Born Behind Bars

by Padma Venkatraman

Set in Chennai, India, this is the story of a boy who's unexpectedly released into the world after spending his whole life in jail with his mom.

Kabir has been in jail since the day he was born, because his mom is serving time for a crime she didn't commit. He's never met his dad, so the only family he's got are their cellmates, and the only place he feels the least bit free is in the classroom, where his kind teacher regales him with stories of the wonders of the outside world.

Then one day a new warden arrives and announces Kabir is too old to stay. He gets handed over to a long-lost uncle who unfortunately turns out to be a fraud, and intends to sell Kabir. So Kabir does the only thing he can--run away as fast as his legs will take him. How does a boy with nowhere to go and no connections make his way?

Fortunately, he befriends Rani, another street kid, and she takes him under her wing. But plotting their next move is hard--and fraught with danger--in a world that cares little for homeless, low caste children. This is not the world Kabir dreamed of--but he's discovered he's not the type to give up. Kabir is ready to show the world that he--and his mother--deserve a place in it.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, India, Childrens, Contemporary

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2021

About the author

American author, Padma Venkatraman, has worked as chief scientist on oceanographic ships and spent time under the sea, directed a school, and lived in 5 countries. Her 5 novels, BORN BEHIND BARS, THE BRIDGE HOME, A TIME TO DANCE, ISLAND’S END and CLIMBING THE STAIRS, were released to multiple starred reviews (22 as of 8/30/21), and won numerous honors and awards (e.g. WNDB Walter Award 2020; SCBWI Golden Kite Award 2020; Paterson Prize; Julia Ward Howe Young Readers Award; South Asia Book Award; ALA, IRA Notable; Booklist, Kirkus, NYPL, Yalsa BBYA; CCBC choice; IBBY outstanding etc.). Her latest novel, BORN BEHIND BARS, a JLG selection, is available for order. She provides keynote addresses and commencement speeches, travels to international author festivals, serves on panels, does author visits and conducts workshops. Visit her at www.padmavenkatraman.com and follow her on twitter @padmatv or ig/fb venkatraman.padma

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this story so much!

If you want to read a really good middle grade book about survival and acceptance, get this one!

Chapters are short. Characters are good. The plot is okay but I feel things are a bit too convenient for the child main characters.

Also, I want to know more about the mother, the grandparents and Rani as well.

But yes, a book full of positivity and hope.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kabir does not know a world outside the Chennai, India prison he was born in. His Amma was falsely accused of theft by her employers before he was born. The prison administration suddenly realizes he has aged out and must be released. An uncle comes forward to claim Kabir, but are they really related? Drastic steps have to be taken when it looks like he will be exchanging one prison for another. Will he be able to find his real family? How can he get his Amma released? What happened to his appa? As with The Bridge Home, we see children fending for themselves on the street. There are also scenes that depict the conflicts between those who are Hindu and those who are Muslim as well as the significance of the regional languages. This is a heartwarming read and filled with hope. The narrative is structured with short chapters and paragraphs making it a quick read that satisfies the soul.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful and heartwarming story about Kabir, a young boy who has only known life in jail because his mom was wrongfully imprisoned before he was born. At a certain age he is forced to leave prison and has to survive on his own in the world. He meets Rani, a young Roma girl, who takes him under her wing and together they look for Kabir's family. I loved learning a bit about the caste system, the justice (or lack of it) system in India, the tension between Muslims and Hindus, the water crisis and so many other areas of life in India. I would recommend this on audio.

[Trea · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing to be happy about when reading story based on the (low)caste system, deplorable prison conditions and Hindu vs. Muslim strife However it is a lesson in gratitude. Extreme gratitude. There is so much freedom in having access to clean drinking water and a toothbrush.
It’s huge and humbling.

[Fanna]

March 12, 2021: "following a boy who is released onto the streets of Chennai, India to fend for himself after spending his whole life in jail with his innocent mother" This is going to be heart-wrenching, I can already feel it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another middle grade masterpiece from Padma Venkatraman! Sweet, lovable main characters you will forever root for against a corrupt caste system. CW for incarceration, child trafficking, castes, racism, xenophobia (Hindu vs. Muslim) and parental death.

[Matal “The Mischling Princess” Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Padma Venkatraman’s BORN BEHIND BARS is the story of Kabir Khan, a boy in India who was born in prison. When he reaches an age in which children are no longer allowed to remain in prison with their mothers, he is transferred to a so-called relative, a False Uncle, from whom he escapes. Using his own wit, he finds friends (e.g., Rani) and other relatives, all the while learning to acculturate to a ‘free’ society.

