 Twelve-year-old Minni and her older brother Sanjay live in a poor neighborhood in Mumbai, India. Their only access to clean water happens at a set time of the day when members of the community stand in line to fill their containers. One night, Sanjay and his friends witness the “water mafia” stealing water from a tanker truck. To be safe, Sanjay and his friend have to leave town. Minni’s ill mother has to move to the countryside to recover and Minni takes over her mother’s maid job until her she can return. On top of all of this, Minni has to balance school and an extra computer class she is enrolled in. Minni’s introspective narration and occasional poetry instill hope in her environment which is especially hard on women and children. Minni is a smart, strong, and optimistic girl. The book is a look at the importance of free water and how the unfairness surrounding its distribution impacts poor communities in India. It also reveals class differences that still exist today. An author’s note provides more information about the water crisis in India. mjw Title: Thirst |
Thirst
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It’s an ordinary day for the bird family. The young ones, Lena and her little brother Bo, play, sing, hunt mosquitoes, and talk about their legs and toes. They have worm pie for dinner. Bo picks out the worms and only eats the pie shell. At night they fall asleep in their nest. Watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations show the funny facial expressions and cute hairstyles of the birds. The details in the family’s home are offbeat and interesting. This gentle story reflects on human behavior through this humorous bird family. mjw
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