Justice July – Refugees

Deborah Ellis is a fitting author for Justice July.  Over the years I have read many of her books with the latest being the recently published The Best day of My Life.  Whilst I have tagged this specific blog with refugee (because of her Breadwinner /Parvana  series), this book is not about refugees but another form of displaced people – the homeless,  parentless children who beg in the streets of India.  The main character is a lively, fun loving girl called Valli who escapes her family’s bonds and sets out looking for a better life in Kolkata.   She faces a number of different kinds of prejudice and stigmas as she tries to survive on the streets.  This story is confronting and informative but not as gutwrenching as Parvana and Parvana’s Journey.  I prefer the light heartedness of Valli compared to the death surrounding Parvana and I like Valli’s sense of passing on good deeds (pay it forward). Despite this difference, I believe all (Australian) teenagers should read the Parvana books as well as The Best day of My Life AND the following

• Four Feet Two Sandals
• Dust
• The Island
• Home and Away