Grade 8 Up–A fairy tale set in India, this sweet yet predictable book ends happily ever after. Carrie, a talented, beautiful, selfish, yet likable teenager, is in Calcutta trying to track down her lucky T-shirt that was accidentally sent to a shelter there. This shirt is one of the few connections she has with her often-absent, divorced father. She makes the trip on the premise that she wants to build housing for the less fortunate, but definitely puts her search for her shirt first. She meets Dee, a gorgeous volunteer at an orphanage, and goes to work there, again for the wrong reasons. Dee and Carrie find themselves in an up-and-down relationship as she struggles with her materialism and his self-righteousness. Carrie grows to love the children and realizes how fortunate she is to have family, friends, and material things. Although the message is strong, the character development is somewhat lacking. Still, this is an enjoyable read in which the girl gets the guy, reconciles with her best friend, and learns what really matters most in her life. Fans of Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries series will enjoy it.–Julie Webb, Shelby County High School, Shelbyville, KY
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