Broken Glass

by Sally Grindley

Sandeep and Suresh haven’t always lived on an island in India, collecting pieces of glass just to half-survive, but going to school every day dressed in smart clothes and shoes . But after their father loses his job and so Sandeep and Suresh are forced to leave home, under fear of possible violence from their father. Not knowing where to go, Sandeep and Suresh escape into a big city and with Suresh thinking he could get a job, life doesn’t seem so bad. But after asking around, it seems clear to Suresh that he wouldn’t get a job unless he had a proper address and was at least sixteen.

  

They soon meet a group of street boys who were ready to welcome them into their ranks. Vikas, who seemed to be the leader of the gang of street boys said that they could become ragpickers and collect glass to sell to a dealer called Mr. Roy. I felt  very moved and appalled that children actually learn to live in such terrible conditions.Suresh and Sandeep had lots of fun being ragpickers and collecting glass all day.Soon, problems started to occur.Sandeep was involved in a robbery and Suresh wonders if Sandeep is coping as well as he thought he was.I can’t relate to anything or anybody I know who has gone through anything like Suresh and Sandeep. It is a pity that, even in reality, people go through this daily. Will Suresh ever get a job and will they ever be able to live in peace without worrying at night about what they would eat the next day?

Sally Grindley is a captivating and enthralling author. The style of writing was easy to read and comprehend, unlike some books in which you can get easily mixed up in the text.  

 I have read another book by her, Torn Pages. Her books focus on the living conditions of the specific countries the book is based on. Torn Pages is set in Africa and follows the lives of two orphan sisters and their orphan brother.