A twenty-plus-year study of former child soldiers offers far-reaching insight into mental health and resilience after extreme trauma. During the civil war that ravaged Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002, an estimated 20,000 children were forced to join the fighting. As villages were raided and youths rounded up, it was not uncommon for a child to be ordered to kill a friend, relative, or neighbor under threat of being killed themselves. The goal was to make it impossible for the captives to return home and be accepted back into their communities. But when the conflict ended, many of the children did find their way home. Could they reintegrate after such extreme trauma? Theresa Betancourt and her collaborators in Sierra Leone launched a study of more than 500 boys and girls who had been pulled into the war, tracking them for over two decades. The results were surprising: despite everything they had suffered, this was not a lost generation. In fact, the most dominant trend over time was one of healing and increasing acceptance. The lives of the former child soldiers were shaped not just by their personal ordeals but also, crucially, by the responses of their families, peers, and broader communities. Filled with vivid personal stories, Shadows into Light describes heartbreak and despair but also remarkable triumphs made possible by layers of social support and encouragement. Betancourt’s study provides unparalleled insight into the long-term psychological and developmental effects of family separation, war, and exposure to violence. The lessons go far beyond Sierra Leone’s tragedy, suggesting that we should, in general, think of children’s risk and resilience more as products of the post-trauma environment than as individual traits. “Both heart-wrenching and heartening…tells the stories of the trauma these children faced, their reunion with family, their reintegration into their communities, and their ongoing struggles and healing.” ― Elizabeth Quill , Science News “Inspiring…An eye-opening look at how young survivors of wartime trauma can achieve postwar success.” ― Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “An engaging personal account…prominently featuring the stories of selected young men and women as they reconstructed their lives and navigated adulthood in a fragile and fraught postwar environment. Their experiences expose the wide range of psychological, physical, social, and developmental traumas they suffered. More importantly, as the study shows, their lives exhibit remarkable resilience both in enduring captivity and reconstituting themselves thereafter.” ― J. P. Smaldone , Choice “In this monumental study, Theresa Betancourt turns shadows into light by focusing on one of the most vulnerable populations on the planet: children devastated by war. The work of decades of research and travel, Betancourt’s book is not only a major academic breakthrough in how we must think about―and address―the traumas of the young who have been swept up in such scarring conflicts as the civil war in Sierra Leone. It is also a gripping human drama and a brilliant, passionate call for change commensurate with hope.” ― Henry Louis Gates, Jr., author of Stony the Road “In my many years working to ensure healthier birth outcomes for mothers and families around the globe, it’s been clear that war-affected areas face some of the most significant risks. Shadows into Light offers timely insights into the real effects of war on the lives of children and families in Sierra Leone, while also highlighting dynamics that exist in too many other war-torn parts of our world. Theresa Betancourt and her team showcase multiple opportunities to help young people in these environments reach their full potential, and to promote healthier and more just societies in the face of violent conflict.” ― Christy Turlington Burns, founder and president of Every Mother Counts “How can children affected by wartime abductions and assaults come to thrive? This brave, rigorous, and humane book reveals both the persistent consequences of trauma and the astonishing beauty of resilience that is possible when people receive high-quality help. Grounded in over two decades of work in Sierra Leone, Shadows into Light memorably shows how effective assistance can enable heart-opening strength and growth for individuals and communities emerging from appalling harms.” ― Martha Minow, author of Between Vengeance and Forgiveness “To bring a country back to its feet following a devastating civil war is no small accomplishment. In this intrepid, carefully researched, and deeply engaged book, Theresa Betancourt and her team show what it takes for war’s young survivors to persevere and reach their fullest potential. The stories told here have critical implications for crafting programs and policies that will help Sierra Leone achieve its goals for development and prosperity.” ― David Sengeh, Chief Minister of Sierra Leone “The horror of children being conscri