A really wonderful middle grade read that will open up reader's eyes to some of the struggles other children and families face around the world. I loved learning about Minni, her family, and her friends and how hard they must all work in life to get what not only what they want, but to help supply some of their basic needs.

A well paced, interesting story that, I believe, can spark some really wonderful conversations.

A solid middle-grades read. Set in Mumbai, Minni must decide if what she believes in - clean water for everyone - is worth fighting for.

Spoilers***

I want to write the author and let her know several things. 1) I need more! More about the caste system, the neighborhood, and the water system setup. 2)More on the clinic, care, and costs. 3) What does the main character do after her computer class?

This was a great read and would fit fourth through seventh-grade social studies, Topics include access to water, school, social status, and government corruption. I enjoyed this book immensely, my only thought is I want the novel to be longer and more in-depth.

Each day Minnie and her family struggle to get by in the poorest part of Mumbai. They struggle to make ends meet, have enough to provide for a decent education, and always wonder if there will be enough of necessities, primarily water. When a series of unfortunate events forces Minnie to take over her mother’s job in a fancy high-rise building, Minnie learns about the inequity of water access. For some, such as the poor, access to water is not to be taken for granted. Meanwhile, others, such as mafia bosses and the thieves they employ, exploit water for their gain. As Minnie tries to juggle school, chores, work, and more, she also must decide what to do when she learns that one of the water mafia bosses resides in the same high-rise she works. No matter her choice, the consequences are far-reaching.

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj provides a comprehensive view of life in Mumbai. From wealth disparities to struggles for water, Bajaj covers it all. This includes examining educational inequality, friends and family support systems, and corruption. Minnie’s story helps illuminate all those issues. Yet, her story also is one of resiliency and readers will root for her the entire time. The breadth of the novel is both a strength and a weakness. There are many topics covered, but the amount means Thirst can only scratch the surface of each. For young readers, this introduction to a different country and culture will surely spark curiosity and offer a new perspective, perhaps at once different and similar to their own. Still, with such a range of thematic subjects, the novel struggles to seamlessly thread them together by the end. If readers are interested in the water scarcity issue, as suggested by the novel’s title, they might be disappointed that the theme is only one of many that tries to rise above all the rest.

Thirst offers plenty of topics to quench educators desire to teach a novel study. The book is rich in literary elements, a likeable protagonist, and plenty of nonfiction topics that can be explored at greater depth. The different setting and culture provide yet another avenue to expand students’ horizons and encourage open-mindedness about life around the globe. The only tricky part teachers may face is deciding which overarching theme to focus their time and energy on. With so much to offer, making a selection may seem overwhelming; yet, with a rich narrative, any choice is the right one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss+ and publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books, for an eARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy of this book.

Thirst is a fascinating look at the impact of severe water shortages on the varied castes of Mumbai.

When Minni's brother and his friend get caught lurking nearby as the water mafia steal precious water, their lives are in danger. They are sent away for their own safety and Minni's heart is broken. To add insult to injury, Minni's mother suddenly gets ill and is unable to perform her duties as a cleaner for a wealthy family. It becomes Minni's responsibility to collect and boil their family water, fill in for her mother at her job where Minni struggles to complete all the tasks to a degree that satisfies the demanding family, while she also attends school and prepares for her end of year exams.

This is a book that lends itself to so much conversation and learning. It is a Global Read Aloud title and I am sure it is will be one that will provide wonderful conversation and sharing in classrooms around the world this fall. I look forward to hearing what my students think about this story.

This was a wonderful read. I loved the voice of the main character and how she moved through her world. She gave some humor but I also got some anger, I appreciated the emotions that we went through. I think this was a really great story & an important one to tell. I hope that this book will be included in curriculums and lots of classroom libraries.

This was an eye-opening look at the precarious water situation in cities of India. The focus on that issue as well as education was interesting and will provide students with a very meaningful perspective when they compare their situation to the main characters.