This book highlights the issues that many children around the world—including the United States—face after being born to imprisoned mothers. However, it also forces readers to learn about inequalities in all countries. While many people are familiar with the caste system in India and call it abhorrent, those same inequalities found within the caste system (including violence, discrimination, and unfair imprisonment) can also be found within the US and how people for centuries have viewed and identified “race.”

Venkatraman did a fantastic job of structuring this story and was careful to show readers that there is a lot of diversity in how Indians view otherness. One of the ways that she did this was by naming her MC after ‘Saint Kabir’, a 15th century poet and mystic, whom both Hindus and Muslims revere. The author explained how Kabir (the saint) tried to bring both groups together as one while at the same time decrying the caste system.

This novel is beautifully written and would be an excellent teaching tool for both parents and school teachers.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all... the cover of this book is gorgeous. Probably one of my favorite Middle Grade covers of all time! When this book 1st started, I wasn't feeling it as much as I expected that I would. Kabir was born in jail to a mother who was imprisoned for stealing (even though it wasn't a crime she actually committed). The parts in jail were not my favorite, but as soon as Kabir left the prison and found his new friend, Rani, I LOVED it. She was the best character!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kabir has been in jail since the day he was born, his mother serving time for a crime she didn't commit. What will he do when he's unexpectedly released to the streets of Chennai, India once he's nine years old?

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

When she was pregnant with him, Kabir Khan's mother was accused of a crime she did not commit and put into a Chennai jail where he was born. He has lived there since that day, in a cell with several other women besides his mother. Small for his age, no one paid much attention to Kabir until the new warden decides that at age 9, he is old enough to be released. Before he goes, his teacher at the prison school tries her best to prepare him for the outside world, as do his cellmates.

On the day of his release, Kabir is picked up by a man who says he is his uncle. But it doesn't take long for him to realize that the man is not a relative and that he plans to sell Kabir. Using his wits, Kabir manages to escape and in the process he meets Rani, a Kurava (Roma) girl a few years older than him and living on the streets with her pet parrot.

Rani take Kabir under her wing, teaching him how to survive on the streets, educating him on India's caste system that makes low caste people like them invisible to others. Together, they manage to earn money for food - Rani tells fortunes and Kabir sings. Kabir knows all about his father and how much his dad loved his mother, but his father never told his parents about his wife before he left for Dubai because she is Hindu and Kabir's father's family are Muslim. Now, Kabir is determined to go to Bengaluru to find his grandparents.

A stroke of good luck and Kabir's strong sense of honesty enables him to get enough money to buy train tickets to Bengaluru for him and Rani. Sadly, they face caste discrimination buying the tickets and riding the train, but also kindness of strangers helping them. In Bengaluru, they find the mosque that the Khan family worships at and follow a man to his business thinking he might be a relative of Kabir's. But when fighting over water breaks out, Rani manages to help the man save his business. In return, he posts their pictures on social media and luck is once again on Kabir's side. His grandparents see the post and manage to find him and Rani. Soon, Kabir finally has new, clean clothes, enough to eat, a room of his own and he even makes another friend who teaches him how to play cricket. Rani, who hates being confined indoors, is introduced to a woman who runs a school that allows her to live in a tent of her own with her parrot, and get an education. The woman also knows lawyers who may be able to get Kabir's mother released so that they can be reunited.

Born Behind Bars is told in chapters that consist of short paragraphs and that are narrated entirely from Kabir's open, honest, observant perspective. Though his eyes, readers learn what jail is like for the women and children who are incarcerated there, and also what life on the streets is like for so many children in India. Kabir's story is a nice mix of good and bad things happening to both him and Rani as Venkatraman explores themes of poverty, tolerance and intolerance of religious and caste differences, justice and injustice, loss and revelation. I also think it may be surprising for young American readers to realize that children can find themselves alone in the world on the streets of India and that it isn't just a thing of the past.

But is Kabir's luck too good to be true? I wondered that as I read the book and perhaps the story focused on the upshot of his good luck rather than the alternatives. Think what could have been if his fraudulent uncle has managed to sell this plucky, hopeful boy into what would have amounted to slavery.

