No Turning Back: A Novel of South Africa

by Beverley Naidoo

Book Overview

Escaping from his violent step-father, 12-year-old Sipho heads for Johannesburg, where he has heard that gangs of children live on the streets. Surviving hunger and bitter-cold winter nights is hard--but learning who to trust in the new South Africa proves even more difficult.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060275057
• ISBN13: 9780060275051
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A+

Beverley Naidoo is an award winning author. Her book No Turning Back is exceptional. The story takes place in South Africa in the early 1990s, where a young black African boy of twelve years named Sipho makes a decision to leave home to avoid further abuse from his violent stepfather. Sipho makes his way to the streets of Johannesburg. Survival on the streets is sometimes just as hard and cruel as life with his stepfather. Learning who you can trust, hunger and cold nights are a few of the problems Sipho faces. The author in my opinion touches base on many issues including homeless street children, drugs, racism and a country on the verge of change. The book shows many examples on how the South African's rose to support Nelson Mandela and his views of restructuring a troubled nation. The books realism gives readers a chance to become familiar with life in South Africa. Sipho struggles are those of everyday people in this region of the world. I would recommend this book as one not to pass over. You can follow Sipho from being alone, threw new friendships and his hopes for a better tomorrow.

Action packed

I would recommend this book to anyone. It is action packed, yet shows the reality of abuse, homelessness, and the end of apartheid in South Africa. This book show what an abused, homeless boy's life is like. It also shows the severity of apartheid. This is an excellent book for someone who wants to know what apartheid was like and the changes.

Excellent choice for Young Readers

NO TURNING BACK is indeed a book that tells more than a story. It is a book that transcend space and culture. This book speaks for all the teens. No matter where they are, teenagers do share the same needs: the need to be loved and cared.They are all vulnerable kids subjected to the evil forces of the society, especially in South Africa where the relationship between the White and the Black was that tense. But deep inside they are just kids, their voices can be heard in NO TURNING BACK.

Very touching

I thougth this book was very intresting. It gave me onther apect of Africa and how it is increasing with modern things. I used to think that Africa had no modernized things. Now after reading that story Ii realize that a lot of eastern countries are catching up with the modern world.