Minni’s story touched my heart and raised my awareness about the impact of water on children. Her love for her family and community shines through her story and I cannot wait to share it with my students with the hope that she connects with them and makes a lasting impact on their hearts.

One of the greatest inequities in Mumbai is the access to water. This becomes very clear to twelve-year-old Minni. When her mother becomes ill, managing her mother's job, her studies, and collecting water take up all of her energy.

Minni must be mindful of her place while working as a servant for a wealthy family, yet she seeks justice in getting access to water for those in her neighborhood despite the water mafia's attempts to steal it.

Thirst is a story that tells the importance of family, finding your voice, and being an upstander.

I can see this book as a companion text to From the Desk of Zoe Washington for activism, Red, White, and Whole for themes of family, Indian culture, and overcoming adversity, and The Breadwinner, for filling the role of a parent's job while becoming aware of the inequities of the world.

Thirst was a page-turner. I was completely engrossed. The characterization, pacing, and premise had me hooked. I love how the characters and setting jumped off the page. I can't wait to share this book with young readers.

One of the reasons I read is to broaden my understanding of the world and how it works. I want to learn, to grow and allow reading to change me for the better. This book was the perfect catalyst for this. In it, we meet Minni, a 12-year old girl who lives in the poorest part of India where water is scarce and her family must go to great lengths to access it. When Minni and her brother witness the mafia stealing their water, their lives completely change. Her brother is sent away to live with family to ensure his safety and when her mother becomes ill again, Minni is left to work in her place while still maintaining her schoolwork. Through it all, Minni learns of the power of family, friendship and community…and the small acts of courage that can change a community. This book is an eye-opener for many, including myself, who take free access to clean water for granted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group (Nancy Paulsen Books) for the review copy of Thirst by Varsha Bajaj. This book is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

I was intrigued by this book because it has a setting that will allow my understanding of a different culture to expand, and the premise sounds fascinating. The thought that water could be such a rare commodity feels so strange to me - access to water is definitely something that I (as well as many of my students) take for granted every day.

Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day. Minni must wait in line at communal taps for a long time in order to get get water. One night, Minni, her brother, and a few friends witness water thieves, which catapults Minni to have to make decisions that could have dire consequences for her family no matter what.

MInni is a wonderful character, and the surrounding characters are amazing. If you enjoyed the book Amal Unbound, this would be a wonderful book to pick up. I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book to share with my students as soon as possible.

This book was fantastic. It was a shorter book that contained so much in a quick read. It was powerful and honest and a book I hope that many students read. It tells the story of a young girl growing up in the slums of Mumbai who experiences a series of events that make her already complicated life more complex. Her brother has to go live in the country and her mom gets sick, leaving her with the responsibilities of an adult while keeping up with her school work. The book shows how a corrupt officials make the already challenging aspect of getting enough water even worse due to people stealing and selling the water. While this book does show great hardships it leaves the reader with hope in how one person can make a difference.

Thirst is a book that would pair well with A Long Walk to Water. The characters and their experiences highlight some raw and emotional circumstances that surround living situations in which water security is a challenge. This book will foster rich discussions. Varsha Bajaj has mastered telling powerful, necessary stories in such an engaging way.

I was pulled into this story from the very beginning. I know there are water shortages around the world and the separation of classes in some countries, more pronounced than the US, but this Minni's narration really brought this to light.

Minni lives in Mumbai with her brother, Sanjay, mother and father. Her story gives her daily trip to the only supply of water in her village, it is very limited and if she arrives too late will not be able to get water for the day. When her mother falls ill and goes to stay with her sister in a different village, it is up to Minnie to get up every morning and boil the water to kill off the contaminants so her family can drink and cook with the water safely. Her mother has already been sick due to the contaminated water before they began boiling it.
Minni and Sanjay, and their friends, accidentally come upon the Water Mafia stealing their limited water and he is sent to a farm in the country to hide after he was spotted by one of the Mafia. Minni is caught between trying to go to school, take care of her father and trying to help bring Sanjay back home.

