The Rent Collector - by Camron Wright (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Sang Ly lives at Cambodia's city dump where survival is a daily struggle, but when she develops an unlikely friendship with the ill-tempered rent collector, Sopeap, who teaches her to read, Sang embarks on a life-changing journey to give her son, Nisay, a better life and future"--

Book Synopsis

Based on true events.

Sang Ly lives at Cambodia's city dump and is grateful she can help earn a living for her family by sifting through the trash for recyclables and things which can be repaired and sold. On a good day, she can earn enough to buy food for her family. She needs enough good days so she can pay the rent collector, Sopeap--a grumpy old woman who shows no mercy and who is willing to evict any tenant who can't pay their rent on time.

When Sang Ly is unable to pay her rent for the month, she fears her family will have to leave the dump and their shanty home--a place where her only possessions can be carried in two hands. Little does she know that a discarded children's book found among the mounds of trash would save her. When Sopeap sees the book lying on Sang Ly's cardboard bed, her mood changes. Sang Ly offers her the book if she is allowed to keep her family at the dump.

An unlikely friendship develops between the two women, and Sang Ly learns that Sopeap knows how to read--something Sang Ly has always wanted to learn. Being able to read could transform Sang Ly's world beyond the predictable confines of the dump and lead to a future with possibilities and hope.

But the rent collector has a secret and tragic past, one that will not be easy for Sang Ly to navigate. With the help of her supportive husband, Ki Lim, and a helpful and humorous boy, Lucky Fat, Sang Ly embarks on a life-changing journey to give her young son, Nisay, a better life and future.

The Rent Collector is about the power of literacy, the influence of the past, and finding hope, resiliency, and empowerment in the face of seemingly endless hardship.

Review Quotes

2023-2024 Reading list-- "New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award nominee"

"A journey through language and literature. As Sang Ly haltingly learns to read from Sopeap, she... starts to interpret the world through the written word. In this way, she begins to take control. Most powerful here is the matryoshka-doll-like format of stories within stories that highlight the power of literacy. A story of survival that is most effective when it comes to showing the power of reading."-- "Kirkus (Young Reader's edition review)"

"Into the horrific reality comes an unsuspected source of relief: literature. Readers will cheer for Sang Ly and her hopes for a better life. Moments of tenderness between Sang Ly and her husband, glimpses of an incipient friendship with Sopeap, and some...twists and turns keep the narrative compelling as it rumbles towards a hopeful conclusion."-- "Booklist (Young Reader's edition review)"

"The written word offers hope for a brighter future in Wright's fact-based new novel. Wright's book...shimmers."-- "Publishers Weekly (original adult edition review)"

"Through Sang Ly and the rent collector, readers will discover a wealth of insights: the lingering ravages of war, the common bonds of humanity, and the uplifting power of literature."-- "School Library Journal (original adult edition review)"

"Working as "pickers," Sang Ly and her husband, Ki Lim, earn their living by sifting through the trash at Stung Meanchey, Cambodia's large city dump...An unlikely friendship blossoms between the two women, and Sang Ly learns that the Rent Collector's gruff exterior hides unspeakable personal tragedies and a life shattered by the Khmer Rouge. Undergirding Sang Ly's literary journey is the support and care of the Stung Meanchey community, illustrating how beauty can be found in even the ugliest of places. Drawn from the real lives of the residents of Stung Meanchey, this is a beautifully told story about the perseverance of the human spirit and the importance of standing up for what is right. This inspirational multicultural story will strike a chord with teen readers."-- "Booklist (original adult edition review)"

Book of the Year Gold Award-- "Foreword Reviews (original adult edition)"

About the Author

Camron Wright began writing to get out of attending MBA school at the time, and it proved the better decision. His first book, Letters for Emily, was a Readers' Choice Award winner, as well as a selection of the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. The Orphan Keeper is a Foreword Reviews Indie Book of the Year Gold winner in Multicultural Fiction. Camron and his wife, Alicyn, live on the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and are the parents of four children.