This is such an important book for students who are older. It would make a great read-aloud for junior high students, and would provoke deep discussions. I encourage middle school librarians, and Teen librarians to share this book through book talks, or book clubs because students who give the book a chance will come away richer for the experience.

This is a touching and heartfelt novel that follows the journey of Sang Ly, a young woman living in the slums of Cambodia, as she learns the power of hope, compassion, and the written word. Through Sang Ly's unlikely friendship with the rent collector, she discovers a new perspective on life and literature that transforms her outlook and inspires her to strive for a better future for her family. Wright's poignant storytelling and vivid descriptions of life in the Cambodian slums create a powerful narrative that reminds readers of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of kindness in the face of adversity.

The Rent Collector is one of those novels you pick up at just the right time, and it cleanses your soul to the core of who you are. As my first read for 2024, it did just that, as I read about a family who lives in the dump in Cambodia and a mother’s desperate attempt to learn to read to hopefully open up more doors for herself and her young son. Read if you are tired of hopelessness, read if you believe in redemption even in the hardest of hearts, and read if you love reading. This book will give you all the feels and make you even more grateful for the life you have, the life you will have, and the life you share with those you interact with.

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright, 240 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $18. Centering me
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: ESSENTIAL
Sang Ly (29yo) lives with her husband and their sick son in the dump. They work hard to pay their bills and feed their son, but they’re still behind on rent. And then Sang Ly is given an opportunity to learn how to read, which would make it possible to teach her son to read and improve his life—if she can overcome the obstacles that stand between them and that hopeful future.
This amazing tale is based on a true story, and Wright has adapted it for young readers, but I felt so much hope and inspiration from Sang Ly’s story that I am going to read the full version next to get all the details left out of this version. Sang Ly—and readers—learn the lessons that come from life’s difficulties, from literature, and from how we choose to react to both. Before this book, I didn’t know that a literal dump could be so beautiful, but it has been.
All of the characters are Cambodian. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol abuse. The violence rating is for blood, mentions of gang violence and human trafficking, gun use, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This middle grade adaptation of the book by the same name is based on true events at Cambodia's trash dump. This moving and heartfelt story of family, poverty and the power of books is a must read and must have for every library.

WOW! What a story! There were so many layers to this book that taught me a lot. I am a broken record, but middle grade is where it's at.

I did not pay attention to the author's background when I picked this book up. I somehow missed the author's note as well. If I had paid attention, I would have been quite surprised. The story is narrated from the point of view of a Cambodian woman, and the author is neither. A little further digging showed where the story grew from, and I think it added a little more to the feel of the entire story.
The other point to note before I go into the book itself is that this version was adapted with young readers in mind. Given that I was able to visualize the harsh living conditions quite easily and be emotionally invested in them, I am left wondering what horrors the adult version had in it!
The lead protagonist is a young mother living in a garbage dump where everyone survives as trash pickers. The trash brings them a meagre amount of money, but they have to pay rent for the roof over their heads from that. The bigger issue hanging over Sang Ly's head is the health of her child. He does not keep anything down, and no amount of medication seems to be able to cure him. Amidst such a situation, Sang Ly remembers her grandfather, feels his presence and thinks it is a portend for things to come. The dreaded rent collector makes her way into her home just then, and the conversation goes as badly as she expects it to. Things are set to change, however.
The rent collector shows a crack in her mean facade when she spies a book with personal meaning. Sang Ly, like many others of her ilk, does not know how to read. At some point, they set up a trade and thus began a new journey. The story has a few expected twists (mostly because, as readers, we can see the dropped hints better), but it is better for them!
The beauty of the tale is not just the growth arc of our central characters but of everyone around her and their interactions with her. Nothing felt stilted or overly dramatic. It felt real, making it a highly engrossing read. I went in with no expectations and came away with lingering thoughts about other people's normal and how they continue to find things to smile and be joyous whenever they can.
I would highly recommend this book (at least in this version) to anyone who is intrigued by the content.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written and engaging. I don’t have much negative feedback to give at all. It was overall a very good book that I would recommend to others.

I really enjoyed the quotes from literature incorporated into the story. I do have mixed feelings about this book.

A hauntingly beautiful story of finding hope in the most dire of circumstances and learning to forgive and love.

I want to be friends with Sang Ly, I want to be taught by Sopeap, I want to cuddle Nisay. I want to be loyal and make a difference like Ki.

Imagery that made me feel like I was there, with emotion that had me knowing that I’ll never truly understand what it’s like to be there.

The type of book that not only touches your heart, but changes your mind set, your perspective and if you let it, your life.

DNF - sadly this didn't keep me interested, not due to the content, but the writing style. It might be because it's geared for younger readers but it seemed disjointed in places.

Wow! I'm not sure that's an accurate word to describe how I felt about this novel. It is an adaptation for young readers. I did not read the original work, so I was pleasantly surprised at the range of emotions and events that The Rent Collecor invoked within me.

Sany Ly is a young mother living in a dump in Cambodia. The living conditions were unimaginable, yet Sang Ly and her husband had a place to live. It is a very humbling thought. I was reminded of many important concepts: the worth of a soul, one man's garbage is another man's treasure, your circumstances do not define the person that you are, and books are cool.

