The Garbage King - Softcover

Laird, Elizabeth

3.99

1,346 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764126261 ISBN 13: 9780764126260

Publisher: B E S Pub Co, 2003

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This novel of unusual power for older boys and girls tells the gripping and dramatic story of homeless street children forced to do whatever they have to do in order to stay alive in the brutal slums of an Ethiopian city. The two main characters, Mamo and Dani, come from stable families but are hurled by circumstances beyond their control into the dangers and deprivations of street life. They find a makeshift way to survive when they are taken into a street gang led by a tough but likable boy named Million. The gang is composed of kids who have never known the security and happiness of family life. Children of our own culture, who take for granted the protections and comforts of home and family, will be shocked when they read this spellbinding story, but they will also learn about the deprivations, uncertainties, and sometimes the stark terror experienced today by too many Third World children. The story of Mamo and Dani, although alarming in its authenticity, is also an inspiring tale of courage and generosity in a world where danger and anxiety are the norm. (Ages 12 and older)

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About the Author:

Elizabeth Laird was born in New Zealand but has lived in England since early childhood. She has written many children’s books and has won several awards. Her critically praised Red Sky in the Morning was “Highly Commended” for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Children’s Book Award. Her previous novel for Barron’s, Jake’s Tower, was published in 2002. She and her husband live in Surrey, England.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 8 Up-The harsh reality that faces countless children in developing nations is confronted head-on in this powerful and moving novel, as is the gross disparity between the haves and have-nots. Set in Ethiopia, it brings together the stories of two very different boys whose lives converge and are changed forever. After his mother dies, Mamo, 13, is tricked by a slaver and sold to a farmer in the country miles away from the only home he has ever known. After months of brutal treatment, he escapes and makes it back to Addis Ababa where he meets Dani, a chubby boy who has spent his life cloistered in the world of privilege. He is a talented writer, but other areas of his studies elude him, leading his strict father to send him away to be disciplined. Dani runs away to avoid this fate and meets up with Mamo. They meet a gang of street children, led by a boy named Million. Street life with this group is difficult and dangerous, but the boys become a family and both their tragedies and triumphs are painted in vivid, authentic, and often horrific detail. Background for the story's inspiration is included in an introduction and an afterword. Readers are sure to become involved in this compelling story, and teachers will find a wealth of inspiration to lead their students in further research.
Genevieve Gallagher, Orange County Public Library, VA
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