Iqbal

Iqbal by Francesco D'Adamo

Iqbal Masih was a young boy living in Pakistan during the 1990s. He was sold into slavery to help pay off his debts. Through determination, he helped free himself and those who worked with him, eventually freeing hundreds of other children and  becoming a global spokesperson against child slavery.

This story is a fictionalized account told from the perspective of a character named Fatima. She narrates life with the carpet maker who holds all the children prisoner. She details the cruelty and the chains and the nightmare of being punished in "The Tomb." Through her eyes you see how dead the children are in these situations; how entirely without out hope.

For a book hat raises awareness to inhumanity, I would give this an A+. However, as a story, I would say this is of the same quality as the small books detailing the trials of homeless teenagers that groups such as Covenant House would sometimes send to my home as a teenager.

(Tragically, Iqbal was shot to death while visiting his family over a holiday.)