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Thirst
A New York Times Bestseller
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?
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?
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2022
About the author
Varsha Bajaj
14 books79 followersVarsha Bajaj grew up in Mumbai, India. When she came to the United States to obtain her master’s degree, her adjustment to the country was aided by her awareness of the culture through books. In addition to her previous picture books, she wrote the middle-grade novel Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood, which was shortlisted for the Cybils Award and included on the Spirit of Texas Reading Program. She lives in Houston, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 541 reviews
February 13, 2024
Mumbai is the city of dreams. The protagonist is a girl in the slums who dreams of one day living in a house where clean and drinkable water freely runs from a tap whenever she wants it to.
Her life suddenly gets flipped and turned upside down when her brother witnesses something fishy. With the eyes of the water mafia that rules over Mumbai on him, he has to be sent away for his safety. And then the protagonist discovers something too.
I like the theme and how it shows us the importance of water. A vital resource that should be regarded as a lot more precious than a lot of people might realize. The protagonist is well-fleshed out and has a very strong character arc. The feeling she has that she’s not being taken seriously by adults simply because she’s twelve years old frustrates her. But it also motivates her to take matters into her own hands. The final part of the book in particular is quite strong and ends with a satisfying conclusion.
Maybe a bit too cartoony black and white. Or as my friend Rosh calls it: a bit too Bollywood-ish. With a lot of poor people fighting on the streets over what little water they have, while the rich fill their pools without a care in the world. The story unfortunately doesn’t focus on the water aspect for quite a long time. There’s a lot more focus on Indian food and the friendship between the girl and her rich employer’s daughter. The protagonist’s many poems also always managed to take me out of the story at hand, instead of supplementing it.
Overall, a solid, light and amusing character-driven story with its heart in the right place. Though it does have some flaws.
Her life suddenly gets flipped and turned upside down when her brother witnesses something fishy. With the eyes of the water mafia that rules over Mumbai on him, he has to be sent away for his safety. And then the protagonist discovers something too.
I like the theme and how it shows us the importance of water. A vital resource that should be regarded as a lot more precious than a lot of people might realize. The protagonist is well-fleshed out and has a very strong character arc. The feeling she has that she’s not being taken seriously by adults simply because she’s twelve years old frustrates her. But it also motivates her to take matters into her own hands. The final part of the book in particular is quite strong and ends with a satisfying conclusion.
Maybe a bit too cartoony black and white. Or as my friend Rosh calls it: a bit too Bollywood-ish. With a lot of poor people fighting on the streets over what little water they have, while the rich fill their pools without a care in the world. The story unfortunately doesn’t focus on the water aspect for quite a long time. There’s a lot more focus on Indian food and the friendship between the girl and her rich employer’s daughter. The protagonist’s many poems also always managed to take me out of the story at hand, instead of supplementing it.
Overall, a solid, light and amusing character-driven story with its heart in the right place. Though it does have some flaws.
April 23, 2024
This is obviously one of the best books I have read this year. Short yet powerful and important. I wish more people read this book. It’s a middle grade book but I feel adults will gain the most out of it!
I don’t know what’s our education system is doing these days. I do not know and I am not going to comment on it. But I do feel every kid needs to know some of the very important things that we need to learn and why a close knit community is really important to make things happen, live in harmony, try to close the gap of social inequalities. I know this will take decades and generations but we have to start thinking about these issues first, right?
Hope this book reaches every school, every library and every home if possible.
Thank you, dear author, for writing a very important book.
The story screams the importance of social equality, girl child education and empowerment, the importance of dedication and the urge to do what’s right.
One very important story based on the importance of having clean drinking water.
And yes, World Water Day is on March 22nd. Let’s become more aware of the importance of clean water and if not, how it affects us and everything around us.
Such a good book!
I don’t know what’s our education system is doing these days. I do not know and I am not going to comment on it. But I do feel every kid needs to know some of the very important things that we need to learn and why a close knit community is really important to make things happen, live in harmony, try to close the gap of social inequalities. I know this will take decades and generations but we have to start thinking about these issues first, right?
Hope this book reaches every school, every library and every home if possible.
Thank you, dear author, for writing a very important book.
The story screams the importance of social equality, girl child education and empowerment, the importance of dedication and the urge to do what’s right.
