The Rainbow Troops

Impoverished children struggle to get an education in a remote Indonesian village in this international bestselling autobiographical debut novel.

“A stand-up-and-cheer yarn. . . . The optimism that Hirata infuses into each of his characters becomes contagious.” —Toronto Star

An irresistible tale of hope and daring, The Rainbow Troops follows Ikal, a student at the poorest village school on the Indonesian island of Belitong, where graduating from sixth grade is considered remarkable. When his school is threatened with closure by a monolithic bureaucracy, Ikal and his friends—the Rainbow Troop—band together to challenge corporations and skeptical officials with the help of two teachers who join the students in their struggle against an indifferent world.

When The Rainbow Troops, Andrea Hirata’s autobiographical novel was published in Indonesia in 2005, it shattered records, becoming the bestselling novel in the country’s history. With trepidation and optimism, this book promises to do for Indonesia what Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner did for Afghanistan: guide us through the colorful history and stubborn hopes of people we might never have known—but whose stories we won’t soon forget.

“Charming and uplifting. . . . Impressively vivid.” —The Economist

“Hirata's writing is as brilliant, beautiful, remarkable, and engrossing as the characters and the world he brings us. If you've ever been afraid to dream, or disbelieved in the true power of learning, read The Rainbow Troops. . . . This is a treasure.”-Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone

“A charming, funny, moving story about growing up and going to school on the island of Belitong in Indonesia. . . . I loved reading these stories about brave, smart, resourceful kids, set in a magical landscape that includes clouds, crocodiles, and shamans, as well as tin mining, politics, and regional school competitions.” —Roxana Robinson, author of Cost