Shattered by Eric Walters is a poignant and important young adult novel. It tells the story of a teenager named Ian who grows up privileged and largely sheltered from much of the ugliness that exists in the world. Over the course of the book, that sheltered existence and the safe cocoon in which he lives are "shattered." Walters creates a story that makes it easy for young readers to put themselves in the shoes of Ian, allowing the reader to learn important lessons while the character does.

The heart of the story focuses on Ian beginning to volunteer at a soup kitchen, doing so only to meet a community service requirement for school. While volunteering there, Ian meets a man named Sarge who served as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces during the Rwandan genocide. Getting to know Sarge is Ian's first real experience learning about the world that exists outside of his privileged existence.

Not only does Ian come to learn about the atrocities that happened in Rwanda, but he also sees the impact those events had on Sarge, who now suffers from PTSD. As both Ian and the reader get to know Sarge, they come to realize that events halfway around the world can have a profound effect on the people in our community around us. Slowly, Ian realizes that he's lucky to have the life that he does and that his sheltered upbringing makes it difficult for him to understand people who have lived far different lives.