Kelly, Lynne. Chained.

Kelly, Lynne.     Chained.    Farrar Strauss see Macmillan Children's Publishing Group    248p  $16.99      978-0-374-31237-4           ms/hs       E-BN  Realistic fiction

Ten-year-old Hastin is forced to leave his family in his desert village in India to work as an elephant trainer for one year, to repay a debt incurred by his little sister’s illness.  Hastin is happy to help his family and considers the task an adventure.

When Hastin arrives at his destination he is charged with the job of capturing the elephant.  At first he is excited, but he soon realizes how sad and difficult this is for the trapped baby elephant.  He also discovers the elephant’s primitive habitat and the cruelty and abusive behavior that the circus owner shows, to both him and to Nandita the elephant.  But he resolves to suffer and repay the debt anyway, because it will only cost one year of suffering.

Befriended by wise old Ne Min the circus cook, Hastin learns to care for the elephant properly and dodge the rage of the circus owner.  But then Hastin is told by the circus owner that his service will be extended to more than one year and that he may never return to his home in India at all.  Hastin protects Nandita from the abuse as well as he can and worries about his family in India while he plans an escape for himself and Nandita.
    

This book is engaging and suspenseful, with excellent characterizations and a well-paced plot.  Lynne Kelly is successful in drawing the reader into the story so that the reader identifies closely with Hastin’s feelings towards the other characters, feelings of anger, fear, sadness, and occasionally happiness.  This truly moving novel will surely resonate with and appeal to young and reluctant readers.  It is an extremely well-written book, and is recommended as an essential book for middle- and high-school libraries.

     

Elephants – Fiction, Circus life – Fiction, Realistic fiction

n  Virginia McGarvey