AN UNFORGETTABLE STORY BASED ON REAL EVENTS ABOUT FINDING THE COURAGE TO CREATE YOUR OWN DESTINY.

In the outskirts of Bihar's Red Light District, fourteen-year-old Heera is living on borrowed time. Her father plans to sell her into the sex trade to pay off the family's debts. But after watching her cousin suffer this fate, Heera is determined to find a way out. A chance encounter introduces her to the power of kung fu. Through martial arts, Heera learns to harness her own strength to protect herself and those around her. When her best friend goes missing, Heera suspects the worst. So she embarks on a daring rescue mission - one that will take her straight into the path of danger and halfway across the world.

IT'S TIME FOR HEERA TO WRITE HER OWN STORY

About the Author

Ruchira Gupta is the founder-president of Apne Aap Women Worldwide. She is a social justice activist, feminist campaigner, journalist, Emmy Award-winning documentarian, and professor at New York University who has dedicated her life to creating a world where no child is bought or sold. I Kick and I Fly is her debut novel.

Reviews

'Any work from Ruchira Gupta is sure to further the cause of liberating women, especially, and in this novel, girls.' Alice Walker, author of The Colour Purple

'In I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta has given young readers an irresistible story, and also one that could save lives. This book is a gift.' Gloria Steinem

'A powerhouse of a debut. Ruchira Gupta has crafted a page-turner of a read, stepped in place and full of indelible characters, managing to be at once propulsive and enlightening, infuriating and inspiring. But maybe most important, Heera's story is a beacon of hope to a generation of young people trying to transform an unjust world.' Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay

'Having been to the brothels and red-light district I Kick and I Fly so searingly captures, I can testify that this book is essential reading... Ruchira Gupta is nothing less than a great hero, and in her book, she has created one in Heera, as she seeks to defy the destiny of rape that poverty and men have assigned her.' Ashley Judd

'Simply magnificent. A beautifully tender and sensitive exploration of one girl's fight to reclaim her body in a world where the sex trade is seen as inescapable. I challenge anyone to read Heera's story and be unmoved... I am so grateful for the chance to have read Heera's story and to have been a part of her journey to self-empowerment.' Ayaan Mohamud, author of You Think You Know Me

'A triumphant debut.' Kirkus Reviews

'Ruchira Gupta gives readers an empathetic and unflinching glimpse into a world little known to outsiders. Visceral, prismatic detail lend an authentic sense of place, while Heera herself anchors the tale and pulls us in.' Natalie C Anderson, author of City of Saints & Thieves

'Incredibly moving story of Heera, who battles, quite literally, for freedom in the face of manifold horrors. The eye-opening courage and strength of these characters will stay with me.' Louisa Reid, author of Gloves Off

'Compelling page turner... and very uplifting.' BBC Woman's Hour presenter, Nuala McGovern

'A compelling, realistic and hopeful novel.' Five Books, Best Books for Teens of 2023

'Its hopeful elements are grounded in reality, never veering into wish-fulfilment... It works as a story first and foremost, making the message and the hope all the more powerful. Expect this book to win many prizes, and to leave readers with a lot of feelings.' Irish Times

Book Information
ISBN 9780861546947
Author Ruchira Gupta
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Rock the Boat
Publisher Oneworld Publications
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 26mm