Climbing the Stairs

Locations
Call Number: Teen Fiction
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Teen, 1st Floor 4-week checkout	Teen Fiction	4-week checkout	On Shelf

In India, in 1941, when her father becomes brain-damaged in a non-violent protest march, fifteen-year-old Vidya and her family are forced to move in with her father's extended family and become accustomed to a totally different way of life.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

School Library Journal Review
Booklist Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile
Excerpt
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Explore India During WWII submitted by skcramer on July 15, 2013, 8:41pm Growing up in India during WWII, scholarly fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of going to college one day, but when her supportive father is injured during a passive protest march, Vidya must move in with her conservative relatives and fight to keep her dream of college alive. This historical young-adult novel explores a fascinating setting, with plenty of insights into Indian culture and the Indian perspective of the war. These elements are handled with great care and ring with authenticity. Unfortunately, the story itself is too leisurely paced and the characters too underdeveloped to be truly engaging. While teen girls will certainly root for Vidya, they may ultimately be disappointed by how little she actually does to achieve her dream. This title will instead appeal most strongly to readers who wish to immerse themselves in Indian history or culture or who wish to explore a non-Western view of WWII.

Climbing the Stairs submitted by camieroper on July 6, 2019, 4:42pm For youngsters securely ensconced in a loving home, this story is an eye-opener. A wealthy and happy family's circumstances quickly change for the worse, and they are thrust into a Harry-Potter-like situation in a relative's home. India during WWII is nicely introduced, as are elements of the caste system and the limited role of women at that time. This was an enjoyable book.