IQBAL by Francesco D'Adamo

Iqbal is a historical fiction book based mainly on a Pakistani boy as well as his friends that he meets in the carpet making shops of Pakistan. This book deals with the real life problem of child labor by telling the story of several children forced to work in shocking conditions and environments after getting taken away from their families. These children, unlike most in Pakistan manage to escape and are supported and protected by the national police. If you are interested in reading about the life of Iqbal and most Pakistani children and how they were forced to work illegally, this could be a book for you. (Lucie, Grade 8)

Rating: 4/5

Vocabulary Difficulty: 3/5

Iqbal by Francesco D' Adamo is a book based on real child labourer named Iqbal. In the book, Iqbal was forced to work in a carpet factory until a debt of what his family borrowed paid off. In the carpet factory, Iqbal meets other children who also work there and gives them a bright spirit. I think that this is a book of tragedy and explains how life is in some areas of the world. This book is part of historical fiction and non fiction since it based on the life of the real child labourer, Iqbal Masih. I recommend this book to the ones who want to know more about how life is in different area in the world and the ones who are 10 years old and above. (Ahyun Grade 7)

Rating: 4/5

Vocabulary Difficulty: 2/5

The book Iqbal by Francesco D' Adamo is a bit of a sad book but is still very nice reading. It is based in a carpet factory in Pakistan, in an old time. It tells the story of Fatima and other kids that work at a carpet factory. All of them believe that they are never going to get out until Iqbal arrives. Iqbal has a great spirit that cheers up and motivates all the other children. Iqbal stays strong no matter what horrible situation he has to face. There were many tough parts in this book that really shocked me . Overall this was a really inspirational and enjoyable book even thought some parts are quite sad like the ending. I would mostly recommend this book for people who enjoy the genres non-fiction and a bit of tragedy, preferably ages 11 and up because it might be too complicated and sad for younger ages. (Nina. Grade 7)

Rating: 4/5

Vocabulary Difficulty: 2/5

The novel Iqbal, by Francesco D’Adamo, is historical fiction loosely based on a true story about a courageous boy named Iqbal who begins working at a carpet factory. He inspires the other children working there to escape the harsh working conditions. I enjoyed reading this book although at times it was really disturbing. I learned about the struggles of being a child laborer in Pakistan. The hardships that the characters in the book had to endure were really shocking. This book was very well-written and descriptive which helps the reader to envision the setting and therefore, empathize with situation. I would recommend this book to everyone as I think it is important for people to learn about the hardships of children living in less fortunate circumstances. For some readers, this could be triggering and difficult to read because it’s about child abuse. Despite this, I hope this story could inspire people to help children who are currently in this position. (Seoyeon. Grade 7)

Rating: 5/5

Vocabulary Difficulty: 1/5

I read 'IQBAL' by Francesco D'Adamo. The genre is mainly historical and realistic fiction which is the type of book that I enjoy the most. I recommend this book because it is a true story and even though the story itself is very depressing, the author somehow made me want to continue reading it. There were a lot of parts of the book that were unbelievable that had happened to children in the past. I couldn't stop reading this book as the storyline was very interesting and the setting of the book. The book is set in Pakistan and I learned about its history. I highly recommend it to everybody. (Sebin. Grade 8)

Rating: 5/5

Vocabulary Difficulty: 2/5