Soldier Boy: A Novel

Soldier Boy is a novel based on the life of Ricky Richard Anywar, who was abducted at age fourteen in 1989 to fight as a soldier in Joseph Kony's rebel army during the Ugandan civil war, one of Africa's longest running conflicts. Forced to train, arm himself, and fight government soldiers alongside his captors, Ricky never abandoned his dream of escape. Twenty years later, the narrative follows Samuel, a fictionalized character who represents the thousands of child soldiers Ricky eventually helped rehabilitate through Friends of Orphans, an internationally acclaimed charity he founded. Written by debut author Keely Hutton in close collaboration with Ricky himself, the novel examines one boy's resilience and courage amid extreme hardship.