Toy Guns

About the Book

Toy Guns is a collection of stories and memories of the author’s family, friends, and acquaintances who lived through war, from World War II to Vietnam. Centering on the experiences of children growing up in war, Mirella Coacci van der Zyl brings to life the memories of difficult years of terror, hunger, fear, and need. The stories in Toy Guns illuminate just how destructive and life-changing war is, a lesson for younger generations. They must understand what happened to families in the past and learn, from those experiences, to never take life for granted and to find nonviolent solutions. Many children of war have died or will die soon, and their stories must not be lost to future generations.

About the Author

Mirella Coacci van der Zyl, was born in Torino, Italy, during World War II. She was the second of five children of a Baptist minister in Italy. She grew up knowing the war and also the life of the Church. She came to Canada in 1965 and followed theological studies. Eventually Mirella was ordained to the ministry with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. After almost twenty years in ministry as a chaplain in various hospitals, she retired in 2005 and began her writing career. Her stories have appeared in the local newspaper ‘The Expositor” and religious magazines. She is also the author of On Call for God, a book about her experiences as a chaplain. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, Ontario, with her husband, a nature photographer and bird watcher.