I have always enjoyed reading Padma Venkatraman's novels set in India and this is no exception. The writing is beautiful, the story is poignant, and Kabir is a character you won't soon forget. He is honest, with an engaging sense of humor regarding his circumstances (I loved his private nicknames for the women with whom he shared his jail cell) and the challenges he faces on a daily basis. It is, in short, an enlightening, compelling novel.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley.com

[Apoorv Moghe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born Behind Bars | Padma Venkatraman | 03Jan2022
-------------------------
One-Sentence Review
Simplistic and short yet subtle and structured.
---------------------------
Published/Pages : 07Sep2021 | 272 pages
Location: Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Bengaluru (Karnataka)
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade
TW: homelessness, child labor, hints of child traffiking, religious xenophobia

Characters: Kabir Khan, Rani, Amma, Grandma Knife, Mouse Girl, Malli, Aunty Cloud, Bedi Ma'am, Jai (Parrot)
-------------------------------
Rating Analysis

Premise: 8/10
Introduction: 8/10
Number of Characters: 7/10
Character Development: 8/10
Backup History for the Story: 8/10
Fiction Quality: 7/10
Pace of the Story: 8/10
Dramatic Effect: 7/10
Climax: 7/10
Impact it Made: 7/10

TOTAL: 75/100 (7.5 Stars = 3.75 Stars ~ ★★★★)
--------------------------------
Review

"Beyond the bars, framed by the high, square window, slides a small patch of sky. For months, it's been as gray as the faded paint flaking off the walls, but today it's blue and gold. Bright as a happy song. My thoughts, always eager to escape, shoot out and try to picture the whole sky--even the whole huge world. But my imagination has many missing pieces, like the jigsaw puzzle in the schoolroom. All I've learned here in nine years from my mother and my teachers is not enough to fill the gaps."

Padma Venkatraman could have been a surgeon, if she choose to! The way she manages to skillfully dissect the human emotional existence and then manage to sew it back with threads of social reality with the nimblest of fingers, all while keeping the patient (aka the characters) alive and well, is a measure of excellence. Not to mention that these characters are almost always children - those with a throbbing will to survive.

This story, according to the epilogue, is actually thematically inspired by a real life tale of a boy born in the prison where his mother was wrongly imprisoned and then how he gets out and faces the world at the tender age of 9 or 10. But, mind you, Ms. Venkatraman manages to take this germ of a thought and craft a tale full of heart, hope, and humility.

Having read Ms. Venkatraman's The Bridge Home and being bowled by its beautifully sketched characters, I certainly went into this expecting to have my heart-strings pulled - and I wasn't disappointed. Kabir and Rani are the very embodiment of resilience that kids can have, especially those who are thrown into a life of hardships which many times even the grown-ups find tricky to manage. The author successfully manages to create these characters without making them pitiful or desperate given their situation, but in turn gives them the agency to tread this treacherous path while maintaining their innocence. There are moments of mirth and nuggets of novelty that these kids experience as they experience life on these streets. But nowhere does the author romanticize their reality. We are always kept aware of their stark reality and how dangerous things can be at any given moment.

This book tries to talk about a lot of things. Incarcerated parents, mothers especially, who give birth in the prison and somehow manage to raise their kids in those confines. The life of these kids who really don't know the world outside the prison cell. The transition that these kids have to do from being thrown into that real world at tender ages without any guidance or support, being separated from their mothers who really were their sole source of support all their life. Street kids and their need to survive on a day-to-day basis, where they are constantly at a threat by animals and humans alike (the later probably the worst one), and how they somehow manage to find a way to make their ends meet. On top of that, we have religious turmoil since Kabir is half Hindu, half Muslim and sociological challenges that are faced by people living in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of water, the two states featured in this story.

These are questions that need deeper discussions and assessments - this book does not try to solve them. But somewhere I thought it got a little too muddled with all these things and resolutions for Kabir's story came through a little too simplistically. We are never really pushed to the edge of the dangers of his life through all his and how he would have survived in those situations. I would have appreciated a little more depth to Kabir's reality, even at the expense of some of the aforementioned issues (which is not to say that they are not important!), because that would have shown a more vulnerable side to Kabir's truth.

But there is a lot to love here, a lot to root for. Kabir's life, his connections to people inside and outside the prison, and how he learns to adapt is nothing short of heart-warming. One wants to hug him for his innocence, and applaud him for his resilience. And we get someone of the best supporting characters in Rani, Grandma Knife, Bedi Ma'am, and best of all, Jai, the parrot!

Ms. Venkatraman is a driving force in Middle Grade literature and I hope these stories create the necessary conversation and hopefully solutions, because these characters exist in the world today. These stories do not exist in a phantasmagorical bubble but are happening as we speak. Hopefully, every child get to experience their patch of sky not through their tiny sky square of their confinement, but through the vastness of their flight.

