Thirst
by
Varsha Bajaj
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Penguin Random House
Imprint
Nancy Paulsen
ISBN
9780593354391
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Crime: Gang/Organized Crime , Discrimination: General , Violence: General
The riveting story of a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone.
Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity—an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night. Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there’s even a rooftop swimming pool. What Minni also discovers there is one of the water mafia bosses. Now she must decide whether to expose him and risk her job and maybe her life. How did something as simple as access to water get so complicated?
Author’s note, with resources.
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Crime: Gang/Organized Crime , Discrimination: General , Violence: General
Details
Format
Page Count
192
Trim Size
8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Dewey
F
AR
4.4: points 5
Lexile
710L
Genre
Fic
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Oct 2022
Book Genres
Realistic Fiction
Topics
Water security. Water shortages. Mumbai, India. Poverty and homelessness. Families. Education. Computers.
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Cover Art
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Praise & Reviews
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Library Journal
Gr 3-6-Twelve-year-old Minni and her older brother Sanjay might live in a poor neighborhood in India, but they have big dreams: to finish school, get good jobs, and maybe live in one of the tall buildings where water runs from the taps. One night, Sanjay and his friend witness the "water mafia" stealing water from the community tap in a tanker truck, and Minni's world changes overnight. Sanjay and his friend must leave town for their own safety. Minni's mother, recently ill, leaves to recover in the countryside. Minni must take over her mother's maid work and household duties until she can return, while balancing school and a new computer coding class at the community center. Despite the title, the story largely focuses on Minni's internal thirst-for her family to be reunited, for knowledge, for opportunity, for fair treatment-rather than the water thieves. This part of the story is the strongest. Minni is a likable narrator, and readers will connect with her dreams and courage in the face of unfair treatment. The book also serves as a window into class difference. For example, Minni's job includes cleaning the bathroom for a girl her age and discovering that the room is bigger than her family's entire apartment. The water thieves plot is resolved too easily, but that doesn't diminish the impact of the book's message. One death occurs off-page, and Minni fears it is related to the water mafia, but details are never fully revealed. VERDICT A meditative first purchase for middle grade collections.-Lindsay Loup?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Grades 5-8
PG Middle Plus
For Grades 5-8
For middle school readers who enjoy fascinating stories but want less edgy content, PGM is the perfect choice. Be assured that the 12 books offered in this category will be inoffensive to readers, teachers and parents.
14 books per Year
$285.46 per Year
Interests
Clean Books,Chapter Books/Novels,Diversity,Fiction,Funny/Humorous,Reluctant Readers
Grades 5-8
PG Middle Plus
14 books per Year
$285.46 per Year
