Freedom Seeker is written in a way that feels very realistic, taking the reader on a harrowing immigration journey from India to the US. Simi and her family live a fairly ordinary life in India. The author makes Simi's life similar to one the reader might have, easy for them to relate to. When they are suddenly no longer safe in their home, and must find a new one, it's clear that this is a tough but necessary choice. This is an important story for students in the US to read.

Simi is busy leading her life in a small village in India, with her parents and her grandparents, but some people are becoming intolerant of her parents mixed marriage-her father is a Muslim and her mother is a Hindu. Eventually, it becomes clear that none of them are safe living where they are and Simi's dad decides to emigrate to the US via Mexico. Once he arrives safely and finds a job, he wants her mom and Simi to come and join him. But following the same path he did is no longer an option. Simi and her mom press on and end up separated, in different facilities, each unsure if the other survived. This is an occasionally difficult story to read-so many parts are painfully true. But it's a wonderful story of courage, family, persistence, and I think kids are going to love getting to know Simi.

A powerful and moving book! The Freedom Seeker will open the eyes of readers to issues they may not have considered. With all of the emotion in the pages kids will be given not only information, but strategies about what to do with that information.

This was an excellent read. If you are looking for a way to help your child understand the problems with our current immigration system, or what it means to come to America "illegally," this is a great option.

Simi's mother is Muslim, and her father is a Hindu Sikh. When a new political group rises to power, Simi's family becomes targets in a racist witch hunt, and they are forced to flee to America for safety. Unfortunately, they soon discover that entering the United States is nearly as dangerous.

You and your child will learn so much about why people seek asylum, how the current system is structured, and the dangers immigrants face in a quest for a safe haven. Simi is a compelling character, and I felt so frustrated reading about what happens to her and her mother. But while there are moments of danger, this is ultimately a story about hope, sacrifice, and family, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

It has been a long time since a middle grade book hit me the way the Freedom Seeker just did. What an emotional story from start to finish. The Freedom Seeker follows Simi Singh, a 12 year old girl living in Northern India as tensions are starting to rise due to anti-Muslim rhetoric. When things escalate too far for anyone in Simi’s immediate family to be safe staying in India, plans are put in place to get the three to America. Simi’s dad goes first. Simi and her mom are set to follow and things go horribly wrong. Getting to read from the point of view of Simi as she navigated the horrors that are the immigration “system” was both powerful and gut-wrenching. I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this for my classroom and recommending it to students. I think many of them will be interested in it after we read Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. I also enjoyed the reading guide and guiding questions at the end!

Just incredible. She does an incredible job of humanizing a story that desperately needs understanding. The timing is ideal as our country is closing its borders to people who desperately need a safe haven. Can't wait to get this into the hands of students!
Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced reader copy.

A thoughtful and age-appropriate analysis of the broken immigration system in the US, from the perspective of an Indian girl. I felt like this covered many aspects, particularly her experience in detention in the US, well. I would have liked to have seen a bit more emotion and "need" for why they fled India - it all felt a little unemotional - and also their decision to cross the Sonoran desert. Otherwise an eye-opening book.
Best for 6th g and up.

Phenomenal book alert! A must read for all humans. A book about leaving behind nearly everything you have in order to live where your family is safe. A book about survival, separation, new friends, and hope. Simi and her parents flee India in hopes to live in the United States where their lives won’t be in danger because of their interfaith family. Simi’s dad makes it to NY, but Simi and her mother must hike more than 40 miles through the desert, where they get separated and detained. A heart wrenching and hope filled book that you will NOT be able to put down. Preorder immediately!

Ruchira Gupta's The Freedom Seeker is a powerful and profoundly moving narrative that offers a crucial window into the harrowing experiences of immigrant children. While the book began slowly for me, particularly in its initial portrayal of Simi's life in India, it quickly evolved into a gripping and essential read.

The early chapters, which introduce Simi's interfaith family in India, provided a pleasant glimpse into her world. However, the dangers her family faced due to their interfaith status were primarily told to the reader rather than shown. To truly convey the severity of the political situation and the prejudice and violence they endured, a more descriptive depiction might have enhanced the impact, especially for younger readers who may not fully grasp the gravity of such circumstances.

