Book of the Week: Little Princes

I love the New Books section of our library.  It is the first things you see when you walk in the library door, and my little one knows that it will be our first stop. I try not to test his patience too much ( being quiet and not running can be a challenge for preschool boys!), but I feel very strongly that moms need to be reading and expanding their world through good books, just like the children. The New Books section makes it easy to take a quick look and find something interesting...before little ones get restless!  Here is what I found last week:   

This was a great read! I sometimes worry that I will not be able to finish a book in two weeks, but I finished this one in less than five days.  It is the account of a young man who begins a trip around the world and is forever changed after volunteering in a children's home in Nepal.  Once back in America, he begins a foundation to help child victims of human trafficking in this postwar country. He eventually returns to Nepal and works with others to search for a core group of  missing children and reconnect them with their families, who are scattered in remote villages. By the end of the book I felt like I was friends with all the children the author describes. My arms ached to scoop each one of them (and their precious parents, who were only trying to protect them from the horrors of war ) up in my arms and tell them how dear they are to the Almighty. I wanted to hug and thank all those who were brave enough to do things I could never do.

The photographs the author includes are outstanding, putting faces with names and descriptions. The writing is easy to follow and liberally sprinkled with humor at appropriate moments.  I went from having a very fuzzy idea of what child trafficking is really about, to having a great amount of sympathy for all those caught in this complex tragedy. I also finished this book amazed by how much this small group of determined people accomplished for the children God put in their path.  The book is written from a secular viewpoint, although the author mentions his turning back to Christianity after becoming close friends with a volunteer who is a committed Christian.  I have the feeling that there is a lot more to this part of the story, but in the book all religions are simply presented as equal partners in helping the lost children of Nepal. Dedicated people of all faiths play a crucial part in the task of caring for these children and reuniting them with their families, but I know for certain that the success they experienced results from the blessing of God on their work. It is truly unexplainable from a human standpoint. I highly recommend this inspiring and enlightening book!