I wouldn’t normally be drawn to a middle grade/young adult novel set in war-torn India, but Bamboo People is written by Mitali Perkins, and it was available as an audiobook, which makes it easier for me to get interested in a theme that isn’t familiar to me.
I’ve read a couple of Perkins’ novels and whether they are about contemporary young women living in America or a Rickshaw Girl, I enjoyed her accurate characterization. That’s the hook that kept me interested in Bamboo People as well.
Chiko’s father is a political prisoner. He and his mother are struggling financially, and though his mother wants to keep him safe from the military who is rounding up teen boys at all costs, Chiko wants to get a job teaching. He’s a good reader, thanks to his father’s work with him, and now that the government thinks that the future might lie in educating Burmese boys, not just teaching them to fight, he thinks he might get his wish.
Tu-Reh is a Karenni. He and his village hate the Burmese soldiers for destroying their village. But when he finds a wounded Chiko — a slight 15-year-old boy, not a soldier — he has compassion on him and brings him back to his village.
Though these boys are from warring factions, they come to understand and appreciate their similarities.
This definitely feels like a “boy” book to me. But for Perkins’ rich writing and empathetic portrayal of the boys on both sides, I might not have gotten through it, even though the story is compelling.
For boys who are obsessed with interested in war, Bamboo People gives a real look a contemporary civil war affecting teenage boys. It’s an interesting look at that culture, and I think it would teach privileged entitled American boys the importance and the price of doing what’s right. It’s not preachy, and that’s not the intent of the book, but I have to wonder if after reading a boy would complain that it wasn’t fair that he didn’t have the newest Xbox game on the day of its release.
Though I’ve read a lot about Indian culture and society, this book (and the adult novel Miss New India to a lesser degree) really opened my eyes to the internal strife that the nation is experiencing amidst cultures and classes.
(At this writing, the hardcover version of Bamboo People is offered at a bargain price, even lower than a paperback).
AUDIO NOTES:
Like I said earlier, I think that the fact that I was listening helped me stick with this story. It was an entertaining and worthwhile listen and Johnathan Davis did a good job of reading. And as I’ve said before, audiobooks are a great alternative for kids who might not love reading, no matter their age.
CONTENT NOTES:
Though this is a story about war, there isn’t too much explicit action. There is some death and some talk about killing enemies. However, it’s a mature story that is going to be best appreciated by readers 11 and up.
One reason Jennifer Donovan enjoys audiobooks is because they allow her to take in information in an easier way. She blogs at Snapshot.