The Garbage King

ISBN: 0764126261

Author: Laird, Elizabeth

Condition: New

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)