A gritty, deeply moving story that shows how the human spirit can triumph in the harshest of worlds. Inspired by the true story of an African childhood lived on the edge of destitution, award-winning Elizabeth Laird's new novel takes readers on an unforgettable emotional journey. When Mamo's mother dies, he is abandoned in the shanties of Addis Ababa. Stolen by a child-trafficker and sold to a farmer, he is cruelly treated. Escaping back to the city, he meets another, very different runaway. Dani is rich, educated-and fleeing his tyrannical father. Together they join a gang of homeless street boys who survive only by mutual bonds of trust and total dependence on each other.

Author Biography

Elizabeth Laird has had a love affair with Ethiopia it's people's, culture, language and history all her life. She lived and taught there for several years and returns often. The stories she learned from street children in Addis led directly to the writing of THE GARBAGE KING. Her critically acclaimed children's books include KISS THE DUST (winner of the Children's Book Award), SECRET FRIENDS (nominated for the Carnegie Medal), RED SKY IN THE MORNING (0 330 39867 9, Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal, shortlisted for the Children's Book Award), and JAKE'S TOWER (0 330 39803 2, shortlisted for the 2001 Carnegie Medal). She lives on the edge of Richmond Park, Surrey with her husband.