The Bridge Home

"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma shares with us an unflinching peek into the reality millions of homeless children live every day but also infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers and stay with them long after turning the final page."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestselling Amal Unbound

Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman's stirring middle-grade debut.

Life is harsh in Chennai's teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Published: 02/05/2019
ISBN: 9781524738112
Pages: 208
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.70w x 1.00d

Review Citations: School Library Journal 02/01/2019 pg. 62
Publishers Weekly 12/17/2018
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2018 pg. 156
Horn Book Magazine 01/01/2019 pg. 106
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2019
Booklist 02/01/2019 pg. 73
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2019 - Superior,Well Above Average

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 501239 / Bridge Home
Reading Level: 4.4 / Interest Level: Middle Grade / Point Value: 5