Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave

An inspiring and compelling memoir from a young woman who lost her childhood to slavery--and built a new life grounded in determination and justice.

Shyima Hall was born in Egypt on September 29, 1989, the seventh child of desperately poor parents. When she was eight, her parents sold her into slavery. Shyima then moved two hours away to Egypt's capitol city of Cairo to live with a wealthy family and serve them eighteen hours a day, seven days a week. When she was ten, her captors moved to Orange County, California, and smuggled Shyima with them. Two years later, an anonymous call from a neighbor brought about the end of Shyima's servitude--but her journey to true freedom was far from over.

A volunteer at her local police department since she was a teenager, Shyima is passionate about helping to rescue others who are in bondage. Now a US citizen, she regularly speaks out about human trafficking and intends to one day become an immigration officer. In Hidden Girl, Shyima candidly reveals how she overcame her harrowing circumstances and brings vital awareness to a timely and relevant topic.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 01/21/2014
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.72lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.75w x 0.95d
ISBN: 9781442481688
Age: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 6.4
Point Value: 11
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 164040 / Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave


Award: Parents Choice Awards (Spring) (2008-Up) - Silver Medal Winner


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/04/2013
Voice of Youth Advocates 12/01/2013 - Recommended - Readable
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2013
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2014
School Library Journal 02/01/2014 pg. 124
People Weekly 02/24/2014 pg. 50
Booklist 02/15/2014 pg. 67
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2014 - Below Average, With Minor Flaw

About the Author
Shyima Hall was born in Egypt and sold into slavery at the age of eight. When she was ten, her captors brought her to the United States on an illegally obtained temporary visa, and two years later she was rescued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and moved to a group home. Shyima became an American citizen at age twenty-one and hopes to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. When Shyima is not working or volunteering at the police station, she enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her friends. Shyima lives in Riverside County, California.

Lisa Wysocky is a bestselling fiction and nonfiction author who splits her time between Minnesota and Tennessee. From the mystery The Opium Equation, which garnered four awards, to the award-winning Front of the Class, coauthored with Brad Cohen and aired as a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie, Lisa's many books empower readers.