Mehmet is an 11-year-old Turkish boy who lives in a poor village. When his family decides to move to the city, he isn't sure whether to be fearful or excited. He brings along Korsan, the dog of an old friend, who moved to the city earlier.
They end up living in slums, with Mehmet's wealthy uncle as the landlord. The uncle has a hateful son, about Mehmet's age, who takes every opportunity to torment others. But Mehmet makes a friend, Muhlis, who survives on his own, buying and selling old clothes and such. The boy's family struggles to get by, and Mehmet struggles to find his place in the city.
Mehmet is a sympathetic and likable protagonist, but it never felt like there was a single main plot to the story. Some story threads got started, and then just petered out and vanished without reaching a conclusion. It seemed to ramble a bit. Also, be warned (though this is a matter of personal taste) that the book is a real downer. Usually, middle grade fiction at least has a happy ending, even if there is plenty of trauma in the middle. This story, not so much. ( )

I found it really depressing, and I was too young to appreciate the political/social messages. I suspect I would still find it depressing now.

FROM LIBRARY CATALOG:

Twelve-year-old Mehmet's move from his Turkish village with flowers everywhere to a shanty-town existence in the city of Ankara brings him almost unbearable misery, but his desire to create a life for himself helps him to survive.