Sold

by Patricia McCormick

Summary:
Girls all over the world are sold into prostitution by their families. Sometimes the families don't know where the girls are going, but they are desperate for the money and believe they are giving them a chance at a better life. Once they arrive at their new 'home' the girls are spun into a constant cycle of debt, working off the money their parents were paid for them, working off the food they eat, working off the cost of a cot to sleep on, of medicine when they get sick. Sold is a fictional story of how one girl found herself thrust into this life, and how she found the courage to escape it.

Review:
Sold does a marvelous job of tackling the issue of child prostitution in an age appropriate way. While better for slightly older teens, the book shows the cycle these unwitting girls are trapped in. While Lakshmi is lucky enough to meet an American who runs an aid organization, most girls are not. The book does a good job of explaining that while all these girls should have Lakshmi's option of escape most don't or are too afraid to take it. It's a book that will stick with the reader after they put it down, and perhaps inspire those who read it to help in whatever way they can.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade