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School Library Journal
Reviewed on January 1, 2010
Gr 4-7 Eager to find work after his hungry family arrives in Mumbai, 11-year-old Gopal ends up locked in a one-room "factory" making beaded frames with five other boys so beaten down they don't even talk to one another. Gopal's story is not uncommon: a bumper crop year drove prices down, money was borrowed to pay for medicine, the farm was lost but the debt remained, and the family was force...Log In or Sign Up to Read More
Horn Book Guide
Reviewed on January 1, 2010
Eleven-year-old Gopal and his family hope moving from the country to Mumbai will save them from starvation; unfortunately, their misfortunes only i...Log In or Sign Up to Read More
Junior Library Guild
Reviewed on March 1, 2010
Vivid details about daily life in India immerse readers in Gopal’s world. Gopal is an incredibly sympathetic main character. It is impossible not to root for him as he attempts to help his family, himself, and the other b...Log In or Sign Up to Read More