle (2010)
Germany, Switzerland and Austria - Droemer Knaur (2009)
Italy - Sperling & Kupfer/Mondadori (2010)
Spanish World - Intermon Oxfam (2010)
Brazil - Editora Planeta (2010)
Korea - TheBookInMyLife (2010)
India - Mehta Publishing Company
(date of release to be announced)
Slovenia - Zalozba Alica (2011)
Tamil edition by Vikatan Media (2011)
Marathi edition by Mehta Publishing (2011)
Audio by Brilliance Audio and Audible.com (2011) USA and territories, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Bite of the Mango

The astounding story of one girl’s journey from war victim to UNICEF Special Representative.

As a child in a small rural village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumors of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry.

But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands.

Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown.

As told to her by Mariatu, journalist Susan McClelland has written the heartbreaking true story of the brutal attack, its aftermath and Mariatu’s eventual arrival in Toronto where she began to pull together the pieces of her broken life with courage, astonishing resilience and hope.

Read an Excerpt...

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To view a trailer for Bite of the Mango with footage shot in Sierra Leone by Sorious Samura, please click here.

Mariatu Kamara is featured in Nick Danziger's Femmes face a la Guerre (Women
facing War).

Standing Tall

Spencer West is many things. An accomplished speaker, university graduate, natural prankster, former cheerleader and a young man without legs something that has never held him back.

Navigating through life on his hands, Spencer shares his personal story about living life by embracing being different ­ and never letting that slow him down. In a world where society seems to dictate happiness and can limit the possibilities for those with special needs, Spencer wanted more out of life. He wanted to be accomplished, but that didn¹t mean just a paycheck and material possessions. He wanted to have an impact, but wasn¹t always sure how.

In 2008, Spencer traveled to Kenya on an international volunteer trip where he helped build a school in a rural community in the Maasai Mara. He credits this experience with helping him recognize his true calling ­ to motivate and inspire people around the world.

Infused with humor and humility, Spencer¹s thought provoking message in Standing Tall encourages people to find opportunity in every challenge. Standing Tall is perfect for anyone looking to make a difference in themselves and the world. It highlights the pains of bullying, isolation, failure, pride and how to persevere.