Trouble In the Tea Gardens

MY THOUGHTS

How far will you persevere when the odds are stacked against you?

Sona lives with her mother, brother, and Kutu, her dog at a tea plantation in Darjeeling where her mother plucks tea for a mean plantation owner. Her brother, Samiran Daju is trying to find a job that guarantees him steady income so he can pay the plantation owner’s loan back. And twelve-year-old Sona needs to master English quickly so she can get a scholarship to study in a good school. Even though she has a good grasp on Hindi and Bengali, English feels foreign and difficult. While she studies, she has to make sure she collects enough drinking water for the house which means standing in long queues with no guarantee she will get enough water.

Through all these challenges, she manages to find a way. Her friend, Tara, the plantation owner’s niece helps her eavesdrop on the local teacher’s English classes so she can learn better. She supports and truss her brother fiercely helping him spread the word about the momos he makes. But one day her friend, Tara’s family gold goes missing and Sona must make sure no one suspects her brother of doing it. Will she able to get to the bottom of the mystery and make sure to prove her brother’s innocence?

Author Mitali Perkins writes a tight, fast-paced mystery that young readers will finish in one sitting. The story is gripping and the characters are endearing. We begin rooting for Sona and her brother and hope they are able to sail through their troubles. This is a story that allows the young reader to understand the harsh realities of immigrant plantation workers. It talks about lack of basic facilities, poverty, sacrifice, and daily hardships. We see complex social structure of three different communities — Nepalis, Bengalis, and Tibetans living and working together and how they see each other. We see aspiration and ambition to make one’s living situation better through education. Probably why we begin to admire Sona’s grit and perseverance. She stands by her family and chooses to do right by them. I enjoyed illustrator Tanvi Bhat’s introduction to every chapter by adding pictures at the beginning.

This middle-grade mystery is interesting and exciting and definitely a quick and engaging read. Grab this book for your child today!