I Kick and I Fly Paperback – 6 July 2023

I was captivated by this book.It’s very hard to write about the grim realities of the sex trade for a young-adult audience. Too little detail and you risk glossing over the horror, too much and you could be accused of adding to prurient confusion.Ruchira Gupta knows what she is talking about and steers a confident path through the minefield. She tells the story through the eyes of Heera, a fourteen year old girl from a poor family who are struggling to survive in the red-light district of a town in the state of Bihar, India.Heera narrates in a mater-of-fact voice. She quietly observes and understands much of what is going on. She sees how her cousin Mira – prostituted from a shack at the back of the family home by Heera’s uncle next door - is suffering and she desperately wants to avoid the same fate.There was much that was new and shocking for me. The ‘dance company’ and ‘orchestra’ that come to town for the annual Mela and buy the young girls. The absurd Bisi Bele ceremony where a priest publicly marries a girl to a tree before she is sold into prostitution, to get around the prohibition on sexual activity for unmarried women. The complicity of the police in the sex trade is depressingly familiar, but the portrayal of the family complicity was believable, tragic and appalling.**SPOILER ALERT**Heena’s life is turned around when she is accepted to join a Kung-Fu class run by Rini Di at a hostel for vulnerable girls. Her rising self-esteem sets her off on a different path.What I particularly loved about the ending was the way the teenage rebellion was framed within a very close family; Heera’s triumph is not only that she avoids being trafficked, but the way she brings her whole community round so they can contemplate an alternative way to survive and prosper. And at the heart of this change is respect for girls and women.This is a triumphant, feel good story but it never feels glib or superficial.I heartily recommend this book as it covers an important topic while being a thoroughly good and enjoyable read. It would also make a fantastic movie.

Sadly this is based on real people, places and events. The author describes her reasons for writing it at its close, and readers will probably not be surprised that stories like this are not simply made up.So as an example of being born into hardship, Heera brings us brutally into her reality - as a teenage girl born to a low-caste family unable to rise from the roofless hovel they share in a Red Light district in India, surrounded by brothels and gambling dens. Too hungry to study in school, mocked for her origins and fate, Heera knows it is just a matter of time until her drunkard father sells her into the same sexual slavery that has taken cousins and friends.A brother has aspirations towards academia, her mother cannot afford medicine for Heera's sick sister despite daily back-breaking labour. Her cousin next door is sold regularly by her own brother to men on request. Heera and her family are tied and bound and the reader isn't spared the descriptions of their poverty.But she is not helpless. When things seem at their darkest after she is expelled for confronting a bully, Heera is given refuge at a hostel for girls. A refuge not only for her physical safety, but somewhere she finds she can also learn to defend herself. With martial arts. And through this, learn about bodily autonomy, freedom and aspiration.This story has plenty of moments that will shock and upset, but it's an empowering book and set of characters, with the aim of educating and inspiring. I very much enjoyed the novel and hope it shines a light on a hugely topical issue that goes unseen.Not just a book for young women, the trade in human trafficking affects parents, children, brothers, sisters and as such this story should be passed around in schools widely.For ages 12 and above.With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

God I loved this book! Heera is such an incredible protagonist - a victim of circumstance who refuses to allow others to determine her fate. Such an inspiring story... and it made me want to take up kung fu!

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I feel privileged to have learned about this book and the work of Gupta. It is an excellent read, with a captivating story that is timely, educational and incredibly empowering. I consider it a “must read” for females, particularly teens, young women and their parents, and really hope the men and boys of the world read it too. I hope the fact that it’s published by Scholastic will help it become part of school curriculums across the globe. It will show our children that no matter their current circumstances, they can make choices that can redirect their futures. That alone is its own kind of magic.The female who reads this, regardless of her age, will get a sense of her own individuality and power. Gupta pulls the curtain back on the exploitation of children, the caste system, and how the people we pass on the streets of New York or any other state in the US, may have arrived against their will and be part of this abusive system that must be stopped. As someone who works in public policy, this is also a “must read” for lawmakers and government public policy workers. We have much work to do but with Gupta leading the charge, we should all join her and play our part in making the world a better place. Read this book. You won’t be disappointed, you’ll be inspired!

