The Bitter Side of Sweet

When they leave their home in Mali due to drought, Amadou and his brother Seydou are tricked into working at a cacao plantation in the Ivory Coast where they must harvest cocoa without pay to avoid physical punishment. Amadou focuses on protecting his brother rather than trying to escape until Khadija arrives at the camp and when she challenges his acceptance of the status quo Amadou questions whether fighting for freedom is more important that just existing. This novel, suitable for a classroom, independent, or literature circle novel, introduces issues of forced child labour, ethical resource extraction, poverty, ethical working conditions, fair trade programs, and how to be an ethical consumer.