The freedom seeker

Gupta (I Kick and I Fly) follows one immigrant child's experience attempting a dangerous border crossing to seek refuge in this wrenching family story. Twelve-year-old field hockey player Simi Singh and her Punjabi family have happily lived in Chandigarh, India, all her life. Then her father is badly beaten by members of a conservative group that's advocating to ban interfaith marriages, including that of Simi's Hindu Sikh abbu and Muslim ammi. After Abbu applies for--and is denied--a visa to the U.S., he instead opts to travel there via the Donkey Express, "chartered planes that smuggle Punjabis to America illegally." Granted asylum in the U.S., Abbu works to send money back for Ammi and Simi's escape. But complications during her own journey to the U.S. find Simi separated from her mother in Mexico. Gupta powerfully exposes how othering occurs via frank prose that details the rapid escalation of prejudice rhetoric in Simi's neighborhood, the brutal conditions of the border crossing, and the cruel political bureaucracy Simi contends with during her travels. This sobering novel's optimistic and steadfast tone-- highlighted through Simi's own self-determination, and in joyful instances of kindness and connection-- rings true across grim depictions of loss. Ages 8--12. (Aug.)

Gr 3--7--A 12-year-old is forced to flee Northern India and becomes entangled in an immigration nightmare. Simi is a regular tween in Punjab with a loving family, supportive best friends, and ambitions to play in a big field hockey championship. But Simi's Ammi is Muslim, and Abbu is Hindu-Sikh, while her parents' mixed-faith marriage marks them out for increasing discrimination and hostility. The family decides to leave when Abbu is brutally attacked, and he successfully claims asylum in the U.S. Simi and Ammi are not so lucky, however, due to a crackdown on "chain migration" of asylees' families that leaves them desperately deciding to enter the U.S. via Mexico without visas. This leaves them vulnerable to ruthless coyotes, and Simi is separated from her mother as they cross the border. Gupta has crafted a compelling narrative about an important part of migration. Simi is resourceful and likable as she struggles with others' bigotry, homesickness, and her familial separation. The secondary characters are generally appealing but, due to Simi experiencing much of this alone, they are not as fully developed. Jose, a 12-year-old from Honduras who befriends Simi when he crosses the border with her, is the most well-rounded of the diverse supporting cast. There is no perfectly wrapped-up ending, but there are hopeful depictions of people who want to help, whether they are immigration officials or supportive members of the public. VERDICT This timely book about migration and asylum complements Kelly Yang's Front Desk and Pam Muñoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising.--Grace Pickering

Fleeing bigotry in Chandigarh, India, a girl faces a perilous immigration journey to the United States. Twelve-year-old Simran has a loving family and caring best friends, Ravi and Reena--and she's just been selected as the captain of her middle school field hockey team. But just as she's enjoying this happy news, Simi's family faces nasty threats of religious and racial hatred. After her Sikh father, Gurbeer Singh, is brutally beaten for being married to her Muslim mother, Henna Ali, the extended family decides that the three will seek asylum in America. Although Gurbeer, who was a farmer back home, is granted political asylum and starts driving a taxi in New York City, Simi and her mother are denied entry, propelling them to fly to Mexico via Spain and attempt the dangerous border crossing to reunite with Abbu. As coyotes take them on foot across the desert toward Arizona, Simi becomes separated from Ammi, and she endures nightmarish experiences in her attempt to rejoin her parents. Acts of kindness from strangers and her new friendship with Jose, a 12-year-old Honduran boy, sustain the brave and realistically drawn protagonist. The same leadership skills that made her a great field hockey captain come to Simi's aid as she navigates the bewildering and brutal immigration system. Through evocative and accessible writing, this gut-punch of a story illuminates the global rise of intolerance and the anguish faced by those who seek safety. A riveting story of love, hope, and survival. (author's note, additional resources, glossary)(Fiction. 8-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.