Long Legs Boy

the long version

"Long Legs Boy is the story of an unlikely hero, Modou, a twelve-year-old African boy who is orphaned when his family dies from AIDS. He leaves his remote village in the Sahel, seeks help from an African holy man and becomes a beggar in the city. The street smarts he gains enable him to survive when he is separated from his mentor. Modou befriends a younger orphaned boy, Umaru, and together they cope with the trials of street life: abuse, hunger, police brutality and well-intentioned but inept interventions by social agencies. Modou regularly evades the police and unwittingly becomes a popular folk hero for his cocky attitude and daring escapes. His indomitable spirit ignites political opposition in the country and drives both the police and the army to capture or kill him"--Back cover.