more from Ineke Holtwijk

Based on the life of a real child living in Rio de Janeiro, this is a heartwrenching account of one of the most heinous situations ever to be exposed to the public.

Honors

Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Award

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

IRA Notable Books for a Global Society

CCBC Choices

Américas Award Commended Title

Reviews

“The greatest strengths of the book are its cast of living, breathing characters and its unparalleled depiction of life on the streets.”
     —Publishers Weekly

“The riveting true story of a 13-year-old boy living on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, as do thousands of children, without shelter or hope. Holtwijk submerses readers into Alex’s reality, his diminishing dreams, and his fears. Readers will inhabit Alex’s life, for a time, and they will understand and admire him deeply.”
     —Kirkus Reviews

“The striking cover and high-interest subject will entice teens to follow Alex willingly into the streets.”
     —Booklist

“Much like Smack in its honesty, this novel is brought to life by Holtwijk’s expertise. Originally published in the Netherlands in 1995, the translation into English is well done; the language is fairly natural, and dialogue includes realistic lingo … Although urban teens’ lives are not much like Alex’s, many will find street life shocking as well as interesting, and will put themselves in his flip-flops.”
     —Voice of Youth Advocates

“Young adults will find this a readable, fact-based introduction to an important subject, one that provides sensitive readers with a balance of emotional involvement and intellectual distance.”
     —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“This is a gripping story … a story that should be read by everyone, because the atrocities these children suffer are unconscionable. Homelessness is a problem in most nations, and wherever they are, the situation of these children deserves attention.”
     —KLIATT

about the author

Ineke Holtwijk has always travelled, mainly in Africa until 1989, and then in South America. In 1992 she became news correspondent for the Dutch Daily newspaper de Volkskrant covering Latin America. Her first book published in the United States was Asphalt Angels, which was named a Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Award and an ALA Best Books for Young Adults.