One very important story based on the importance of having clean drinking water.
And yes, World Water Day is on March 22nd. Let’s become more aware of the importance of clean water and if not, how it affects us and everything around us.
Such a good book!
July 31, 2022
4.5 stars
Fantastic. This hard-hitting middle grade novel is great for an older audience too. I loved the writing and the plot held my interest. I also recommend the audiobook!
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of july≫
╰┈➤ 1. intimacies by katie kitamura
╰┈➤ 2. convenience store woman by sayaka murata
╰┈➤ 3. shout by laurie halse anderson
╰┈➤ 4. lemon by kwon yeo-sun
╰┈➤ 5. here the whole time by vitor martins
╰┈➤ 6. i’m still here: black dignity in a world made for whiteness by austin channing brown
╰┈➤ 7. the worst kind of want by liska jacobs
╰┈➤ 8. come as you are by emily nagoski
╰┈➤ 9. the swimmers by julie otsuka
╰┈➤ 10. fables: book one by bill willingham
╰┈➤ 11. the wild robot by peter brown
╰┈➤ 12. red to the bone by jacqueline woodson
╰┈➤ 13. afterlife by julia alvarez
╰┈➤ 14. no one is too small to make a difference by greta thunberg
╰┈➤ 15. ring shout by p. djèlí clark
╰┈➤ 16. a psalm for the wild-built by becky chambers
╰┈➤ 17. reasons to stay alive by matt haig
╰┈➤ 18. reminders of him by colleen hoover
╰┈➤ 19. binti by nnedi okorafor
╰┈➤ 20. the everything i have lost by sylvia zéleny
╰┈➤ 21. blackwater by jeannette arroyo and ren graham
╰┈➤ 22. thirst by varsha bajaj
Fantastic. This hard-hitting middle grade novel is great for an older audience too. I loved the writing and the plot held my interest. I also recommend the audiobook!
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of july≫
╰┈➤ 1. intimacies by katie kitamura
╰┈➤ 2. convenience store woman by sayaka murata
╰┈➤ 3. shout by laurie halse anderson
╰┈➤ 4. lemon by kwon yeo-sun
╰┈➤ 5. here the whole time by vitor martins
╰┈➤ 6. i’m still here: black dignity in a world made for whiteness by austin channing brown
╰┈➤ 7. the worst kind of want by liska jacobs
╰┈➤ 8. come as you are by emily nagoski
╰┈➤ 9. the swimmers by julie otsuka
╰┈➤ 10. fables: book one by bill willingham
╰┈➤ 11. the wild robot by peter brown
╰┈➤ 12. red to the bone by jacqueline woodson
╰┈➤ 13. afterlife by julia alvarez
╰┈➤ 14. no one is too small to make a difference by greta thunberg
╰┈➤ 15. ring shout by p. djèlí clark
╰┈➤ 16. a psalm for the wild-built by becky chambers
╰┈➤ 17. reasons to stay alive by matt haig
╰┈➤ 18. reminders of him by colleen hoover
╰┈➤ 19. binti by nnedi okorafor
╰┈➤ 20. the everything i have lost by sylvia zéleny
╰┈➤ 21. blackwater by jeannette arroyo and ren graham
╰┈➤ 22. thirst by varsha bajaj
August 14, 2022
5 stars. A “windows” book for most readers I know, they just turn the tap and out flows the water. Same with education, every day without a thought of availability. Minni bravely faces absences in her life, faces her fears, and overcomes obstacles to achieve her dream. Hope all readers will never take water or education for granted.
Want to read
September 21, 202121.09.2021 a middle grade novel set in the slums of mumbai around a young girl, corrupt officials, and a meagre water supply. so here for this!
February 12, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group (Nancy Paulsen Books) for the review copy of Thirst by Varsha Bajaj. This book is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
I was intrigued by this book because it has a setting that will allow my understanding of a different culture to expand, and the premise sounds fascinating. The thought that water could be such a rare commodity feels so strange to me - access to water is definitely something that I (as well as many of my students) take for granted every day.
Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day. Minni must wait in line at communal taps for a long time in order to get get water. One night, Minni, her brother, and a few friends witness water thieves, which catapults Minni to have to make decisions that could have dire consequences for her family no matter what.
