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The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
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The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Paperback $8.99
Apr 14, 2020 | ISBN 9781524738136

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  • $8.99

    Apr 14, 2020 | ISBN 9781524738136 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

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  • $17.99

    Feb 05, 2019 | ISBN 9781524738112 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

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  • Feb 05, 2019 | ISBN 9781524738129 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

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  • Feb 05, 2019 | ISBN 9781984845085 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

    273 Minutes

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Product Details

Praise

* “Venkatraman’s middle-grade debut tackles sisterhood, chosen families, and loss. . . . Viji’s narration is vivid and sensory. . . . The novel also touches on social justice issues such as caste, child labor, and poverty elegantly, without sacrificing narrative. A blisteringly beautiful book.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “Exquisitely narrated novel set in Chennai, India. . . . Venkatraman vividly sketches the group’s precarious economic situation. . . . This is a poignant portrait of love, sacrifice, and chosen family in the midst of poverty.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

* “The four individual children and their tightknit relationship are portrayed with conviction and finesse. Written in the form of a letter from Viji to her sister, the affecting narrative transports readers to a faraway setting that becomes vivid and real. While the young characters face unusually difficult challenges, together they find the courage they need to move forward. The author of A Time to Dance, Venkatraman offers an absorbing novel of love, loss, and resilience.”—Booklist, starred review

* “In her stellar middle grade debut, Venkatraman 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.”—School Library Journal, starred review

* “Hopeful yet heartbreaking. . . . Venkatraman weaves a breathtaking story which takes the reader to the streets of India, where millions of homeless children fight to survive each day. . . . It is a story that must be told, and Venkatraman 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.”—School Library connection, starred review

“An author’s note attests to the reality of all of the situations described in the book as having been drawn from first-person accounts; the tenderness of Viji’s love for her sister and her new ‘brothers’ will break hearts and inspire activist longings.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Readers will be captivated by the message of love and the true meaning of home and family. The book demonstrates how people, even if they are not related, can form a family.”—Voice of Youth Advocates

Awards

ALA Notable Children’s Book WINNER

ALSC Notable Children’s Recordings WINNER

Golden Kite Award for Fiction WINNER

Notable Books for a Global Society Award WINNER

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