In the last year the world lost its collective heart to the children of Mumbai. India. They met some of these young people in the movie SLUM DOG MILLIONAIRE. A new book coming January 2010 gives young readers a chance to really get to know some of these unfortunate children. BOYS WITHOUT NAMES by Kashmira Sheth published by Balzer + Bray (an imprint of HarperCollins) tentative price $15.99.
In the story we meet a farm family of five. They family is forced to slip away from their village in the dead of night with only what meager possessions they can carry. Father has borrowed against the harvest and the crops have failed this year.
Gopal the teenage son, in an attempt to earn some moneys to assist, has become trapped in a garret factory gluing beads on picture frames for the tourist trade. The conditions under which he and five other boys labor are almost slave like.
In an attempt to rally the other boys into becoming a family of sorts, every night after lights out Gopal tells stories. Some are his own family based; some are culturally based. Each of the boys ultimately shares his own story of how he came to be in servitude.
During this sharing of personal stories the reader learns of the plight of the less fortunate particularly the vulnerable youth. I guarantee almost any reader will feel the pangs of hunger in the bellies of the boys and the sting of the brutal lash against their bare backs.
This is truly a most remarkable read. A Name Guide and Glossary at the end of the book should provide readers with help in understanding the narrative. The book comes recommended for grades 4-7. I would raise the range to include higher grades doing World Culture studies. I caution only that the horrors and terror of the captive situation might prove too disturbing to readers at the lower level of recommendation. Be careful and selective which audience receives this book.