Deepa Anappara

This book does a fantastic job of giving us an authentic 9 year old narrator, who talks and sees the world as a 9 year old. So often authors write "precocious" children, and not only are these characters insufferable, the author comes off as a bad writer because it reads as if they just took an adult character and shrunk it to child-size and called it a day. This author gets the voice 100% right, and it's a delight.

The story itself I really loved, which sounds odd given the grim topic but you know what I mean. It grabbed me from the first pages and kept me hooked. Highly recommend, for everyone!… (más)

This debut novel is not so much a detective story as it is an in-depth look at the poor and vulnerable in a slum community in India. The main character, Jai, is a nine-year old boy who sees himself as a detective, ready to solve the disturbing cases of children disappearing from his neighborhood. As Jai and his two best friends compile clues, they learn about the way the adult world works and confront the injustices routinely suffered by the poor. Jai’s voice is probably the most authentic of any child protagonist I’ve encountered — and as a retired school librarian and book reviewer, I’ve “met” many child protagonists. Jai and his community will stay with the reader long after the story concludes. This is a powerful piece of fiction that entertains, enlightens, educates, and presents a community worthy of our acquaintance.… (más)