The Freedom Seeker

Quotes

Praise for The Freedom Seeker"Gupta turns a spotlight on the broken American immigration system and its devastating impact on children. At once maddening and heartbreaking, The Freedom Seeker shows young readers there is also hope--through awareness, activism, and community." -- Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of RefugeeThis riveting, courageous, and nuanced story will break your heart right open and with it, give you a new understanding of justice. Told through the eyes of an Indian child, The Freedom Seeker sheds light on one of the darkest realities on U.S. soil in modern times -- the criminalization of migrants seeking political asylum and the separation of children from their parents, no matter the ethnicity. A necessary and important story that will help you see, act, and heal. -Aida Salazar, Pura Belpré Honor Award-winning author of Ultraviolet and Land of the Cranes"Now more than ever, we need books that tell the complicated and complex stories of our global migration crisis from new perspectives. The Freedom Seeker does just that. It is an important and moving tale about the difficulties of finding refuge in an increasingly inhospitable world. Told from the perspective of a child, this book gives a refreshing and unexpected take on what it means to migrate and what is lost along the way. This is a must-read for young people and adults alike." -- Jason de Leon, National Book Award winning author of Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling"The Freedom Seeker Is a must- read social justice adventure to understand the struggles of migrant families. Ruchira Gupta opens hearts and minds, inspiring young readers to find their own voice for change." -- Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate"Never has it been more critical for us to attach a face and a heart to all the stories we hear about the cruelties of immigration in this modern world. Ruchira Gupta has been able to do just that in a book that is as riveting as it is important." -- Abby Disney, Filmmaker, philanthropist and activistPraise for I Kick and I Fly"In I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta has given young readers an irresistible story, and also one that could save lives. This book is a gift." -- Gloria Steinem"Any work from Ruchira Gupta is sure to further the cause of liberating women, especially, and in this novel, girls. It takes a strong belief in us, and especially in our young ones, to persevere as she does in both art and politics. The absolute belief that if the heart is moved, so might be the positive activities for justice and freedom, of the mind." -- Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple"I Kick and I Fly is a powerhouse of a debut. Ruchira Gupta has crafted a page-turner of a read, stepped in place and full of indelible characters, managing to be at once propulsive and enlightening, infuriating and inspiring. But maybe most important, Heera's story is a beacon of hope to a generation of young people trying to transform an unjust world." -- Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and We Are Inevitable"Having been to the brothels and red-light district I Kick and I Fly so searingly captures, I can testify that this book is essential reading for anyone interested in how to empower girls to break free from intergenerational prostitution and sex trafficking. Ruchira Gupta is nothing less than a great hero, and in her book, she has created one in Heera, as she seeks to defy the destiny of rape that poverty and men have assigned her." -- Ashley Judd