Twelve-year-old Juhi Gupta loves her simple life in a remote Indian village. She and her mother and father might be poor, but they’re happy. Then one day, everything changes.

Her father heads to the doctor for a simple procedure—the removal of a rotten tooth—but instead, his kidney is stolen and sold on the black market. Juhi and her parents are kidnapped and dropped in a New Delhi slum. Separated from her parents, Juhi must quickly learn to survive. Luckily, she has a rare skill that’s greatly in demand, especially in the slums: she knows how to read and write. At first, her quick wits allow her to thrive, but soon they attract unwanted attention, and she’s faced with impossible decisions and desperate choices.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Kevin Whitman is dying. No American doctor can help him, so he ventures to India for treatment. He has no idea that in so doing, he’ll change Juhi’s life forever.

Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members.