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Reviewed by:
  • No Ordinary Day
  • Hope Morrison
Ellis, Deborah . No Ordinary Day. Groundwood, 2011. 160p. Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-55498-134-2 $16.95 Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-55498-108-3 $12.95 Ad Gr. 4-7.

When Valli learns that she is not really related to the family that has raised her in the Indian coal mining village of Jharia, she suddenly feels the freedom to leave them behind; given that she was abused by her alcoholic "uncle" and given only scraps of food after the other children had finished eating, it is hardly an emotional departure. After a harrowing series of circumstances, she ends up living on the streets of Kolkata, begging for change from tourists, fishing for coins in riverbeds, [End Page 143] and surviving. Dr. Indra takes an interest in Valli, noting the patches of white on her skin, and eventually convinces her to come to the hospital for an exam. There Valli discovers that she has leprosy, and though she initially flees, panicked by what seems like a horrible and unalterable fate, she finally returns to Dr. Indra for care and treatment. Ellis, best known for her Breadwinner trilogy, creates a remarkable narrative voice, both detached and immediate, and Valli's vivid descriptions of the setting bring the rougher side of India into clear focus. What the story boasts in voice and description, however, it lacks in its plot, which feels very forced and purpose-driven; Ellis essentially uses the the story of a girl terrified of lepers yet stricken with leprosy as a vehicle for educating about leprosy and the many misconceptions linked to it. Those willing to forgive the forced plot elements will appreciate Valli's story of overcoming the odds, however, as they travel alongside her through Kolkata's narrow streets and alleys. An author's note about leprosy and a glossary are included.

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