Thirst

 by Varsha Bajaj

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Minni is growing up in the poorest section of Mumbai, India where access to water is a daily struggle.  It is hard to understand why people in the high rises have all the water they need, freely flowing from their taps while Minni and her family have to wait in line to fill their buckets and then begin the long task of purifying it.  When Minni's mother gets sick, she has to take on the additional responsibility of working as a maid in a high rise where she learns even more about the difference between her life and those who have wealth and power.  Minni finds that she has an opportunity to do something that might improve the lives of her family and others, if she has the courage, but it will mean risking her job and her safety.  Is Minni up to the challenge?