Little Soldier is a children's novel by Bernard Ashley

Bernard Ashley (author)

Bernard Ashley is a British author of children's books. Among his best-known works are The Trouble with Donovan Croft and A Kind of Wild Justice...

, published in 1999. It was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal

Carnegie Medal

The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...

 and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.

Plot summary

Kaninda, who escaped when his family was gunned down in their own home in Africa, is now in London. He longs to escape back to his country of Lasai so that he can avenge his family. Meanwhile, on the streets of London another form of tribal warfare - gang warfare - threatens to draw him in.