I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved that this is based on a true story. It is an amazing story about two amazing women. I had not known anything about this culture or what happened in this time period. It was very educational for me. I will definitely recommend this book to my students. The students like to read books that are true but read like a story as this one did. I was hooked from the start.

One thing this book did make us feel was being very grateful for our own life in this country. This sparked much discussion regarding where you were born and the opportunities given to you in life. The story itself is strong and moving and shows how others are often forced to survive (and possibly thrive) in very difficult situations.

I hadn't read the original/ adult version of this book but picked this up as a potential new classroom library addition for next year. The story was really engaging and I really enjoyed the language and storytelling used throughout the book.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Rent Collector in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so torn because if I'd just read a plot description of this I would have loved it, but the narration consistently feels really disconnected from the narrator and story and I found it really jarring. Maybe its because this is an adaptation for YA/middle grade readers and maybe it'll be different by the time it reaches it official publication but as it is right now, I don't think the narration does the story justice.

This book is a children’s/YA version of an adult book previously published. I was unfamiliar with the adult book, but the cover art for this version really drew me in. Overall I give this book a solid four stars. I admittedly know very little about Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge, so I enjoyed learning more about the country - but do not know how accurate any of it is. The plot twisted a great deal at the end and I was very being surprised by what I learned! I enjoyed the emphasis on learning to read and devouring literature. There are numerous questions, axioms, and stories included and I feel that this could be a book that would lead to very rich discussion in a classroom. Some prior teaching on Cambodia and it’s history would be important, and the heartless killing by the army in one character’s past may be difficult for children to handle. I would recommend it for sixth or seventh grade and up. The only thing that rang rather hollow to me was the relationship of the main character and her son. We are told that she is learning to read so she can give him a better life. However, we do not see her interacting with him other than cleaning him up or passing him to others to be taken care of, at least until about 2/3 of the way through the book. As a mother myself, this portrayal seemed cold and unfortunate. I did read the eARC so maybe this will be changed a bit for final publication. Regardless, this book celebrated reading, teaching, and literature in a wholly different way, and I enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

New to me author, Cameron Wright, tells the story of a young family living in the largest municipal waste dump in Cambodia. Life unfolds in the first-person narrative of Sang Ly.

Families living in Stung Meanchey are struggling to support themselves by foraging for junk in the garbage. Sang Ly, and her husband Ki are raising a baby in the dump and he is sick as you might imagine given the conditions, Making life even more harsh is the fact of the violent and lawless gang members. Living in a dump still has the reality of rent to pay. Sopeap Sin is the rent collector who visits the family's home demanding payment, On one visit she is unexpectedly taken by Nisay's children's book. Sang Ly then realizes Sopeap is literate, Sang Ly, thinking learning to read may be her ticket out of this horrible existence, devises a plan to learn to read and write from the old miserable woman.

Sopeap is known for her short temper, frequent drunkenness, and graceless spirit. Sopeap Initially wants no part of Sang Ly's request. Finally, after establishing several conditions, she finally agrees to teach Sang Ly, and even waves the couple's rent.

The more Sang Ly learns, the more she wants to know. When Sang Ly asks Sopeap to teach her about literature, Sopeap warns her about the dangers of probing this rich and complicated world. But Sang Ly is determined to learn and build a better life for Nisay.

Nisay suffers from severe dehydration, malnutrition, and diarrhea. Despite Sang Ly's visits to both Eastern and Western doctors, Nisay remains weak and sick. One day Nisay becomes unresponsive and is nearly immobilized by weakness. With the help of a generous moto driver, Sang Ly manages to bring Nisay to a children's hospital.

She gives her address to the hospital officials so they know there will be no money collected for the visit. Nisay is treated by an impatient doctor and his condition stabilizes, but her troubles are far from over.

This book puts the reader right in the miseries of the dump, prostitution, sickness, and the ruthless gangs.

This story, based on truth and on real people, will remind you that possessions are just things and what truly matters in life is happiness, love, family, friends and your health.

My only negative is there is a lot of wordiness to read through to get to the meat of the story.

This story is BEAUTIFUL. Its adapted for young readers so i guess there's another version for adults which i would absolutely read, but this version was so insightful as well!

Sang Ly lives in a dump with her husband and son. They scavenge through recycling in order to leave. Sang Ly's son becomes ill and then the rent collector starts calling for money. This story is all about Sang Ly's journey to save her son and discover the power of reading.

Honestly. Its amazing. It has so many lessons in it and theres no reason and adult shouldn't read it. I love books about books... and this author understood the assignment. Its heartbreaking and powerful, a must read!

I read the original Rent Collector in 2013 and enjoyed the book that was inspired by a true story. I wanted to read this version written for young readers thinking of my teenagers!

This story takes place in Cambodia at the dump—at the dump where people live. They live day to day sorting through trash looking for items and metal to sell to collect enough money to buy food for the day. I loved this aspect of the story—lets show our children how hard people work to make ends meet.

The story is shown from the perspective of a woman and her life at the dump. She has a husband that goes out and sorts and a baby who has chronic diarrhea. But, the story is about the Rent Collector—the woman who collects rent for the land owner of the dump. You may live at the dump, but there is still rent to pay!

I loved the little bit of history of the Khmer Rouge, the story of an adult learning to read and the power of words, and the compassion humans have for one another. I found some of the reading references and books talked about to be a bit boring for a teen, but the story makes it worth it.

Have your youth read this for a glimpse into a whole other world and life. Help them to see how one can still give even if you have nothing. I think it’s so important for our children to learn to be compassionate, try to help others, serve, listen and love which this book encapsulates so well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an advance e-copy in return for my honest review.

This book is so beautiful and moving! It is a jewel and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.

The prose in this book is beyond beautiful, it reminded me so much of how The Life of Pi is written.

This is a book of hopelessness, redemption and heart.

* I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review