Lost

Wow. What just happened?! I picked up this book earlier today and ending up spending the whole day reading it cover to cover because I couldn't put it down.

Fast paced. Compelling plot. Deep, thoroughly developed characters. And a story that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. I'm nearly speechless—gutted, but invigorated. This is a powerful story that will leave a lasting impression.

I was blown away by this book! It had so much heart in it. I loved Lola's kindness to those around her even after all she went through. I loved Rafi's story arc and how he grew over the course of the book. I felt like the book gave an accurate and age appropriate account of natural disaster aftermath and poverty. I loved the ending. The story was interesting and engaging. Amit is the sweetest little brother. This is definitely something I would let my children read and recommend to friends. This book would be a really great tool for discussion of poverty and natural disasters in a classroom or homeschool setting!

Lost is clearly crafted by an author who knows children's literature. The world is engaging, the characters are fleshed out well, and the themes are resonant. Recommended for school libraries and classroom shelves.

Lola’s life is comfortable and well off. Suddenly her dad goes for a day work trip and doesn’t return. What will Lola and her brother Amit do. Lola and her brother are forced to live on the streets. Then Amit goes missing. Lola realizes how strong she can be! This was a quite a page turner. I couldn’t put it down! I have never read anything from Ele Fountain, but can’t wait to read some of her other books! Highly recommend this book!

What a powerful beautifully written book. The characters are engaging and you feel for them so much. I read it alone first and it made me cry. I will read it to the children again as I think that it is a book they would appreciate and learn from.

Lost by Ele Fountain is a tale of a brother (Amit) and sister (Lola) living in India. They live with their father in a flat and one day, the father goes out to work and never returns. The rent is due to be paid but as the children have been abandoned, they have no way of paying the landlord, so they have to leave.
They find themselves on the streets with the other children and it's their survival on the streets that leave you turning page after page hoping for a happy ending.
The book leaves the reader hooked, Ele has a way with words that compel you to keep turning the pages.
It's thought provoking and sad in equal measure. A fantastic read.

"Lost" is the kind of children's book that was written for all ages. It's ensnaring and captivating and sweeps you in with its simple but elegant writing style and well-defined plot.

Lola and her brother Amit live a comfortable life in a large house with her father, who runs a textile business. Then one day, her father leaves for work and doesn't return. Lola and Amit are left with nothing from their past life, and have to fend for themselves on the streets while searching for their missing father.

This book was a delight to read. However, I did have a couple of notes. It would have been nice if the characters, especially the ones that aren't the main focus, had a bit more depth to them. Also, I loved Lola's helper Mila, and was sad when she disappeared after the first few chapters. Seeing Lola and her family help Mila further would strengthen their character development from posh(ish) people to having more empathy.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Final rating: 4.5/5

Lola is a pampered teen who lives in a big city in India with her father and brother. Lola and her younger brother Amit are leading a good life in the city surrounded by street kids or rats as they are called who live in abject poverty.

Their father owns a factory, and his two children benefit nicely from the money he earns. Lola attends a good school and Amit, a talented vocalist, is scheduled to audition for a part in a movie.
One day life, as it has life has a habit of doing, drastically changes for the small family of three who have lost their wife and mother.

After taking a business trip outside of the city, Lola’s father doesn’t return home. Lola and Amit wait alone in the apartment, and eventually go to the police to report their missing father. The authorities are unconcerned. There are news stories of tragic flooding. Was father a victim? Soon Lola and Amit are evicted from their flat, for lack of payment and forced to live on the streets with the “street rats”. Here I wondered why the landlord would be so uncaring for putting young children on the streets, but this is India and the streets are full of orphans. Amit is only eight years old and Lola a few older with no street smarts. Lola has to grow up quickly and take charge of their desperate situation, which takes a frightening turn when she gets separated from her brother in the busy streets. At this point the story becomes very tense due to street smarts needed for basic living and the wiles needed to escape those who prey on young vulnerable children.

Lola is a clever girl and develops coping skills just to survive amongst the “street rats” all the while searching for Amit and dodging the adults who use children for their own needs.

Lost is both a mystery and adventure story immersed in class divisions, social problems and the strength of friendship and family.

The ending wrapped everything up a bit abruptly for this reader. Fountain left us with a cliffhanger making me wonder if a sequel to Lost is planned. I hope so as I liked the window into a world totally foreign to me,
Lost is a page-turner that mystery fans will not won’t to put down until the very end

I loved this book! Thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me access to read it. I loved the different culture that was portrayed in the book and the growth of the main character. It was an engaging story and kids will love it!

Lost was simply amazing!. I started reading and did not stop until I had finished as I had to know what happened to Lola and Amit after their world was so drastically turned upside down. The characters felt very real and I was rooting for them to see a change in their fortunes. The descriptions were rich and detailed both of the main characters themselves but also of the surroundings helping you, as the reader, to feel empathy for the jeopardy of Lola, Amit and Rafi. I can't wait to share this engaging read with my class.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

I really enjoy Ele Fountain's books. They're adventures with heart, and this one doesn't disappoint. The friendship and sibling connections are strong and clear, and many middle grade readers will love this one.

Lola and her brother, Amit, live with their dad. When he goes away on a business trip and does not return, the two are faced with figuring out what to do. Things go from bad to worse when they get separated.
Opinion
I read this book in one evening. I simply could not put the book down. I had to know what happened to the siblings.
This is the first book I have read by Fountain and I was quite impressed with the plot. The experience that these two characters went through is definitely unique. As an adult, I appreciate the lessons learned as well. I could see this book being used as a One Book One School book for an elementary school.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to Pushkin Children's Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Lola and Amit two kids that are at home while their father takes a drive for a meeting for his factory. It is monsoon season, and while the kids are a bit worried, they go about their days. When he fails to come home after multiple days, and the landlord wants the apartment back for failure to pay rent, the kids have to face a new reality. They are on their own. They have very little money and no survival skills, they end up on the streets.

Their worlds shatter even more when they become separated. The story follows Lola and her search to find her brother and her father. She ends up befriending, against his will, Rafi, another kid who is living on the streets. Will Lola find her family again?

This book definitely made me think about homelessness and the people that are out there trying to survive.

I had no real idea where this story was going or what was going to happen until things started to go wrong for Lola and her brother but I think this added to my enjoyment of the story so I don't want to give too much away here.

Lola lives with her dad and brother in an apartment. She goes to school, has nice friends and is looking forward to watching her brother's upcoming film audition. The school holidays are about to start and Lola is busy making plans for make-up parties, hanging out with her brother and cooking with Mila, who has cooked, cleaned and taken care of the family ever since Lola's mum died eight years ago.
Everything looks set up for a great summer, until Lola's dad goes away for a business meeting and doesn't come back, marking the start of a change to every thing Lola has ever known.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked the characters and thought that many of their choices were realistic, which isn't always the case in children's fiction. The difference between Lola's life before and after her dad leaves, is huge and, sadly, I suspect, pretty accurate.

This is a great story, from one of my favourite publishers and a brilliant author and I look forward to reading more of her work.