The Bridge Home is a powerful story about overcoming difficulty and the unexpected friends that become like family. Venkatraman crafted a captivating tale of four homeless kids who find a path forward and choose to trust—and hope—again. Brief overview:
Two sisters run away from a difficult home situation in their village and stumble across two homeless boys in the city. Together the four navigate life in India together and form a makeshift family under a bridge. As the children collect trash to earn money, they must figure out how to live life without adults and protect one another from the daily dangers of the street. Recommended age range: 9-12
Strengths:
- Allows middle grade readers to experience what life is like for kids who end up on the streets in age-appropriate ways.
- The storyline is engaging and based on the stories of real street kids.
- An element of surprise as Venkatraman beautifully unpacks the depths and stories of each key character.
Additional Notes:- I recommend reading together and discussing how the author defined Christian beliefs versus what the Bible teaches.
Overall rating: 9 (out of 10)