MInni is a wonderful character, and the surrounding characters are amazing. If you enjoyed the book Amal Unbound, this would be a wonderful book to pick up. I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book to share with my students as soon as possible.
I was intrigued by this book because it has a setting that will allow my understanding of a different culture to expand, and the premise sounds fascinating. The thought that water could be such a rare commodity feels so strange to me - access to water is definitely something that I (as well as many of my students) take for granted every day.
Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day. Minni must wait in line at communal taps for a long time in order to get get water. One night, Minni, her brother, and a few friends witness water thieves, which catapults Minni to have to make decisions that could have dire consequences for her family no matter what.
MInni is a wonderful character, and the surrounding characters are amazing. If you enjoyed the book Amal Unbound, this would be a wonderful book to pick up. I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book to share with my students as soon as possible.
October 3, 2022
This was a wholesome book. I appreciated that it wasn’t sensational, and it didn’t hit us too heavily on the nose with its obvious climate change implications. Its urgency was understated the whole way through, which did make me worry at times that it just wouldn’t engage my students.
I think its biggest value, in my eyes, were those parts where the protagonist needs to do all the jobs her mom usually did. The realization of how good she’d always had it, and the sacrifices her mom made for her each day, were gold.
I think its biggest value, in my eyes, were those parts where the protagonist needs to do all the jobs her mom usually did. The realization of how good she’d always had it, and the sacrifices her mom made for her each day, were gold.
August 22, 2024
I really loved the connection of family and friends in this book. It shed a lot of light on appreciating those around you, doing what you can to help others, and helped differentiate between 'looking for trouble' and 'seeing trouble and doing something about it'. It also speaks about the needs for water and education in India, which is so heartbreaking.
I will definitely be getting my daughters to read this in the future.
I will definitely be getting my daughters to read this in the future.
March 2, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. Opened my eyes to the water shortage problem in the world. I just wished it was a little longer to flesh out the story but recommend. Great on audio.
October 28, 2023
Powerful book and a great introduction to the water crisis that many live with. I really loved the sense of community that shines through in the book, how everyone in the slum looked after each other and took care of each other.
April 11, 2023
i wish i'd had this book when i was a kid
April 7, 2022
Poignant and powerful story not only about Mumbai’s system but how one person- however young- can bring real change for the collective. Loved Minni’s story.
April 28, 2023
Not only was this book about a people's thirst for water, but a thirst for dreams. This is definitely a "windows" book. A window into a world that we as Americans have not experienced: the access to water. We can just turn on a tap, those in Mumbai and other countries don't have that luxury. This book focuses on the lives of Minni and her family as they work hard to survive in a city where there is a severe shortage of water and the citizens must also deal with water gang members who steal the water and sell it for a huge profit.
** 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?
** 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?
September 25, 2022
Minni, a middle-schooler in Mumbai, is the light of her family's life, working so hard in school to pass her final exams so she can "stay" in school. Sadly, the bottom drops out when on a fun ride in a fancy car brings disaster as her brother and friend spy on a water thief, and just barely escape capture. They need to leave the city quickly because they were recognized. Now Minni misses her brother, then her mother becomes ill and also has to leave to be cared for by her sister. Can life get any more complicated? Minni has to do her mother's house-cleaning job in a rich people's home after school. She has to gather water at the pumps, then boil it for cleanliness early in the morning, and all the time trying to study, too.
For young readers seeing a child's life in another culture will bring them new knowledge of hardship in our world, and then Minni also shows them her courage, and how important the help and support from a best friend can be. I've taught this age and love that Varsha Bajaj has shown how capable under the worst of circumstances they can be. It's a wonderful story of a courageous young woman.
For young readers seeing a child's life in another culture will bring them new knowledge of hardship in our world, and then Minni also shows them her courage, and how important the help and support from a best friend can be. I've taught this age and love that Varsha Bajaj has shown how capable under the worst of circumstances they can be. It's a wonderful story of a courageous young woman.
March 13, 2024
An eye-opening middle-grade realistic fiction set in Mumbai that shows the clash of wealth disparity and the trials of life without reliable access to water. It clearly shows the obstacles poor families face when trying to access better lives through education, health care and resources while still telling a compelling story. If I had any complaints, it would be the sterility of the plot and characters-each representing more of an idea than a believable person, never quite pulling on the big emotions. They do serve adequately for telling this type of tale.
