This novel by a Dutch journalist graphically depicts life on the streets for a 13-year-old boy in Rio de Janeiro after his mother dies. Glue sniffing, stealing, prostitution and panhandling are all part of the daily routine for Alex's gang, called the Asphalt Angels, which is headed by a 19-year-old thief and his 16-year-old "wife," and whose youngest member is a 10-year-old addict. The author based the novel on a boy she met in a shelter for street children in Rio. Alex is a sympathetic protagonist, living the roughest life a child could have. His most fervent wish is for a mother and a bed. The greatest strengths of the book are its cast of living, breathing characters and its unparalleled depiction of life on the streets, where stealing seems a perfectly logical response to hunger. The drama of the last chapters brings the plot to a sobering conclusion, yet strikes a dimly hopeful chord. This novel is not for the faint of heart; it is best suited for mature readers. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 8-10-A realistic depiction of the life of street children in Brazil seen through the eyes of Alex, a 13-year-old runaway. After his mother's death, Alex's abusive stepfather kicks him out of the house and the boy heads for Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, jobs that provide enough money for food and shelter are nonexistent. He eventually falls in with a surrogate family of street urchins who call themselves the Asphalt Angels, headed by two older teens, Roy and his girlfriend, Duda. They hang out together for protection, supporting themselves through petty thievery and sniffing glue for a cheap high. Alex comes across as a sympathetic, believable character, reluctant to become involved in the violence, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities through which his companions survive. After Roy is killed, Alex slides deeper and deeper into depression, finally contemplating suicide. Somewhat improbably, Duda appears in the nick of time to rescue him. Despite what seems like a random piling of incident upon incident, Alex's plight generates sympathy, and his quandary over how to escape his hellish existence generates increasing tension. An afterword provides factual data on homeless children in Rio de Janeiro, indicating the magnitude of the problem and the somewhat unfocused attempts of Brazilian society to cope with this human tragedy.
Douglas Wooley, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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