The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird

This novel is based on the main personalities, Mamo & Tiggist, brother and sister with all their esperiences in Ethiopia. They encounter many hardships, hunger, and nowhere to live, but on the rocky streets facing all kinds of weather. Most of this book takes place in Addis Ababa the capital of Ethiopia.

These street kids in order to receive birr(the money in Ethiopia) to buy food. They have to beg outside Churches, or famous restaurants, or offer to watch a car while the owner went about their business. The kids live in a group, and share whatever they had amongst themselves. Most of the children were barefoot, and their clothes so dirty they looked like rags.

When money was scare, some of the children hung out in the back of a restaurant waiting for any morsels being tossed out, so the group of children could eat something.

This novel can apply to any country in the world. Some of the children were runaways, and thought life would be better than their situation at home. The novel was interesting because it portrayed the reality of life on the go on the streets. The moral of this story is think twice before you run away from home. Your home life could be better, than trying to figure out where your next meal is coming from.