The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami

I don't read a lot of Middle Grade fiction, and what I do read is usually limited to books by authors of YA books that I have enjoyed, but I figured since I will soon have to begin reading a lot more, I'd get a head start. This book came highly recommended and I am happy to report that it lived up to the hype!

Dini and Maddie are best friends, and they both love spending their days watching Bollywood movies starring Dolly Singh. When Dini's mom gets a job in India, the only consolation Maddie can give to her friend is that having to move to India will bring Dini closer to Dolly. But India is a big country, and Dini isn't entirely convinced that her new home in the small town of Swapnagiri will put her in a position to meet Dolly—or will it? 

I love so many things about this book—the setting, the language, the characters, and the vibrant descriptions all made this whimsical story stand out and the pages fly by too quickly. Coincidence and serendipity play a nice role in how the plot unfolds, and I enjoyed how the points of view rotated through a couple of secondary characters, but for the most part the story stayed with Dini, who is a charming and entertaining protagonist. Her discovery of Swapnagiri and trials in making friends, in between Bollywood references and emails to Maddie, are alternatively fun and challenging for Dini, but she ultimately learns the importance of being observant and learning how to problem-solve, and when to listen and when to take a step back and not meddle. The Grand Plan to Fix Everything is a heartfelt and delightful book with a nice little mystery to unravel, and readers will find it difficult to resist Dini's enthusiasm and charisma.

Cover Comments: I love this cover so much. The vibrant colors fit the story so well, and the picture winds around on the back cover to include a map of the US and Maddie as well. Very nice!

Book purchased from my local indie bookstore!