I enjoyed the writing of the story. I related to Minni due to the well-crafted narrative and pulled for her and her family while hoping they could find a way to better water resources. I will be sharing this book with my students when school resumes.

I was given the opportunity to read this by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thirst is a story that takes place in Mumbai. Access to water is limited to a few hours a day, and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, there has been water shortages due to water thieves. Minni's family has been impacted by this. One day, Minni witnesses an act of water theft. When her mom falls ill, she takes over her mom's job. While she is there, she realizes that her mom has been working for one of the water mafia's families. This is a powerful story about the importance of water. Minni is a strong character who tries to balance everything that is flown her way. She is a character you will root for. This is a great story that will lead to powerful discussions.

Thank you to Varsha Bajaj, the publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thirst is the story of Minni, a girl who lives in the poorest area of Mumbai where it is very difficult to find clean water. Minni and those who surround her don't just thirst for water, they thirst for the tickets to find their way into a brighter future and greater opportunities. When Minni's mother becomes ill, Minni has to step up to help her family by balancing school, her mother's job, taking care of herself, and going to computer class on the weekends. This is an excellent book and I'm glad it's been selected for this year's Global Read Aloud. Even though they are very different stories, it reminded me of Front Desk by Kelly Yang. The two books would be a good pair to read and discuss together in an upper elementary or middle grade classroom or to suggest to a child that age.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley. As a middle school teacher, I am always on the lookout for books that teach while entertaining readers. This book definitely fits that criteria. The setting of the book is Mumbai, India and our main character is a young girl living in part of the poorest areas of that country. The author does an excellent job of teaching about the culture and conflicts for the people of this area without coming on too strong. The book teaches about something so many of us take for granted, water. This book helps kids to understand what it is like living in this part of the world. Minni, the main character, has to go through so many challenges but is able to overcome them with the support of her community, family, and friends. This book opened my eyes as well to things that I may have taken for granted as well. Lastly, I think this book would make an excellent companion novel to the book, The Bridge Home and Born Behind Bars, both by Padma Venkatraman.
I plan on purchasing a copy for my classroom library and encouraging my students to read it.

Minni lives with her loving family in Mumbai, but life is hard-her parents work all the time and her older brother has left school to work in a kitchen. Part of what makes life hard is getting water-they have to go and stand in line every day at a community tap, which only works sometimes. The lines are long and the water must be boiled or they risk getting sick. This is a terrific, suspenseful story and I really liked it!

I really enjoyed this story! Having spent some time in India, though not Mumbai, it really brought back memories, smells, and people.
Minni is a 12 year old girl who has to grow up quickly after witnessing the theft of water one night with some friends. She doesn't understand why something so important to her neighborhood is being stolen. Her brother is sent away for his safety and then her mother gets sick and leaves to recover. Poor Minni takes over her mother's chores and job, as well as her own chores and schooling.
Minni's situation is rough: her employers treat her badly because she is a lower caste. I saw this first-hand while in India and it's heartbreaking to know it's real and not just part of a story. But Minni didn't let it keep her down and she came up with creative ways to help solve the water problem.
The only criticism I have is that it was hard to tell the passage of time. Sometimes the incidents were both days and weeks apart. But it didn't detract from the story.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in India, women's rights, water security, or who like stories about spunky young girls.

Minni lives in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Mumbai where money is limited and water is even harder to come by. When her mom gets sick and her brother, Sanjay, gets in trouble, Minni has to grow up quickly and take more responsibility at home. She has to miss a lot of school because she’s waiting in line for water and starts falling behind. The exam to move on to the next grade is in 2 weeks and Minni is afraid she won’t pass and will be forced to drop out of school. When Minni finds out some men have been taking water from the already low tap in their neighborhood to sell to someone else, she sets out to try and make the world around her better. Minni is brave and kind and a good friend. Even though she has to grow up quickly, she still wants to help her neighborhood and be a part of making things better for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.