The narrative truly takes off following the attack on Simi's father. From this point, the story becomes an urgent and deeply resonant journey. Ruchira Gupta's extensive background in journalism and Women's Rights activism shines through, lending an undeniable realism to Simi's harrowing experiences. This authenticity feels particularly pertinent in the context of current US immigration policies, making the book incredibly relevant. The portrayal of the traumas of ICE incarceration, in particular, felt very visceral and provided a powerful, albeit difficult, point of connection for readers. This aspect of the book offers a beautiful opportunity for honest and challenging conversations about the realities faced by many.

Simi herself is a remarkably strong and inspiring protagonist. Her methodical thinking and her consistent reliance on her family as a source of strength serve as an excellent example for readers to aspire to. Her resilience in the face of immense adversity is truly commendable.

As a parent, I found myself deeply moved, shedding tears several times toward the book's conclusion. The moments of Simi's reunion with her father and their subsequent efforts to locate her mother were particularly poignant and emotionally charged.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Freedom Seeker and would rate it 5 stars. It is a wonderfully written story that not only entertains but also opens a vital window into a very real and often overlooked reality for immigrant children. It's a book that stays with you long after you've turned the final page.

I learned a lot from this book, a lot about different cultures and faiths. It was very interesting. I really liked all the relationships in this book, how Simi was close with her parents and her grandparents. I liked how they taught her to deal with fights and how to be a leader. Several parts were quite sad and heartbreaking, but I liked how it made a point to show the good people who go out of their way to help others. There were several parts about praying to the gods, and since I am a Christian I don’t agree with this, but since this book was about different religions, I was okay with it because I got to learn about some other religions. All in all, I really enjoyed this and highly recommend!

This was such a moving story, and an intense but hopeful one, too. Simi Singh lives in Northern India, and while she is focused on doing well in school—but really really into her field hockey team, too. When she learns she'll be hear team's captain she takes that seriously, and does her best to reach all of her teammates, even though some scorn her position given that she's a girl, and from a mixed-religion family. Her family is Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu, and Simi loves that about her family, but some think that wrong. Things escalate as politics and bigotry drive some in her community to attack them—throwing rocks through their windows, threatening them, and beating her father. The attacks are enough to make Simi and her parents flee to America, though the road there is dangerous, too. Ruchira Gupta's writing is engaging and the story is a compelling one, showing readers one family's story of immigrating to America despite all of the risks to try and find safety together. Simi's time in the desert and detention centers are particularly harrowing, but unfortunately realistic, and shine a light on the horrors our government inflict on children and families coming to America. Simi discovers that there are those who will help and support her wherever she goes—including other children making the dangerous journey, volunteers in the detention center, and journalists—and her determination is clear. An excellent book for middle grade and younger high school readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for allowing me to read *The Freedom Seeker* by Ruchira Gupta in exchange for my honest review. #TheFreedomSeeker #NetGalley

The Freedom Seeker is a powerful and important book that tells the story of a girl named Simi and her family's journey to the United States seeking asylum. In India, there is a group that believes married individuals should share the same religion, which creates a significant problem for Simi's family. Simi's mother is Muslim, while her father is Sikh. Her father travels to the U.S. first, leaving Simi and her mother behind. The journey they embark on to join him is fraught with challenges, and during this traumatic time, they become separated while crossing the border. Throughout her ordeal, Simi remembers what her grandparents, Dadi and Dadu, advised her: to hold on to hope even in the darkest moments.

This middle-grade novel sheds light on a topic that is not discussed enough. It realistically portrays the struggles of entering the United States while also capturing moments of joy. Students who can relate to Simi's story are likely to find this book compelling.

Simi Singh is happy- she has just been promoted to captain of her hockey team, she loves her two best friends, and she adores her close-knit family. Unfortunately, anti-Muslim sentiment is on the rise where she lives in India, and people have started directly targeting her interfaith family. After her father is attacked, their family makes the difficult decision to escape to the United States.

Simi's journey is heartbreaking. When people are in danger, they will put themselves into high-risk situations in the hope that one day their family will be safe. The hardest thing about reading this book was knowing that Simi's situation isn't something imaginary, but the reality for many children entering the United States.

I really enjoyed this book. In times like these with xenophobia on the rise, it feels incredibly important to read books that can expand our empathy to people who need it.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

This is such an important book right now. The reality is out there, and this book does a great job bringing the reader right into the action. This book touches all the emotions as the characters try to find their way to a better future. I appreciate that it is contemporary times; these things are happening right now. The author handles the journey accurately.

Wow! This was quite a book. I read this in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It was heartbreaking to see Simi and her family go through to get to the US for a better life. Unfortunately much of this is true to life. I know students at my school that have been through much to be here. Such an important read!