Book Review:  Iqbal

author: Francesco D’Amamo (translated by Ann Leonari)

publisher: Aladdin, 2001

main character: Fatima

excerpt

Fatima was bought from her family at such a young age, she barely remembers them. She does remember being a ‘numbskull’ chained to her work, punished for every considerable violation until she knew the rules of the game. Her life is spent weaving carpets with the false promise that she can eventually earn her freedom. She is young enough and uneducated enough to believe what her master has told her.

In a book written for middle school children, it is difficult for authors to detail what these conditions must really be like for children forced to work so that others can profit, but I think D’Adamo’s real purpose is to create an awareness in children to modern day slavery. Fatima narrates this story,  seeming to exist from day to day until this rather mystical character, Iqbal, appears. Iqbal has kept his awareness of the outside world and maintains a hope, a determiInation to be free from bondage.  It’s difficult to image an existance without hope, where ‘tomorrow’ and ‘what if’ are never imagined or spoken of. It’s not missed because you can’t miss what you’ve never had. Until Iqbal appears.

While much is known about the real Iqbal, his character is barely developed in this story. I think this is what is most problematic for me in middle grades literature: characters, plots and themes are often poorly developed. Rather, writers are master storytellers, skillfully capturing our attention with well-crafted events and details.

This historical fiction gives an idea of how children come to be sold into slavery. This institution exists in a slave culture, rather than a culture with slavery and is extremely difficult to fight. Iqbal becomes larger than life as he takes on the fight to end child slavery because for him, his own freedom is not enough.  He seems almost too mystical in a culture which to many children is already exotic. Westerners remember Iqbal Masih’s murder as happening on Easter Sunday, a holiday irrelevant in Pakistani culture, yet the letter created in the book says Iqbal and his family were returning from church service when he was killed.  A small, but misleading detail.

This book can be a useful way to introduce students to the important topic of child labor as it exists in Pakistan. Several websites are in the glossary for readers who want to know more. It is amazing to learn about how much one determined person can change, regardless of his age or circumstances.

disclaimer: I bought this book at a local bookstore.