Reaction Section

[Shella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good- just not great. I think it is geared for upper elementary. I would have liked it more with changing POV and knowing the parents before his mom went to jail. Seemed like serious problems were solved rather easily. Loved the friendship between the girl with the parrot and the protagonist.

[Luke Estrada · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was really ok. there's a very touching story in here hidden behind boring characters and events, and maybe that's enough. I'm coaching battle of the books this year for the middle school and this is one of the required books, but I won't ever be returning to Born Behind Bars in the future

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Beyond the bars, framed by the high, square window, slides a small patch of sky. For months, it's been as gray as the faded paint flaking off the walls, but today it's blue and gold. Bright as a happy song. My thoughts, always eager to escape, shoot out and try to picture the whole sky--even the whole huge world. But my imagination has many missing pieces, like the jigsaw puzzle in the schoolroom. All I've learned here in nine years from my mother and my teachers is not enough to fill the gaps.

Premise/plot: Padma Venkatraman's newest middle grade novel opens in a prison (in Chennai, India). Kabir, our young hero, has spent his whole life--all nine years--in prison with his Amma (mom). He's friends with the other cellmates, his 'aunties,' and he loves, loves, loves his teacher. But though he's physically small for his age, he is past the age--technically speaking--of when he'd be allowed to stay with his mom in prison. So he's being released--without his mom--into the world. He's upset, anxious, and a tiny bit excited. What is the WORLD like? And where does he belong in it?

He looks at the world with WONDER and hope. He's heard stories, tales, even legends...but he's never lived "in the real world."

Born Behind the Bars mainly chronicles his time OUTSIDE bars. Readers join Kabir on his quest to find his paternal side of the family. (His mom was Hindu; his dad was Muslim). Can he find his dad? or his dad's family? Will he be welcomed into the family? Is there ANY way for him to 'save' his mom?

My thoughts: I would not want to read this story in the hands of any other author. But Venkatraman manages to tell this heavy story with hope and wonder. It's not that she scrubs out or erases the injustice and cruelty. It's that she's given Kabir the ability to see the world--in all its shades and colors--with hope. Yet at least to me Kabir does not come across as irritatingly naive like David Copperfield or Pinocchio.

I read this book in one sitting. I loved the short chapters. I breezed my way through this book with all the feels.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

This is a must-read middle-grade novel that sheds light on important social issues as such poverty, racism, homelessness, India's caste system and inhumane conditions in prison.

The story is told through the POV of 9-year-old Kabir, whose journey I really enjoyed following. I also loved all the characters.

A fast-paced, illuminating and wonderful read. We need more books like this one. Highly recommended!

[Grace Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to begin? This stories is one of the most heart-felt, rollercoaster of a book that I've ever read. The whole storyline is amazing! The characters, events and emotions all mix together perfectly. I absolutely adore the friendship between of Kabir and Rani! Along with the small comedic relationship with Jay. Thank you for writing this Padma Venkatraman, Princess of Emotions. 💜📚👸

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as with The Bridge Home, I was immediately drawn in by the characters, voice and situation. The scenes in the prison are heart-wrenching but never overwhelming (except maybe when Amma and Kadir say goodbye--that was almost too sad to bear). Plucky, wise-beyond-her-years Rani and her cursing parrot Jay are wonderful, and readers will be rooting for this trio all the way. With short chapters and lots of white space (which I found a little puzzling), the book moves swiftly, and Kadir's courage and love find their due reward. The happy ending came a little too easily for me, but then this is a book that evokes fables and song, so maybe that makes it all of a piece. Venkatraman has given children another window onto a harsh reality too many of their peers must face.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about a young boy born in jail

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It didn't end like I thought it would and I'm happy about it. I would gladly put this in the hands of my students to show them there are people out there who are willing to help even if it seems hopeless.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story. A young boy was born in jail when his mother was wrongly imprisoned. Prison was all he knew; however, it came to a point when he was too old to stay, so he had to leave with what he thought was an uncle. Thus begins his journey to find family and help get his mother out of prison. Darling read!

[Patti Ferneza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book from my sister who works at the RI State House. They welcomed FREEDOM TO READ, and she got this book for me. A label inside states: Authors Against Book Bans. “Born Behind Bars” was challenged & removed from FLA schools because it deals with racial inequities. It’s a magnificent story about courageous children who choose to act peacefully to change society and help shape a better future for our world in a sweet, compassionate way.

[Raidene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartrending and life affirming!

[Jodi Pilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the character development in this moving story. I found it to be engaging and kept me coming back to read more. I feel like middle grade students could benefit from reading this novel, as it deals with topics I am sure they aren't familiar with. This book left a lasting impression on me.