Fantastic job by the audiobook narrator as well.
Fantastic job by the audiobook narrator as well.
June 15, 2024
I really liked this book! I loved how the author incorporated so many metaphors, similes, and symbolism with the water and nature objects, comparing a lot of them to life. I especially thought it was clever to compare water to life since it is a saying that “water is life” since it gives life to things that grow. I also really liked the plot line and how there were so many factors involved in the story, like illness, discussion of clothes caste system, discussions of religion and religious differences, mention of the water crisis and how that affects a community, and the issue of not having access to a lot of things we take for granted over in other countries. I also loved the emphasis on community and people coming together in order to help a neighbor and friend in need. It was a very thought out, well-paced book with plenty of heroic and everyday deeds mixed in to create a form of a hero’s journey in modern day Mumbai.
April 1, 2023
This middle grade book addresses the importance of water supply and access to clean water. The setting is India. It made me realize how much I take for granted clean water and the abundance of it in my privileged life.
Read
January 28, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Water scarcity (theme)
Poverty
Water scarcity (theme)
Poverty
July 12, 2024
Great story about the things we take for granted in life, especially clean running water, education, family, and supportive friends.
October 11, 2024
3 stars because it’s clearly written for a younger audience that has a lot to learn about the world - nothing inherently wrong with that!
October 9, 2024
Thirst by Varsha Bijaj is a novel set in the slums of Mumbai, where water is scarce and people have to wait in long lines with buckets, bowls, and pots to fill up water from the sputtering spout each day. After collecting their water, it needs to be boiled to remove contaminants. With weak monsoon seasons and water thieves, there are more severe water shortages than ever before. Yet, just a few blocks over are families in high rises that have unlimited fresh tap water and swimming pools. The story centers around a 12 year old girl named Minni who has to juggle between school, work, and family troubles.
I found this book from the Global Read Aloud List and it has been nominated for countless awards such as the South Asian Book Award, Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee, and Nerdy Book Club. I read an audiobook version on Libby, which I highly recommend as the narrator was engaging and Indian as well, which made the experience feel more authentic.
The characters and storyline instantly drew me in. Each time a chapter ended, I wanted to know what happened next. In many ways, this is a coming of age story for Minni as we see her character grow and change as she faces new challenges and is forced to grow up too quickly. She is a protagonist that you can connect with, but also learn from. The secondary characters were also interesting and included their own character development without crowding the plot. Additionally, the author utilized compelling descriptive imagery and it was easy to create a mental image of what was happening in the story.
Many cultural elements are weaved throughout the book and I learned a lot about what life looked like for people living in the slums of Mambai. One thing that stuck out to me was the strong knit community and how people took care of each other, during hard times and good times. Bajaj touches on the intersection of poverty, generational wealth, and race. This book brings awareness to the water crisis and social justice. The story also includes strong themes of friendship and family and power and greed.
This novel is best for middle school students, as they will be able to connect with some similar struggles of being a 12 year old like Minni. However, this book is also a great starting point for discussions on water scarcity, power and greed, the power of education, and how to seek social justice. At the end of the book, the author’s note includes facts about the water crisis. Students can do a research project accompanying this book to learn about these real issues that plague many people’s lives. This was a very powerful read and I can’t recommend it enough. “Water is life. Like life, it’s always changing.”
I found this book from the Global Read Aloud List and it has been nominated for countless awards such as the South Asian Book Award, Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee, and Nerdy Book Club. I read an audiobook version on Libby, which I highly recommend as the narrator was engaging and Indian as well, which made the experience feel more authentic.
The characters and storyline instantly drew me in. Each time a chapter ended, I wanted to know what happened next. In many ways, this is a coming of age story for Minni as we see her character grow and change as she faces new challenges and is forced to grow up too quickly. She is a protagonist that you can connect with, but also learn from. The secondary characters were also interesting and included their own character development without crowding the plot. Additionally, the author utilized compelling descriptive imagery and it was easy to create a mental image of what was happening in the story.
Many cultural elements are weaved throughout the book and I learned a lot about what life looked like for people living in the slums of Mambai. One thing that stuck out to me was the strong knit community and how people took care of each other, during hard times and good times. Bajaj touches on the intersection of poverty, generational wealth, and race. This book brings awareness to the water crisis and social justice. The story also includes strong themes of friendship and family and power and greed.
