The Prisoner of Bhopal
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
MY THOUGHTS
How do you write a children’s book on a tragic event from history? With clever research and a gripping fantastical element to hook young readers, of course!
The Prisoner of Bhopal is a gripping historical-fiction novel featuring 10-year-old Amil, who is forced to work for a businessman, Mr Kumar, as indentured labour in a dilapidated printing factory to pay back a debt of honour. He is confined to an attic when not working, where he finds a diary written by his grandfather, Sanjiv. Through his grandfather’s journal, he realises his family has a special gift — to read the wind. The book criss-crosses between scenes from the Bhopal Infantry at World War 1 and 1984 Bhopal as we follow Amil and Chunni on their daily tasks.
Through the book, we get an excellent introduction to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy as the author expertly interweaves themes of caste, poverty, cost of war, and intergenerational trauma throughout the story,
On Tell Me A Story, I speak with Tim Walker and find out the fascinating reason he chose to write about the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. In an insightful conversation, Tim talks about how he approaches writing for children and the extensive research (including a sensitivity reader) that went into writing Prisoner of Bhopal.
Perfect for middle-grade readers and young adults, this is an exciting read, different from anything you have read before.
If you think your child would enjoy this book, you can buy it here →
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