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big audiobook listener generally but in an effort to get through a lot of books for end-of-the-year listmaking I put aside my podcasts and listened to 3 audiobooks in the last week, and of those 3 I think for me, I liked Barakah Beats more as an audiobook than I would have in print, I think I liked Rez Dogs less as an audio than I would have in print, and I think this one was maybe neutral.

I think the tone of this is just right in conveying what an absolutely shitty hand in life Kadir has been dealt here without being way too depressing but also without sugarcoating it. It's a compelling story that I think could be a great window for a lot of kids (American and elsewhere) into some issues they might not have learned about. Fans of "survival" stories (I put it in quotes bc it's not like, Hatchet, but somehow those kind of vibes) I think will enjoy this. It's fast paced and wraps up neatly in a way that's maybe a littttttle implausible but not wildly unrealistic IMO, and mostly you're just like, thank god this kid finally got a break.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Born Behind Bars is a heartfelt story of what life can be like for untouchables in India. Although I knew the caste system was officially abolished in 1950, I was unaware that it is still going strong today. The events in this story seem to unbelievable to be true but yet they are.

Learning about India's "justice" system and the prejudice toward the poor and undesirables such as the Romani people and India's lowest caste was eye opening. I only picked this up because one of this year's Middle Grade March's book prompts was to read a book set in Asia. I am glad I read this book because it expanded my worldview.

My only criticism of this book is that everything wrapped up a little too neatly in a bow to be considered believable. Kabir seemed to have so many obstacles that seemed impossible to overcome. The resolution of the story was too abrupt and that's why I'm taking off a star in my rating.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful book about a tough situation. Kabir’s mother was wrongly accused of theft and sent to prison in India. She had secretly married a Muslim man and was carrying his child, who was born in jail. Kabir doesn’t know any other life until he’s suddenly thrust into the outside world, alone, because of his age—nine—too old to stay in jail with his mother. Venkatraman sensitively portrays Kabir’s shock and confusion and provides him with a friend who has also been rejected and ignored. Her name is Rani. She is Roma. She lives in a tree, with her parrot, Jay, and works the streets fortune telling during the day. Together, Rani and Kabir are determined to find Kabir’s father. So much to learn about the caste system, incarceration, loneliness, religious intolerance as well as kindness, determination and family devotion. Really a beautiful book. One of Utah’s Beehive Book Award Nominees for 2022-23.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss for the digital review copy of this book.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started reading, but I'll be honest that the cover drew me in right away and piqued my interest! Reading the author's note at the end made this story that much more powerful as well. Love hearing about the inspiration for books.

This is a story about exactly as the title says, a boy who was born behind bars, but who is then forced to leave because of his age. I don't want to reveal too much of the story, but it's about his search for family and to get his mother released from prison. And it's about him figuring out who is is and how to survive in a world he doesn't know outside the prison.

I love some of the other characters in the story as well both in jail and out! Rani is someone he meets outside after being released and their story together is difficult, but lovely as they try to find trust and build a friendship. Grandma Knife is wonderful as well and I really enjoyed how her character came through again towards the end of the story.

I also appreciated that this wasn't a story with a "perfect" ending and that there are still places that we can imagine the story going. I think this could also be a great connector for some kids to more stories and research as well.

"Fear is a lock, and courage is a key we hold in our hands."

*Highly Recommend!!! Preorder!!!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and full of heart, this story exposes many of the uncomfortable truths in our world. So often, the poor, unhoused, and marginalized are mistreated and/or ignored. This book shows the importance of paying attention and not giving up. “I didn’t actually save her life, not like heroes in the movies or anything. She only says that because she believes you sort of die inside if you stop hoping, even if your body keeps on going. “. I loved these characters! “Never blame yourself for someone else’s cruelty.“. Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

[Patti Sabik · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors, I’ve read everything Padma Venkatraman has written for middle schoolers and young adults. Again I’ve read a book that I’m excited to share with my students and teachers. With characters that read genuine and situations gleaned from headlines, Venkatraman’s books implore empathy from the audience.
In “Born Behind Bars” the author explores incarceration, poverty, Muslim-Hindu relations, tolerance, family, and loss as well as other issues. A quick and compelling read.

[Michelle Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kabir has spent his life in India behind bars, due to a crime that his mom was accused of committing. When he ages out of the system that has kept him in the prison with his mother, he is sent away to live on his own, with no known family or resources. He meets up with Rani, another child who is living on her own, and they work together to find his family and to get her an education.

Early digital review copy received by Edelweiss.