This novel is best for middle school students, as they will be able to connect with some similar struggles of being a 12 year old like Minni. However, this book is also a great starting point for discussions on water scarcity, power and greed, the power of education, and how to seek social justice. At the end of the book, the author’s note includes facts about the water crisis. Students can do a research project accompanying this book to learn about these real issues that plague many people’s lives. This was a very powerful read and I can’t recommend it enough. “Water is life. Like life, it’s always changing.”
November 23, 2022
Such a great middle grade read. So many teachers and students are asking for more positive books to enjoy and this is just it! A important message, great story, and even better possibilities in the classroom!
August 18, 2022
Another great book about growing up poor in Mumbai, India, that will show most readers a window into a world they may not have ever imagined. Real life struggles like living in a very small space, witnessing something scary and having to send your brother somewhere far away from home to keep him safe, showing up in your mom’s place to clean a wealthy family’s home because she’s ill but needs to keep her job (you’re twelve, by the way) and waiting in long lines everyday for just a little bit of water for your family. Also, real life joys like having a best friend (you’re Hindu, she’s Muslim, but it doesn’t matter because you’re true friends), eating your mom’s special rotis and drinking your dad’s delicious chai tea from his corner tea shop, and working hard to do well in school. Well written. Perfectly paced and engaging. Loved it.
September 22, 2022
What worked:
The Indian culture is featured in the story, especially the challenges of living within a caste system. Minni’s family is of a low caste and they live in a tiny shack with a leaky tin roof. Minni’s brother had to quit school after tenth grade and hopes to become a chef someday. Her father owns a tea stand and her mother cleans the home of a wealthy family. Readers are shown a stark contrast between castes when Minni is forced to fill in for her mother. The extravagant home has running water, and a bathroom as big as Minni’s whole house! Minni’s neighborhood is called a slum, and she learns that only 5% of the city’s water supply is supposed to be enough for the 40% of the population from the lowest caste.
Much of the plot shares the challenges of Minni’s everyday life, but the value of water is emphasized too. In addition to standing in line for morning water, the family needs to boil it before drinking due to the unseen bacteria teeming inside. The water mafia steals water supplies around the city and sells it for huge profits. They bribe officials and the police to ignore their crimes but the citizens are the ones who pay the price. Minni’s brother is forced to flee the city when he witnesses thieves stealing water from a tanker truck since the water mafia will kill him if he’s found. Everyone prays for a plentiful monsoon season when torrential rains will make fresh water more available and ease the citizens’ struggles.
The family unit is especially important to Minni but she realizes her “family” extends into the community as well. She dearly misses her brother and she’ll do anything to help her mother and father. After her mother becomes ill, Minni discovers all of the unseen things her mother has done to support her kids and family. Minni struggles to take on her mother’s tasks but neighbors are ready to assist her with food and friendship. Minni’s best friend, teacher, and others offer her assistance when things become overwhelming. Minni is able to find success with the help from her community.
What didn’t work as well:
The head of the local water mafia is predictable and the arrest almost felt anticlimactic. I was expecting more drama and suspense due to Minni’s involvement but the story’s climax didn’t reach the heights I expected. The focus of the book is more about Minni’s struggles living in the slums so I guess it makes sense.
The Final Verdict:
The author presents a variety of problems for Minni and readers should empathize with people oppressed by society due to their circumstances. It’s hard to succeed when others tell you that you’re a lesser person. The book tells an emotional tale of a young girl chasing her dreams, and I recommend you give it a shot.
The Indian culture is featured in the story, especially the challenges of living within a caste system. Minni’s family is of a low caste and they live in a tiny shack with a leaky tin roof. Minni’s brother had to quit school after tenth grade and hopes to become a chef someday. Her father owns a tea stand and her mother cleans the home of a wealthy family. Readers are shown a stark contrast between castes when Minni is forced to fill in for her mother. The extravagant home has running water, and a bathroom as big as Minni’s whole house! Minni’s neighborhood is called a slum, and she learns that only 5% of the city’s water supply is supposed to be enough for the 40% of the population from the lowest caste.
