The Bridge Home
  • Published: 2 July 2020
  • ISBN: 9781524738136
  • Imprint: Nancy Paulsen Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 208
  • RRP: $15.99

The Bridge Home

Formats & editions
Paperback
2 Jul 2020
EBook
5 Feb 2019
Hardback
5 Feb 2019
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"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestseller Amal Unbound

"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.
  • Published: 2 July 2020
  • ISBN: 9781524738136
  • Imprint: Nancy Paulsen Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 208
  • RRP: $15.99
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Also by Padma Venkatraman

Safe Harbor
Born Behind Bars
A Time to Dance
Climbing the Stairs
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Praise for The Bridge Home

PRAISE FOR THE BRIDGE HOME (5 starred reviews!)
     * "Stellar . . . brings compassionate attention to the plight of India's homeless children. . . . Venkatraman's depiction of the streets of Chennai is a sensory experience. Her elegant prose tells a heartfelt, wholly captivating story while encouraging readers to consider larger issues including religion, poverty, and the caste system. An unforgettable tale of families lost, found, and moving ahead without leaving those they love behind."--SLJ STAR
     * "Viji's narration is vivid and sensory. . . . Also touches on social justice issues such as caste, child labor, and poverty elegantly, without sacrificing narrative. A blisteringly beautiful book."--Kirkus STAR
     * "Exquisitely narrated. . . . Venkatraman vividly sketches the group's precarious economic situation. . . . A poignant portrait of love, sacrifice, and chosen family in the midst of poverty."--PW STAR
     * "The four individual children and their tightknit relationship are portrayed with conviction and finesse. . . . The affecting narrative transports readers to a faraway setting that becomes vivid and real. . . . An absorbing novel of love, loss, and resilience."--Booklist STAR
     * "Hopeful yet heartbreaking. . . . Weaves a breathtaking story. . . . Does a beautiful job describing everyday life and showing that a 'home' and 'family' doesn't always correspond to a house with a white picket fence. This is a story that must be shared."--SLC STAR
     "The tenderness of Viji's love for her sister and her new 'brothers' will break hearts and inspire activist longings."--BCCB

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