Sold by Patricia McCormick

ISBN: 978-078685172-0
Hyperion Paperbacks, NY
2006
263 pages

Plot Summary

13-year-old Lakshmi is like thousands of girls who live in poverty in the mountains of Nepal. She is absolutely under the control of the men in her life and, unfortunately her step-father has gambled away what little money they had. Lakshmi is sold (ostensibly to be a maid) to the "big city" and takes her first train ride into India. However, when she arrives at her new home, it is a brothel ruled by a sadistic madame. Lashmi remains strong, however, and when an opportunity presents itself, she escapes.

Critical Evaluation

Through the eyes of 13-year-old Lakshmi we see the horrors and sadness of the plight of young girls sold into sexual slavery. The story is told in a series of vignettes so it makes for fast reading. This book was hard to put down because, even though this particular story is fictional, it depicts the reality of life for so many poor girls around the world. This is an important story that we don't hear enough about - this book should be required reading in high school to get the word out of the plight of so many women.

Reader's Annotation

13-year-old Lakshmi leads a desperately poor but not unhappy life in the Nepalese mountains. Unfortunately her step-father gambles away what little money they have and Lakshmi is sold - she thinks - to be a maid in the big city - but instead she has been sold into sexual slavery.

Author Info

Patricia McCormick traveled to India and Nepal where she interviewed girls in Calcutta's red-light district and others who have been rescued from the sex trade.

She is also the bestselling author of Cut.

Genre

Realistic YA about the sex trade

Curriculum Ties

Women's studies - but should be required reading in high school.

Booktalking Ideas

1. Lakshmi goes on her first train ride and leaves her home in the mountains of Nepal.

2. The David Beckham boy teaches Lakshmi how to read Hindi and English.

Reading/Interest Level

High school to adult

Challenge Issues and Defense

sex trade, child prostitution

This is a story that needs to be told. In the Author's Note, she states that nearly 12,000 Nepali girls have been sold by their families into a life of prostitution in India.

and this was a National Book Award Finalist

Why I Included This Book

This was an ALA Top Ten Best Books for YA and it was used in our controversial YA literature presentation.