BOYS WITHOUT NAMES

For eleven-year-old Gopal and his family, life in their rural Indian village is over: We stay, we starve, his baba has warned. So they must flee to the big city of Mumbai in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. Gopal is eager to help support his struggling family until school starts, so when a stranger approaches him with the promise of a factory job, he jumps at the offer.

But Gopal has been deceived. There is no factory but, instead, a small, stuffy sweatshop, where he and five other boys are forced to make beaded frames for no money and little food. The boys are forbidden to talk or even to call one another by their real names. In this atmosphere of distrust and isolation, locked in a rundown building in an unknown part of the city, Gopal despairs of ever seeing his family again.

Then, late one night when Gopal decides to share kahanis, or stories, he realizes that storytelling might be the boys' key to holding on to their sense of self and their hope for any kind of future. If he can make them feel more like brothers than enemies, their lives will be more bearable in the shop—and they might even find a way to escape.

Comments

[RUNJAL]

sounds like a good book

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Runjal,
I hope you read it and let me know your thoughts.
Kashmira

[RJ]

I am currently reading your new book,boys without names, what is gorus chinch and Nalla mean.

[kashmira Sheth]

RJ,
I have included glossary at the end of the book from pages 307-310.
Gorus chinch is a variety of tamarind with a sweeter taste than regular tamarind.
Nalla is a small stream.
Kashmira

[Elaine]

I love this book!!! This is my favorite book!!! Kasmira how can u came up with a wonderful story! U r so amazing!

[kashmira Sheth]

Elaine,

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed BOYS WITHOUT NAMES.
Thank you!
Kashmira

[Sonali]

This sounds like a really greaat book! I've read Blue Jasmine and it is one of my favorite books! I really want to get your other books, do you know when I could find them?
Sonali

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Sonali,

Thanks for writing.
I don't know where you live but in the US you can get it from your independent bookstores, chain stores like Barnes and Noble and can also order online (Amazon etc.).
I hope you enjoy Boys Without Names and keeping Corner as much as Blue Jasmine.

Kashmira

[-marilyn Donahue]

Hi, Kashmira,
I'm Marilyn Donahue from California. I have misplaced your e-mail address and want to ask your permission to mention Keeping Corner in my new book A Step-byStep Guide to Writing Fiction for Young Adults. I want to stress that it is a book about a 12-year-old, but it can be read and enjoyed by YA and adult readers.

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Marilyn,

It is so nice to hear from you!
I hope you're doing well. Yes, please mention keeping Corner in your Step-by-step Guide to Writing Fiction for Young Adult. When will your book be available?
FYI, my email is [email protected].
All the best,
Kashmira

[connor]

hello kashmira,
Today I finished reading Boys Without Names and I loved the Ending. I also finished my dadima wears a sari I loved the diagram in the back. If you ould send me your contact info i am doing a author report and i need it done by next week so you could facebook me at connor sullivan or connor m sullivan

[connor]

I loved your glosary of all the hindi meenings it really helped thanks alot

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Connor,

I'm glad you enjoyed Boys without Names. It was a challenge to come up with sensory details once Gopal ends up with other children. Nothing new or exciting happens to them.
My email address is [email protected]
write to me if you have questions and I'll answer you right away.
Thanks for writing and good luck with your project.
Kashmira

[ht]

hello kashmira i really loved your book

[connor]

hello kashmira
today i am writing a thesis statement for my author study and i was wondering what you think of it. A recipient of the IRA Children’s Book Award, Kashmira Sheth, has been impressing readers since 2006, has the potential of being a very accomplished writer on the Indian culture, and is the author of more than six books. She has been given good reviews and remarks from some very famous authors including, Jacqueline Woodson and Patrica McCormic.

[ht]

hello kashmira lately i have been reading keeping corner and i positivly love it keep up the good work

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi HT,
Thanks for your comments. I'm glad you like Keeping Corner. I hope to keep on writing!
Best,
Kashmira

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Conner,
Thanks for sending the thesis statement for your author study. It sounds wonderful. Please note that my first book, Blue Jasmine, came out in 2004 and I have six books out so far. Also Patricia McCormick name is spelled with k (not c)at the end.
All the best for you report.
Kashmira

[Asher42401]

Hi Kashmira,
I am a teacher at a middle school just south of you, and we study child labor. I ordered your books for my students to read, and they love them! I just finished Boys Without Names, and I can't wait to share it with them. Thank you for giving us an avenue to bring these issues to life.
Amy

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi Amy,
Thanks for writing and sharing my books with your students. I hope your students will like BOYS WITHOUT NAMES. If they have question I'd love to answer them!
Best,
Kashmira

[A. Gadre]

Dear Ms. Kashmira Sheth,
Liked your book "Boys Without Names".
Has it been translated to other languages?
Wish it is translated to Marathi, and that every policeman and police officer in Bombay would read it.
Sincerely,
A. Gadre

[kashmira Sheth]

Thanks for you note. We just sold rights to French translations and hope to have it translated in other languages. (My other books have been translated in German, Korean, Swedish, Hebrew etc.) I'd love to have BOYS WITHOUT NAMES out in Marathi. Do you know any publisher we could contact? Please let me know.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Kashmira

[David Israel]

Read a few of your books. Liked "Boys Without Names" the best. Are you planning on a Hebrew translation?
Considering the number of young Israelis who travel to India, I think this book would sell well in Israel.

[kashmira Sheth]

Hi David,

Thanks for writing to me. You're absolutely right about considering Hebrew translation for BOYS WITHOUT NAMES.
My novel KEEPING CORNER was translated in Hebrew and my agent is in the process of selling foreign rights for BOYS WITHOUT NAMES, too. So far we've sold French translation for it.
I'll keep you posted if and when it comes out in Hebrew.

Best,
Kashmira

[Music_master]

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