The Bridge Home is a novel about two sisters who run away from home to escape their abusive father. Using second person narrative, the novel is told from Viji’s perspective as she writes to her sister Rukku in the past tense and recollects the events of their lives as homeless children in India. Viji writes about finding shelter on a bridge where they meet two homeless boys, Arul and Muthu, who become their friends. Together, they figure out ways to earn money and confront the many dangers and challenges that come with being homeless children in a large city. 

In addition to homelessness, this novel addresses difficult challenges that the main characters experience including the loss of loved ones, discrimination, and strangers with ulterior motives. Through hardships, the four children find comfort and solace in each other as they share stories of hope and redefine the concepts of home and family as they find those things in each other.

Big Ideas:

• Children who are homeless may navigate survival with creativity, tenacity, humor, caution, and a maturity beyond their years. Children with disabilities may not be recognized for their potential and strengths.

• Second person narrative and flashback can serve to tell an intimate story that captures the narrator’s personal emotions and thoughts specifically directed toward a person

• There are different ways to define home and family. “Home” is not always a place – sometimes it is a person (or people) or a feeling. Family can be defined as a group of people going through life together; you may be blood-related or connected by shared experiences and beliefs.

• A person’s beliefs and dreams shape the way they navigate life and find purpose

• Telling stories both orally and in writing is a powerful way to cope with difficult experiences and preserve hope

• Moving on from a painful loss or experience can be a complicated yet necessary part of life