Sold

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. Hyperion: 2006. ISBN: 9780786851713.

Plot Summary:
Lakshimi lives a life of terrible poverty in the mountains of Nepal. Her father died and her step-father does not provide for the family. The roof to their small hut desperately needs to be replaced. In the midst of this unhappy situation, Lakshimi finds love and contentment with her mother and baby brother. Her mother combs her hair each day and she has a goat as a pet. Girls are only valued if they can be of use to the family. An opportunity comes along for Lakshimi to work in the city. She is happy to help provide for the family. Lakshimi's step-father sells her to a fancy woman that takes her across the border into India and sells her to a woman named Mumtaz. Mumtaz who runs "Happiness House" which is anything but for Lakshimi.

Critical Evaluation:
Sold is told in free verse vignettes, with each vignette having a title. This tragic story of one girl sold into prostitution at a young age by her step-father is heartbreaking. All the more so because this is a thriving business and Lakshimi's tale is representative of hundreds and hundreds of girls. Patricia McCormick relays Lakshimi's pain and experiences without revealing specific details making the book more haunting as the reader's imagination fills in the omissions. The book is well research with the author traveling to India and Calcutta to interview women and girls who have been rescued from sex trafficking. Patricia McCormick brings attention to a subject that needs to be in the spotlight. This is a great novel to companion with curriculum concerning world history and contemporary issues at the high school level.

Reader's Annotation:
Not everyone places the same value on a human life. Some see dollar signs instead of humanity.

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
Unfortunately many people are the victim of sexual abuse. This book shows the horror of the situation and the survivability. There is life after abuse, it is difficult, but possible.

Genre:
Multicultural Fiction/Cultures Around the World/Alternative Formats

Why Book Included:
The book is an award winner and tells a story the world needs to hear.