Bridge Home, The

Eleven-year-old Viji and her younger sister Rukku run away from home after their father beats their mother and hits Rukku. The two face great adversity as they adjust to life on the street and the perils of homelessness, including dealing with predatory people, foraging for items to build a shelter, finding jobs to earn money for food, and Rukku succumbing to Dengue Fever. Told in a series of letters from grief-stricken Viji to her sister, this compelling novel for grades 4-7 can be used as a read-aloud, or literature circle or class library selection, and deals with issues of homelessness, vulnerability, resilience, sacrifice, love, child poverty, family relationships, friendship, and survival. Social considerations noted.