Aru Shah and the End of Time

Aru likes to tell stories about the fabulous vacations she's had and all her adventures.  Unfortunately, the truth is not so glamorous.  While the other kids at her private school actually do travel the world, Aru lives in an attic apartment in of the Atlanta Museum of Indian Antiquities, and she spends more time than she would like waiting for her mother to return from archeological expeditions.

When three of her classmates show up at the museum to catch her in a lie about a cursed lamp, Aru is desperate to find a way out.  It couldn't hurt to light the lamp for second even though her mom has warned her not to touch it.  Unfortunately for Aru, the lamp is actually cursed.  When she lights it, she releases the destroyer and sets off a curse that freezes time and everything it touches.

But that's not all, Aru also discovers she has the reincarnated soul of a Pandava, a group of heroes from ancient Hindu legend, and she has a sister, Mini, who is paranoid about everything.  How can these two girls and an annoyed pigeon possible save the world?

Roshani Chokshi's series opener is the first book on the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, and Percy Jackson fans will love it.  It's a fun mix of humor, adventure, epic battles, and mythology.  Recommended!

My campus was lucky enough to get an author visit with Chokshi provided through the publisher and Blue Willow Bookshop here in Houston.  She was engaging and hit just the right notes for the middle school crowd in her presentation.  My kids are reading and enjoying the book!