Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

If you already know Hindu mythology, you're about to have the most entertaining family reunion ever. Aru Shah, a salty and smart seventh grade girl from New Jersey, is about to plunge into the midst of all this craziness, and her adventure will make your head explode in the best possible way. You thought Medusa was scary? She's got nothing on the nagini and rakshas. You thought Riptide was a cool weapon? Check out this fine assortment of divine astras - maces, swords, bows, and nets woven from lightning.

If you are not familiar with Hindu mythology - wow, are you in for a treat! You thought Zeus, Ares and Apollo were wild? Wait until you meet Hanuman and Urvashi. I just don't have the expertise or the insider's knowledge to tackle the huge incredible world of Hindu mythology, much less make it so fun and reader-friendly.įortunately for all of us, Roshani Chokshi does. It has everything I like: humor, action, great characters and, of course, awesome mythology! But this is not a book I could have written. Have you ever read a book and thought, 'Wow, I wish I'd written that!'?įor me, Aru Shah and the End of Time is one of those books. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that? The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.īut lighting the lamp has dire consequences.

They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur? While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school.

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi