'May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound, be free.'

Right from the cover... a young boy, a baby elephant in chains... I knew this book would require tears.

Yesterday I read Chained by Lynne Kelly. It is a book that asks you to be brave, and above all... kind.

I loved the references to Ganesh. He's my favorite Hindu god. He's a boy with an elephant's head... maybe you've seen him before? Ganesh is my favorite because he is known as the Remover of Obstacles, which is why he is always great to have around.

From Chained:

From my hammock I peek through the spaces between the stable logs. Even though I can't see anything but the night sky, I pretend to see all the way to my house. I picture my mother as I last saw her, when I looked out the back window of the truck to see her standing in the road. 

Just before I fall asleep, Ne Min comes into the stable. When I sit up I see that he's holding a palm leaf and a hammer.

He holds up the leaf. "I meant for you to keep this," he says.

"Why? What does it say?"

"It is from a prayer." Ne Min holds holds the leaf on the wall in front of me and places the end of a nail against it. "It says, 'May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound, be free.'"

With one strike he pounds the nail into the wall.