Ruchira Gupta excels in storytelling, drawing readers into the lives of her characters. Her vivid descriptions and emotional depth make us feel as if we're living their experiences—from the simplicity of a small hut to the confines of a hostel. Gupta’s writing allows us to deeply feel the fear, joy, and sorrow of her characters, highlighting overlooked aspects of the human experience.This book is more than just a story; it's an emotional journey. Heera’s experiences, her strength, doubts, and vulnerabilities resonate on a personal level, reflecting battles we all face. Gupta’s narrative reminds us of the blessings we often take for granted and urges us to appreciate what we have, shifting our perspective towards gratitude.The book’s impact is in its well-crafted characters and purposeful prose, without any unnecessary filler. Its pacing keeps readers engaged, eagerly turning pages. "I Kick, I Fly" is not just a book but a powerful invitation to see the world differently. It challenges our perceptions, encourages empathy, and leaves a lasting impression of resilience and humanity. If you want a read that's both enlightening and emotionally stirring, this is it.

This story is heavy and I would like to share with you some warning before I got any further.Trigger warning for:Threats of rapePhysical violenceAlcoholismThe woman in this novel live in a constant state of fear. It is present from the first page until the last and the ability to not only bear but overcome it was amazing to read. I highly recommend this for any young woman who feels like they have no other options. Sometime getting help for the ones you love means getting help for yourself.

We the women are human. No one else other than us owns the rights of our bodies. She has all the rights to claim equality.The powerful cover, thoughtful title, and captivating blurb were enough to compel me to pick this book up.Heera, an ordinary fourteen-year-old Indian girl lives with her family in a slum area of Bihar. A mother who works hell bend to meet her family’s needs, two little sisters and a brother- Chotu, Sania & Salman, and last but not the least her gambler father who uses up all her money in gambling. There is a weird belief of the tribe called “Nat” (which they are a part of), which is that you either follow the tradition or end up bringing a curse to your family. To follow that, Heera’s father has his mind made to sell his daughter into prostitution. But Heera decides to study hard, make a life, and break all the blind traditions of her village. As life goes on, she goes to her school and gets bullied in between a mishap happens and she's bound to choose either or. How she makes her mind up for a certain activity to escape, How she lands up in NYC and the journey she has in store is a quite memorable one to experience.I highly recommend and urge you to pick this book up. I believe there's always a reason behind writing such deep content. The characters are intertwined in such a way that you'll end up wanting such a bond. Heera shares an unbreakable bond with her sisters, brother, and her friends. Mira Di and Mai play a huge role that you would have to check. Heera’s struggles, strength, and immense courage she has, you will be stunned like me.The simple and easygoing writing made the book more fluent and fascinating. The author successfully portrays various emotions that a character might go through perfectly. Education is the key point in life. Heera’s story is not fiction I believe, it's written as one but if you think about it then you'll realize each one has to struggle to lead one’s life in a particular way. Human trafficking, sex trade, and more such crimes are heard often and need to stop. Selling of girl child to earn a living is the worst of all. Awareness won't do anything, instead, the steps to stop and bury these need to be enforced. All these have been global-rooted crimes and issues. Shedding lights in those areas should be initiated.The book lights up pieces like Martial arts, Women Empowerment, education, Equality and all of there’s importance. Overall I loved and was quite inspired by the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a really good YA novel. It does not matter the gender or the age, ”I Kick and I Fly” is an example of just plainly strong writing that grips you from page one. In addition to being the beautiful first-person narrative of a teenage girl named Heera who lives in India and experiences self and community growth, the novel happens to teach about the realities of young children in Forbesganj (and around the world), who are subjected to human trafficking and all its roots and consequences.This is a story that needs to be told, and needs to be shared plainly and not glamorized or glitzed like so many of these stories are shared. Well-intentioned adults try to hide the realities of human trafficking from children, but this action only serves to hide knowledge. Children before our very eyes are put in these vulnerability and do not know what to do, and adults do not know how to help them. Her book is an education in the history of what this reality came from, as well as an inspirational and hopeful journey in how communities can end trafficking. Ruchira’s book demonstrates the powers of mentorship friendship, engagement, and how people can work to empower others.I was reluctant to read the initially. I wasn’t sure how Ruchira would approach such a sensitive subject and whether it would get unnecessarily graphic or violent. Ruchira, as I should have known, as I know her personally, uses simple and beautiful language that draws you in but does not delve into the grotesque. She uses no wasted words. Her afterword, which she narrates in the audiobook version, captures her personal story and journey in this field with which she is so expert, as well as the sources of inspiration for each narrative element. Now that I have read it I also know - from my knowledge of her - what a personal and special story this must be to her. She worked tirelessly on it, to be sure, and I am so pleased to see what she has created.