Hello @drstrings,
Your evocation of this child, and her life circumstances, is quite effective. We feel we are with Jacqueline as she walks the streets and begs. We see her lice-ridden hair, her large eyes, her happy face at receiving enough change to buy a small amount of food.
Excellent use of the skill challenge (please link the story to the prompt post comment section so it is not overlooked in our review. This story meets the prompt goal (Mathéo is exhausted) and the descriptive passages certainly meet the skill challenge (show don't tell).
In the end of course we are happy for Jacqueline...and then we wonder if these well-dressed people might have ulterior motives that are not benign. We are aware of the exploitation that exists for children who are defenseless, as Jacqueline is.
Thank you for sharing this story with us. Thank you for engaging with other authors in the community.
Thank you so much for reading through 😊.