Sold by Patricia McCormick

This is one book that has stayed with me long after I finished reading it. I read Sold thinking it took place some time in the past...but as I read it I realized that this was told in present time...which blew me away! I've read about the issue of sex slavery but it truly became real to me while reading this book.

I love the style in which McCormick writes, the free verse and prose is beautiful, powerful and heartbreaking all at the same time. One of my favorite lines is: "I do not know a word / big enough to hold my sadness." Wow. I am so impressed with Lakshmi's resilience...when she says, "I know something else as well. I know that I would endure a hundred punishments to be free of this place." I wanted to stand up and cheer. On the other hand, I felt so very sad for those young girls who stayed and endured their lives.

My heart breaks for Lakshmi- to be so full of hope and excitement for her future and then to be broken down in such a horrible way- her step father invoked such anger in me! And to think, according to the author's notes, nearly 12,000 young girls are sold by their families into a life of slavery...in just Nepal alone! My only complaint about the book is that I would have loved another chapter, where does she go? How does she make out? Does she heal and move on? Go back to her village? I guess the mark of a good book is that it makes you feel and this book certainly did make me feel...it made me want to do something about this horrendous situation! I think Cathy Phelps is looking into the role Amnesty International could/does play in this situation. Perhaps she could explain??

Anxious to hear what you all thought.