Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman

How I Heard About It:
*After reading The Bridge Home, I knew Padma Venkatraman was meant to write for the middle-grade reader.  That is one of my favorite stories.  Over the summer, I began to see praise and positive reviews about her upcoming new story.  I was so excited for the release.  I was even more excited when an ARC of the novel landed on my doorstep.  I got to reading and didn't stop until I finished.


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Kabir has not lived a typical life with his mother.  In fact their life together has been quite different since the day he was "born behind bars".

*His mother was sent to prison for a crime she didn't commit.

*When a new warden is assigned to the prison, he decides Kabir is too old to be there and must leave.

*Kabir finds himself on the streets by himself searching for a family that may or may not be out there.

*While on his own, he meets Rani, a young girl who is also living alone, and the two of them form a special friendship.


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:

*Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!!!

*I absolutely loved the story of Kabir, his life in prison, and how he adapted to life of freedom on the streets.

*Padma tackles some important and timely topics and does a wonderful job of conveying those messages/ideas to the reader.

*As the reader, I found the set-up and format to be quite appealing and engaging.  The plot flowed from chapter to chapter and I appreciated the short chapters.

*Kabir and Rani are two of the most incredible young characters and I can't wait to have my students meet them during the upcoming school year.  

Who Should Read It:

*Readers in grades four and five would be ideal for the new story.  I'm planning on using the book as a class read aloud.  I know it will lead to some incredible discussions.  All middle-school classrooms and libraries NEED a copy of the book to share with their students.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars