About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their mature teenager is ready to engage with heavy global realities and systemic injustice. This is a profound choice for a teen who has expressed interest in human rights or who needs a story about the unbreakable nature of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. The novel follows Lakshmi, a young girl from Nepal who is deceived and sold into the sex trade in India. While the subject matter is harrowing, Patricia McCormick uses spare, poetic verse to handle the trauma with deep respect and restraint. It is a story of resilience and the quiet power of hope, best suited for older teens (14+) who can process intense themes of exploitation and survival. It serves as a vital tool for developing global empathy and discussing how light can be found in the darkest of circumstances.
