Books to Read While Physically Distancing (BtRWPD) will focus on books available for checkout through Libby.
by Roshani Chokshi
New York: Disney Hyperion, 2018
Aru Shah doesn't have a lot of friends at school. Well, any friends, really. She has a tendency to lie a lot. She doesn't feel like she really fits in; most of her classmates are rich, and she lives with her mother in an apartment connected to the Indian museum that her mother runs. One day, in response to her classmates' teasing, she does what her mother always told her not to do. She lights the clay lamp that will bring about the end of the world. Because it couldn't possibly be real. Right? Now Aru finds herself in a land of Hindu gods and demons, with time ticking away. Can she stop the end of the world?
This is the first book in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Well known for his novels incorporating Greek, Egyptian, and Norse mythology, here Riordan uses his experience and platform with Disney to highlight and publish authors from underrepresented backgrounds and cultures who have amazing stories to tell. Aru Shah introduces the reader to the world of Hindu mythology, with its many gods, demons, and other denizens. It's a fantastic setting that's a welcome change from the more standard Western European flavors of fantasy for all ages. Twelve year old Aru is the main heroine (not hero, thank you) and is the most flawed protagonist I've come across in awhile. She lies constantly, and is selfish. She does experience character growth, but her portrayal can be off-putting to some. I personally found the descriptions of the world and the story interesting to move past issues with the main character, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
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