At Least I Wasn't Eaten by a Lion is a story of a boy who faces seemingly insurmountable odds, yet is able to survive through his wit, compassion, and his unwavering belief that things can always be worse. The story opens as Mathew is watching his village burn down as the civil war that is being fought in Sudan sweeps through his country. With no home and no family, Mathew is confronted with the impossible decision to leave all that he knows and to walk into the unknown. As he walks, he finds another boy, Machar, who just lost his home and family. Mathew calms the other boy by reminding him that at least they haven't been eaten by a lion. This mantra allows Mathew to find the strength and courage to walk for 1,000 miles and create a life in a refugee camp where he redefines family, learns about the power of education, and eventually takes the plunge to move to a new world-America. Mathew's story is full of humor, resilience, and hope that in an often confusing and unforgiving world, together we can do great things.