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Setting: Squatters in the Manila North Cemetery; Themes: trauma, home, courage, hope, education, friendship, community, oppression, and poverty. Characters: Nora and her mother, Nora's friend Jojo and his grandmother, Tiger her nemesis. Glossary of Tagalog words included. A Reading and activity guide at the end of the book is unnecessary but some teachers may find it helpful. Author Marie Miranda Cruz grew up in the Philippines and currently lives in the USA, California. This is her debut novel.
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A fascinating insight into the life of poor people in the Philippines. The courage, the resilience, the hardships and the resourcefulness of those living on the poverty line. There is a whole community who live in the cemeteries but corruption is rife and Nora falls on hard times. Can she help her mother and herself? Can she save the memory of her papa and rescue his watch? A beautifully written and poignant story.
