Local Author , Sandra Joyce, will read from and sign copies of her book, "The Street Arab - The Story of a British Home Child", at Tango Palace coffee shop at Jones and Queen from 7pm to 9pm on Thurs. Jan. 19.

This piece of historical fiction was originally launched at a special event at Upper Canada Village on September 28, to celebrate the first official British Home Child Day in Ontario. This day was passed into provincial legislature to commemorate the 100,000 children sent over from the British Isles over a period of 80 years to work as indentured farm workers and domestics.

These children, between the ages of 4 and 15, suffered both physical and mental abuse and worked on isolated farms with little or no compensation.

This book was based on the author's father's life. He was a Home Child or "Street Arab".