by Leah Henderson
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
Jennifer Bradbury
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2017
This pair of books put me "in the shoes" of orphan boys in Senegal (One Shadow on the Wall) and India (Outside In).
Each of the boys must do whatever it takes to survive. In both books, bullies play a big part in making that survival difficult. The spirit of his father helps Mor (One Shadow on the Wall), while Ram (Outside In) is guided by the traditional stories of how the princes Rama (who marries Sita) and Lakshmana endure fourteen years of exile and defeat the evil Ravana (with the help of the monkey army).
Family is important in both books. Mor works to keep his together, while Ram finds one.
In both books, there is an outsider who helps the boys. In One Shadow on the Wall, Demba is mystical and thought by the villagers to be crazy. In Outside In, Nek creates art in secret.
It was quite surprising to read these back-to-back and find so many similarities. Makes me wonder how my next-reads will connect!
Thank you for taking time out to read Mor's story. Your post has me eager to read OUTSIDE IN.
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