How does Kim relate to me, personally?

Well, this probably isn't all I am going to say on the subject of how "Kim" relates to me, it is one of my first things that I noticed. Kim's an orphan. You learn it in the first chapter of the book, he is being raised by a half caste woman who used to know Kim's mother. This fact that Kim is an orphan really stays with me when I read the book, I can't forget about it. The reason behind this being that my family is currently in the process of adopting from Ethiopia, my soon-to-be siblings are considered orphans and it kills me to think of any child being raised on the streets without even the comfort of having a mother or father.

Another thing that stood out to me to is that in this book Kim is on the mission to become a man. I see this in my little brother, who is 11, at the time. He wants to have fun and play, but he also wants to try knew things and meet new people, and make his own decisions, and well.. grow up.

I also see Kim as a boy who is striving for the approval of the people around him. And, well I am a teenager, so it definitely relates to me personally. Kim seems to always be looking for a father figure to look up to and a man to be proud of him. I am lucky enough to say that I don't relate to this; I have the most amazing, most crazy dad ever and I know that he will always love me no matter what stupid things I say or do. But, I do have many friends who relate, friends whose fathers have left their families or merely don't care enough to be considered a father figure.

Have you read "Kim" yet? If so, how did it relate to you as the reader?