Boys without Names (review)

Burdened with medical costs, the family of eleven-year-old Gopal must flee the money collector in their small Indian village in hope of finding a better life in Mumbai. Shortly after they arrive in the city, Gopal's father disappears; determined to help his struggling family, Gopal seeks work but finds himself abducted into virtual slavery, working in a sweatshop alongside other captive children. This fictional exposé is based upon Sheth's many interviews with Indian kids in child labor and with organizations in India seeking to help such children, and the details offered of day-to-day life in the sweatshop are harrowing: the boys are essentially starved to death, refused medicine, beaten when their work is deemed inadequate, and forbidden to speak to one another during the long, hot days. Gopal differs from the other boys in possessing a family and a basic education, and in time his leadership draws the group together through the telling of kahanis, or stories, both personal and folkloric. The dynamics among the boys are intriguing, with leadership changing hands, lies being used strategically, stories both dividing and uniting, and alliances constantly shifting. The story starts slowly, but once Gopal arrives at the factory, the pacing is fast and the characterization strong. Gopal's inner monologue is sincere and reflective, and the necessity of holding tight to your imagination when it's your only salvation is presented with conviction and sincerity. This is a strong work of contemporary fiction that offers young readers an authentic glimpse into a world very different from what they may know; it could also partner effectively with nonfiction works on the problem of forced child labor such as Susan Kuklin's Iqbal Masih and the Crusaders against Child Slavery (BCCB 11/98).