Saraswati's Way by Monika Schroder

Saraswati's Way by Monika Schroder is about Akash, a twelve year old boy living in a small rural village in India. His family is deeply in debt and struggling to earn money through farming their small plot of land. Unfortunately, even their crops are in danger due to a drought which hasn't brought rain for many months. When Akash's father suddenly dies of the yearly fever, their family is thrown into turmoil. Left without a strong man to tend the crops and earn money, Akash's grandmother sends him with Kumar, the man to whom they owe rent, to work in the rock quarry to pay off their family's debt. Akash has been working hard to learn math skills, hoping to score well on his final exams so that he can earn a scholarship to attend a middle school in the city the following year. Once he sees how unfairly Kumar runs his busniess, Akash realizes that he will never be able to pay off his family's debt. So, he runs away and begins a life of his own, living on the streets in Delhi, India. Akash's only goal is to earn enough money to pay a tutor to help him in math so he can do well on his test. He meets Rohit, another boy living on the streets, and with him, tries various ways of earning money, including scavenging trash from trains and even selling drugs. Akash's hope of hiring a tutor and going to school begins to wane as he loses most of his money and Rohit goes back to his own village to care for his sick mother. Akash even begins to think the gods (Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and knowledge, and Ganesha, god of good luck and remover of obstacles) may not be willing to help him. However, Akash's unfailing integrity help him do the right thing when Ramesh, the newspaper stand owner he's been working for, gets hurt and needs immediate medical attention. Akash's quick decisions ultimately lead to securing a safe place to live, a generous benefactor, two honest well-paying jobs, and hope for his future.

I was so excited to read Saraswati's Way. I was honored when the author, Monika Schroder sent me an advance copy! And, I absolutely loved the story. I learned so much about the lives of people in India, especially the difficulties many poverty-stricken children face. Akash is an inspiration in his determination and integrity. This will be an eye-opening read for many children who have never and will never have to face the challenges and difficult decisions Akash (and others like him) face on a daily basis. Akash's sole goal, to attend middle school, is something many of my students take for granted. My favorite quote from Saraswati's Way was on page 63, when a new friend who is illiterate asks Akash what it's like to be able to read:

"It's like going to different places without leaving where you are."