Much of the plot shares the challenges of Minni’s everyday life, but the value of water is emphasized too. In addition to standing in line for morning water, the family needs to boil it before drinking due to the unseen bacteria teeming inside. The water mafia steals water supplies around the city and sells it for huge profits. They bribe officials and the police to ignore their crimes but the citizens are the ones who pay the price. Minni’s brother is forced to flee the city when he witnesses thieves stealing water from a tanker truck since the water mafia will kill him if he’s found. Everyone prays for a plentiful monsoon season when torrential rains will make fresh water more available and ease the citizens’ struggles.
The family unit is especially important to Minni but she realizes her “family” extends into the community as well. She dearly misses her brother and she’ll do anything to help her mother and father. After her mother becomes ill, Minni discovers all of the unseen things her mother has done to support her kids and family. Minni struggles to take on her mother’s tasks but neighbors are ready to assist her with food and friendship. Minni’s best friend, teacher, and others offer her assistance when things become overwhelming. Minni is able to find success with the help from her community.
What didn’t work as well:
The head of the local water mafia is predictable and the arrest almost felt anticlimactic. I was expecting more drama and suspense due to Minni’s involvement but the story’s climax didn’t reach the heights I expected. The focus of the book is more about Minni’s struggles living in the slums so I guess it makes sense.
The Final Verdict:
The author presents a variety of problems for Minni and readers should empathize with people oppressed by society due to their circumstances. It’s hard to succeed when others tell you that you’re a lesser person. The book tells an emotional tale of a young girl chasing her dreams, and I recommend you give it a shot.
July 23, 2022
Another great middle school novel by Varsha Bajaj. Minni’s story captures the inequity of access to water in Mumbai. Minni voices the potential and capacity of girls to make positive changes to the world.
September 26, 2022
This amazing book follows the experiences of a young girl growing up in the slums of Mumbai, India. As the story opens, Minni and her beloved older brother Sanjay are sitting on a hill overlooking the Arabian Sea, admiring a bridge and talking about their dreams for when they grow up. Despite living in a poor neighborhood where the small homes are built almost on top of one another, and despite having the gather water each day from the local tap, Minni and her brother maintain a hopeful outlook. Minni hopes to finish school and get a good job to help support her family. Sanjay currently works at a restaurant, but hopes to eventually become a chef. But a dangerous encounter with the water mafia puts Sanjay's dreams on hold as he has to flee the neighborhood for safety. And Minni's school dreams take a dive when her mother gets sick and she has to fill in at her job cleaning for a rich family. And even winning a scholarship to attend a computer class doesn't make things any easier. Just when Minni rediscovers her hopes and dreams, she runs into a water thief. She is left wondering what the right thing to do is? Keep her mouth shut to protect her family and let the water thief continue to rob the neighborhood, or put herself at risk by saying something? Bajaj has created endearing characters who immediately drew me into their story. Minni's optimism, her sweet relationship with her family, and the firm friendship she has with her best friend Faiza all help carry her through some enormous challenges. The easy-to-read writing and the under 200 pages length make this an even more attractive package. I love stories like this one that provide a window to a world very different than my own. I look forward to sharing this great book with my students for many years to come.
August 4, 2022
One of the reasons I read is to broaden my understanding of the world and how it works. I want to learn, to grow and allow reading to change me for the better. This book was the perfect catalyst for this. In it, we meet Minni, a 12-year old girl who lives in the poorest part of India where water is scarce and her family must go to great lengths to access it. When Minni and her brother witness the mafia stealing their water, their lives completely change. Her brother is sent away to live with family to ensure his safety and when her mother becomes ill again, Minni is left to work in her place while still maintaining her schoolwork. Through it all, Minni learns of the power of family, friendship and community…and the small acts of courage that can change a community. This book is an eye-opener for many, including myself, who take free access to clean water for granted.
November 30, 2022
I liked the way this book tackled class inequality from a child's point of view. The differences between Minni and Pinky were stark, and they responded to each other's realities in a realistically naïve way. This would play well with fans of books like The Night Diary or The Bridge Home.
August 26, 2022
I really wanted to love this book as it is an incredibly important topic, and I am excited that it was written in a way that is accessible to children. I struggled a bit to connect to the character and storyline, though.
December 10, 2022
This will make a great GRA book and it's selection and setting begs comparisons to The Bridge Home with the hopefulness of Amal Unbound.
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