Other editions of book Chain of Fire

The South African government is forcing Naledi an the other villagers to move to a new location: a "homeland" of iron huts and barren soil. And it seems that no one is willing to resist.No one, that is, except Naledi's friend Taolo, whose family has often spoken out against apartheid. Taolo gives Naledi the strength to fight, and with his help, she and her schoolmates organize an anti-removal march through the village. But the right of free expression is not a liberty granted to the young protesters, and the police instigate a reign of terror on the villagers. Naledi and Taolo's chain of fiery resistance cannot be broken, though. With each new crisis, it grows ever stronger and burns ever brighter.

When the villagers of Bophelong are forced to leave their houses and resettle in a barren "homeland," thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother join in a school demonstration and learn that the South African government treats even children who dissent with brutality.Betrayed by their chief, who has sold off their homes, impoverished Naledi and her friend Taolo, inhabitants of a divided South Africa, form a fierce student opposition to the oppression of their people

When the villagers of Bophelong are forced to leave their houses and resettle in a barren "homeland," thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother join in a school demonstration and learn that the South African government treats even children who dissent with brutality.Betrayed by their chief, who has sold off their homes, impoverished Naledi and her friend Taolo, inhabitants of a divided South Africa, form a fierce student opposition to the oppression of their people

When the villagers of Bophelong are forced to leave their houses and resettle in a barren "homeland," thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother join in a school demonstration and learn that the South African government treats even children who dissent with brutality.Betrayed by their chief, who has sold off their homes, impoverished Naledi and her friend Taolo, inhabitants of a divided South Africa, form a fierce student opposition to the oppression of their people

When the villagers of Bophelong are forced to leave their houses and resettle in a barren "homeland," thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother join in a school demonstration and learn that the South African government treats even children who dissent with brutality.Betrayed by their chief, who has sold off their homes, impoverished Naledi and her friend Taolo, inhabitants of a divided South Africa, form a fierce student opposition to the oppression of their people

When the villagers of Bophelong are forced to leave their houses and resettle in a barren "homeland," thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother join in a school demonstration and learn that the South African government treats even children who dissent with brutality.Betrayed by their chief, who has sold off their homes, impoverished Naledi and her friend Taolo, inhabitants of a divided South Africa, form a fierce student opposition to the oppression of their people

This gripping novel of a black town's resistance to the white South African government's plan to forcibly remove them to their "homeland" hundreds of kilometers away blazes with rage. Naidoo focuses on Naledi, a teenage girl, and her growing awareness of the depth of the hatred that has created the apartheid system. As Naledi and the other townspeople become more deeply involved in the resistance, casual cruelties, gross indignities, brutal atrocities and, perhaps most horrifying of all, betrayals from within mount. Chain of Fire is not easy reading, nor should it be; it tackles tough issues head-on and presents them with superb dramatic tension. Readers will fear for Naledi and her friends, cheer them on, weep with them and, when their tale is done, have a deeper appreciation for how precious freedom is.

This volume is part of a series of easy reading for GCSE/Key Stage 4 containing a selection of accessible, modern short novels and stories. The series is intended in particular for those teenage readers who find other books difficult or heavy-going. Many cross-curricular themes emerge from the reading: ecology, animal rights, apartheid, Vietnamese boat people, the Nazi persecution of the Jews, physical handicaps, the treatment of women in society and mixed marriages. Each book includes some ideas for participation with the text based on the National Curriculum. Students are encouraged to respond personally through log-keeping, note-making and after-reading activities. There are also interviews with the authors of the books.