Mini-review: Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood

abbtTitle:  Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood
Author: Varsha Bajaj
Genres: contemporary, middle grade
Pages: 249
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Review Copy: the library
Availability: March 1, 2014

Summary: What thirteen-year-old Abby wants most is to meet her father. She just never imagined he would be a huge film star–in Bollywood! Now she’s traveling to Mumbai to get to know her famous father. Abby is overwhelmed by the culture clash, the pressures of being the daughter of India’s most famous celebrity, and the burden of keeping her identity a secret. But as she learns to navigate her new surroundings, she just might discover where she really belongs.[Image and summary via Goodreads]

Review: Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood is a fun, light-hearted middle grade read. Abby’s upbeat narration, complete with a violin soundtrack in her head, makes the story worth reading. Her adventures travelling to meet her father are richly detailed and entertaining. It would have been nice if the other characters had been more fleshed out, and Abby’s biracial identity expanded upon, but still — definitely worth a read.

Recommendation: Get it soon!