A SALISBURY teacher has released a new book delving into the plight of child soldiers in Uganda.

Julia Jean North, who is deputy headteacher at Leehurst Swan School, hopes her book Lieutenant Hotshot: The Story of an Invisible Child will draw attention to the worldwide issue.

“I feel very passionate about the whole cause — it is one of the worst forms of child abuse,” said Mrs North, who is also a child protection officer at the school.

The story is set in Uganda and centres on the journey of Modeste who is taken away from his family to become a child soldier in the National Resistance Army (NRA).

“It is also a story about love for his young sister and the quest to be reunited with her with a twist at the end,” said Mrs North.

“I hope readers will be very moved by the whole story and it will open their eyes to what goes on and still goes on.” she said. “I hope it also helps people to understand how the Stockholm system works and how easy it is for anyone to be brainwashed into something.

“The power of forgiveness is a strong theme in the novel. I just hope people are moved by the character. It is a cause that needs to be fought for.”

Before embarking on the project Mrs North, who has been deputy head at the school for five years, said she extensively researched child soldiers in Africa.

Her inspiration for the book was sparked after watching a Ross Kemp documentary into children and child soldiers sniffing glue in Kenya. The focus of the novel then developed into looking at the life of child soldiers.

Mrs North, who is a member of Salisbury Writers Circle and runs a creative writing class at the school for pupils, has been working on the book since 2007. “It’s been a long process.” she added. “I am thankful its now been published. I am really happy.”

She published her first book in 2005 but Mrs North, who is from Durban in South Africa, says she has grown a lot as a writer since then.

She is now looking forward to her next writing project.

The book is available to buy in book stores and online.