Author Sudha Murthy has written many books that have inspired me, especially: The Magic of the Lost Temple. This text is by far one of the best books I’ve read since I can relate to the people a lot. Murthy introduced me to a whole new perspective through her writing.

The book is set in Bangalore, Karnataka in India. 12-year-old Nooni is an adventurous kid but when her parents get caught up with work all summer, she has to stay at her grandparents’ place. She is surprised by the pace of life there as her grandma is a person who is very enthusiastic. For example, she always cooks meals for the whole village even though there are only 3 people living in her house. But soon, she gets used to it by engaging herself in helping her grandmother with household chores and a flurry of activities. She learns how to ride a bike, organize picnics, and much more with the help of her new-found friends. When one day, they stumble upon something historic. She starts digging, understanding myths from the people older than her when she thought she finally knew what it was, she went to the archaeological society to help her uncover the ancient structure. This specifically got me hooked throughout the whole book.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it is set in a place that I’ve been before and I can connect at times. It is also very addictive and keeps you reading.

You can find this book online on Sora (Young Adult section, even though it’s appropriate for a 3rd grader), and Overdrive.