3 Review(s)

Monkeys in the water tank. A best friend half a world away. A movie star who's gone AWOL. What's a slightly heroic girl to do? A joyful, Bollywood inspired middle-grade novel, now in paperback. Eleven-year old Dini loves movies—watching them, reading about them, trying to write her own—especially those oh-so-fabulous Bollywood movies where you don't need to know the language to get what's going on. But when her mother reveals some big news, it does not at all jive with the script Dini had in mind. Her family is moving to India. And not even to Bombay, which is the "center of the filmi universe" (and home to Dini's all- time most favorite star, Dolly Singh). No, they're moving to a teeny, tiny town that she can't even find on a map: Swapnagiri. It means Dream Mountain, a sleepy little place where nothing interesting can happen.... But wait a movie minute! Swapnagiri is full of surprises like rose petal milkshakes, mischievous monkeys, and a girl who chirps like a bird...And is that...? Could it be? It is, it is! It's Dolly herself! About the Author Uma Krishnaswami is the author of several books for children. She was born in New Delhi, India, and now lives in Aztec, New Mexico.Abigail Halpin is an illustrator/graphic designer living in New England who likes bright colors, all things retro, and sharp pencils.