Can't think of a single reason to give this book less than 5 stars. Fabulous writing, great message for young readers, beautiful story. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 5-7

Plot Summary: Hastin's little sister got bitten by a bug during the flood and her fever is getting worse. They have no choice: they need to bring her to the hospital. Amma gets a job working for Raja Sharma leaving Hastin by himself in their home, supported by the tight community he lives in. He gets a ride into town to see his mom and notices she has bruises from her boss. Not happy with the way she is treated, he gets a job so that she doesn't have to work anymore. He will be going away for a year working for a man who wants to start a circus and needs an elephant trainer. Timir hires Hastin and they travel far away from the dessert to the jungle.

Every day, Hastin completes his chores and sits in a tree watching the elephants play, hoping a baby elephant won't fall into the trap. One day, an elephant he has named Nandita falls in and he listens to the elephant cries when they realize she is stuck and must leave her. He lies that night to Timir and sneaks out to try to help her escape but gets stuck in the trap with her. Timir adds three months to his service for lying.

Hastin and the elephant have bonded and they trust each other. Hastin takes care of her food, water, bath, and cleans her stall. They even sleep in the same stall. During the day, Hastin helps Ne Min in the kitchen while Sharad trains Nandita. Hastin is appalled when he finds a big gash in her skin during bath time and asks Ne Min to help. Hastin discovers the gash is from Sharad using a bull hook during training, and vows to escape the horrors of the circus, and help Nandita escape as well.

Setting: India, northern India

Characters:
Hastin - 10 y/o, learned to carve animals from wood from his dad
Chanda - Hastin's younger sister, had nightmares after their father died
Amma - Hastin's mother
Baba - Hastin's father, died over a year ago, gave Hastin a smooth volcanic rock that he keeps in his pocket
Raj - a dog that follows Hastin around even though he isn't supposed to have a dog because they don't have money to feed it, Amma turns a blind eye to it
Moti - a camel Hastin and Amar are trying to sell
Amar - a neighbor who brings Hastin to visit his mother
Timir - Hastin's boss, was a schmoozer and a player when getting Hastin to work for him, mean spirited and greedy, takes Hastin's animal carvings and sells them for nothing, had a circus before but something happened to it, spent time in jail
Ne Min - the chef and housekeeper for Timir, wise old man who seems to know everything about animals, doesn't always share the whole story but in a trusting manner, knows Timir and Sharad well, knows Sharad has it in him to be kind
Sharad - elephant trainer, his father was an elephant trainer for Timir as well
Nandita - baby elephant

Recurring Themes: circus, India, disease, money, socioeconomic status, child labor, elephants, elephant training, truth, friendship

Controversial Issues:
Amma has a bruise on her face but nothing specific is mentioned; Hastin knows it's from the boss
Serious topics such as death, animal abuse

Personal Thoughts: I loved this one. Great character development, great drama. An author's note at the end explains laws pertaining to elephants in India. Sure, the ending of this book might not be totally realistic, but it was a great read anyway.

Genre: Realistic fiction

Pacing: not a whole lot of action, character driven
Characters: many but easy to keep apart and well developed
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )

The horrible truth about the life of a circus elephant. Wild animals do not belong in captivity. ( )

A touching novel about compassion and friendship that lovers of animal lovers will certainly appreciate. ( )

Meet Chanda. She is the catalyst for today’s review of Chained, a smart, well-written, and engrossing novel by Lynne Kelly. Chanda is a young girl bitten by fever mosquitoes and now carries a dangerously high temperature. She needs medical help now. With the help of a neighbor, Amma, her mother, takes Chanda to the hospital in the city. Left behind to care for things at home is Chanda’s older brother, Hastin.

Thus begins an engaging story of one young boy’s quest to help the three women in his life, though he has yet to meet the third. Chanda’s care will cost the family 4000-rupee they do not have. Without her husband to help, Amma barters her services as a house cleaner in exchange for the needed money. Hastin does not like the accommodations Amma resides in during her one-year stay and is determined to find a job and send Amma home. Finding a job is no easy task when you are a young boy of ten, with little skills.

Enter Timir, a once prosperous circus owner who is determined to return to his former glory. He needs an elephant keeper. Hastin needs a job. Timir will graciously talk to the rich man and pay off Amma’s debt, and add a salary Hastin will collect at the end of his one-year stint as the elephant keeper. There is a catch. Timir does not own an elephant. He expects Hastin to help trap one in the jungle. Chup! No one should know this, he tells Hastin. Timir promises this job is more adventure than work. Hastin has never seen the jungle, having lived all his life is the dessert.

Two other characters are essential in this story. One is Sharad, the elephant trainer who trained under one of the best elephant trainers, but has forgotten most of what he learned. The other is the circus cook, Ne Min, an older man with much elephant experience. Ne Min is like a wise grandfather, but with secrets that bring him shame.

Fast forward past some wonderful prose and scenes that will throw your emotions topsy-turvy and Timir has his elephant. Hastin names the elephant Nandita and the two become best friends. Hastin must feed, bathe, and sleep with Nandita. He cares for any injuries or ills she may acquire. None of these tasks is easy.
Timir, the once jovial employer-in-need, has chained both Hastin and Nandita. He chains Nandita around the neck and feet, while chaining Hastin to a debt Timir seems reluctant to let the boy work off his debt. Timir is a paranoid and angry man with a cruel streak. Each time he thinks Hastin has broken one of his rules, Timir adds another three months onto the loan agreement. Neither the young boy nor the young elephant think they will ever get out from under Timir’s brutal thumb.

I need to stop here. There is so much action in Chained that I could write twice the normal review. I adore this book. It is one of the, no, it is the best book I have read from a debut author and the best book by anyone so far this year. Chained is a novel all aspiring authors need to deconstruct. It is near perfect execution of craft. Scenes unfold naturally without one unnecessary word and the plot is unusual, well researched, and builds to the perfect ending that will satisfy the reader. The well-defined characters have unforgettable personalities, including Nandita. This is the kind of writing editors and publishers are looking for.

The story is set in Northern India and features two distinct regions: the dessert and the jungle. Important subjects include family, loyalty, honor, and trust. Chained is a good choice for social studies teachers. The story contains many concepts a teacher can use to great success in her classroom. Being well constructed, in addition to being wonderfully told, makes Chained a great choice for a book report. The issue of animal care, wild animal care in particular, can lead off a classroom discussion that will every student interested.

Chained is also a story boys and girls will not put down, if they can get it away from their parents long enough to read it. Yes, Chained is a middle grade book. Yes, Chained could be marketed to adults, it is that good, that engaging of a story. If you can only purchase one book, make it Chained. This one is going to be on every library’s most requested list.

Received book from the publisher, Farra Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers

Originally reviewed at Kid Lit Reviews
http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2012/06/12/chained-by-lynne-kelly/ ( )