Iqbal Masih was a 4 year boy who was sold into child bonded labor for under $50 by his parents. He worked in a rug making factory in Pakistan under deplorable conditions. At the age of 10 he escaped and began crusading against illegal child bonded labor practices. His work won him the Reebok Human Rights Award and he came to the US to receive the award. Upon his return home Iqbal was murdered while riding his bike near his grandmother's home. While no one knows who murdered him, it is assumed that the "carpet mafia" wanted to silence him.

Iqbal is a fictionalized account of Iqbal Masih's life. It is written at a fifth grade level but the content is better suited for middle school students. We are reading this book as a kick off to our study of child labor practices around the world. The book is compelling and told from a adolescents point of view. It is advised that this book is read as a class and within context of classroom discussions and facts about child labor. A student reading this book without classroom support may have a difficult time with emotional and societal issues addressed in the novel.

A beautifully written (especially for a young adult novel) story of Iqbal, a young slave to a carpet merchant and his fight for freedom and participation in the anti-child labor movement. Another must read for young adults, showing they have power in this world for good. Grade: A-