A family crisis sends 13 year old Naledi and her nine year old brother Tiro to find Mma, who works as a servant in Johannesburg. The youngsters observe first-hand many manifestations of the official apartheid policy of South Africa's government. The short chapters and terse tone convey the urgency of a thought-provoking novel. (Ages 9-13)

If only Mma was here, Naledi wished over and over. . .

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know, deep down, that only one person can save her. Bravely, alone, they set off on a journey to find Mma and bring her back. It isn't until they reach the city that they come to understand the dangers of their country, and the painful struggle for freedom and dignity that is taking place all around them.