A book no child should have to write

The diary of Yeva Skalietska is now available in the Hillingdon Libraries. I was able to borrow it to read over the weekend.  It is entitled "You Don't Know What War is" It is a book no child should have to write as Adults should have learnt to be mature in the Wisdom of Peace! We let our children down by allowing deluded power egos become so called leaders.  A true leader knows to keep peace, care for citizens and how to work with other world leaders. Instead we have deluded warmongers in power creating havoc unable to share the world in peace. A world crying out for peace and dignity. A planet home we all share crying to be healed from the pain we inflict on her as our mother support system. 

So here we are with a 12 year old girl going from the excitement of her 12th birthday and all her gifts to having to hide for safety from missiles in her basement and later with other children and families in safe quarters. Her home once a safe sanctuary now destroyed with a missile hit.  She goes from the fun of her birthday to being able to identify types of missiles used by a dictator destroying her homeland. Clusters bombs banned yet still used... but in my peaceful heart all weapons should be banned. Where is the logic of someone wanting to take control over another's land by bombing it to bits destroying infrastructures and its people! Madness beyond madness!

The pen is mightier than the sword ...but when it draws lines on a map it leads to swords being drawn! is my quote tag .. yet when we see mother Earth from outer space she is only land and sea no borders... she quietly and elegantly turns to give us all life from the sun. She cares for us but we fail to care for her our Mother Earth our Life support!

Yeva brings us the reader into her experience of hearing about the possibility of Russian attacks on Ukraine to the actually reality of it happening. She shares with us her fear and how she tries to cope with her mural painting of a friends kitchen.  A kitchen that could be destroyed any time. She talks of power supplies dropped and having to cope trying to risk washing herself, her daily care routine destroyed by attacks and life in complete disarray.  No child should have to talk about dead bodies in the street. No child or adult should see the beautiful city or town or village they lived in destroyed by an aggressor that fails not only himself but all humanity. War crimes violating international law .. a law developed from the horrors of WW2 yet time and time again we see violations and civilians deliberately targeted and supporting infrastructures destroyed. Yeva describes making friends with our Channel 4 reporters and how they interview her.  She asks for their help.  She narrates crossing to Hungry and flying to Dublin Ireland and becoming a refugee in a new land to adjust too.  

Her book includes her friends stories too. Her book ends with my desire too that children deserve a life of happiness and peace.  I would add they deserve a future to dream of and build too.  Not live in fear of losing all.  

Ukraine flags fly around the UK in solidarity and here is one I spotted on my visit to York this week flying on the Lord Mayor of York's Mansion.

I shall be returning the book to our Hillingdon Libraries tomorrow. It is worthy of discussion in our book clubs and schools.