Sang Ly makes an unlikely friend in the rent collector, Sopeap. The discovery of a child book in the dump changes the lives of both women. Sopeap is reminded of the life she lived before coming to the dump and then she teaches Sang Ly to read. Then Sang Ly is able to touch the lives of people she comes in contact with. The ability to read changes environments and in return the quality of life.

The regime change in Cambodia is also touched on. The new government slaughtered those who could read and were in a position to bring about change. I found that part of the novel to be heartbreaking. It was a vital part of the story and an important reminder of the past.

This story is bitter-sweet. It was easy to picture in my mind. Sopeap's story is one of tragedy and beauty. It is one soul finding another in unlikely circumstances and the power of friendship.

Source: I receivedcd a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I liked the characters very much and the way they changed during the story was not only entertaining but also revealing.

Oh, this is such a wonderfully written book! This book is catered to young readers so the story is very engaging. I even teared up towards the end and this is definitely a story that will stay with me for a long time.

This story follows Sang Ly and her family who are living in one of Cambodia’s largest city dump, Stung Meanchey. Most of them earn their living by sifting through the rubbish for recyclables and other items that can be repaired and sold. Sang Ly makes do with what she has and make sure she has enough money to pay the Rent Collector, Sopeap. She is an older woman who goes around collecting rent but she isn’t the most likeable character until one day, Sang Ly discovered a secret of Sopeap’s. The two became unlikely friends when Sopeap agreed to teach Sang Ly how to read. What started out as a learning journey for Sang Ly turns out to be so much more as Sopeap slowly opens up to Sang Ly.

Sang Ly wanted to learn how to read so she can provide a better life for her son, so she can teach him how to read too. Sang Ly’s unwavering love as a mother is so strong and heart-warming to read. She believes that being able to read could provide a better future for her son and possibly move out of the dump. What she didn’t anticipate is the blossoming friendship between her and Sopeap. Sopeap has been hiding her tragic past by drowning herself in alcohol and not caring about other people but seeing Sang Ly’s motivation for learning helps her unknot the sadness in her heart. I also love the stories they read together and how Sang Ly learnt to decipher the meaning of each story. It was so delightful to see how Sang Ly's reading journey grew.

This story is filled with courage, hope and resilience. Despite the endless hardship, there is also kindness, love and possibilities for a better future. Highly, highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the arc.

If you enjoyed Trash, then give this a go. While no year is expressly mentioned, it is humbling to appreciate the livelihoods described in the (living near and off of rubbish dumps) is a reality for many people around the world; an honest and eye-opening narrative based on real events.

There is so much missing in the lives of the characters, making the value placed upon the written word all the more poignant. Full of wisdom and compassion.

I got this book for my daughter (age 13) to read. She was immediately sucked into the story. She couldn’t believe there were people who have to suffer that much and live in such sad conditions.
If you want a book that will tastefully give your child a taste of how some people in 3rd world counties live then pick up this book.
I will be reading it next at her request.

Bueno, este fue un libro bastante raro que tiene una prosa un poco interesante. Por momentos te tiene aburride, y por otros, te tiene al borde de la silla.
Se nos presenta un futuro medio distópico en donde los comunistas mataron a todos los maestros (lol). Entonces, nuestra protagonista, quiere dejar de ser una analfabeta para darle un futuro mejor a su hijo (que basicamente esta al borde de la muerte).
Sopeap fue el personaje con más trasfondo y el más interesante de toda la hitoria, el final que le dieron me pareció bueno y poético pero la fábula que Sang Ly "creó" para no decir la verdad, me pareció pobre.
El final fue interesante, pero siento que generó más dudas que respuestas como por ejemplo, por qué la "milicia" mataba a los educadores/gente que educaba.

Sang Ly and her husband Ki Lim live in the largest dump of Cambodia. They have a child called Nisay that is I’ll most of the time. The name of the dump is Stung Meanchey. They live in a home they made and yet must pay rent. When the rent collector, Sopeap Sin come to collect the rent, they can’t pay as they don’t have enough money. Sang Li and Ki Lim go through the dump looking for recyclables and things that can be repaired. Sang Ly discovers a secret of Sopeap. Sopeap ends up teaching Sang Li to read. Sang Li wants to teach her son to read so he can have a better life. Nisay’s illness causes the Sang Li to travel to get Nisay well. At the same time Sopeap disappears. When she comes back, she goes and find Sopeap Sin to learn why the mysterious disappearance and also to learn of her past.

The novel has a mixture of hope and at the same time, there is the unhappiness of the dump — prostitution, illness and the gangs throughout the story. It reminds one never to give up. It is compelling and engaging. It is a story I won’t forget.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While I thought this was a moving and provocative story I don't think it would be appropriate for middle school children. It depicts many of the hardships people from Cambodia face but learning to read provides this family with a sense of hope and purpose.

Living in Cambodia lots of this story rang true. I do wonder about the lack of own voices perspective however. These kinds of stories need to be shared.