I've been intrigued by the Girls of India series for a while, but I hadn't read any of the books in the series until Penguin sent me A Chera Adventure to review. I enjoy historical fiction. And middle-grade historical fiction set in south India? I can't think of a single example of a book that fits the category, so I was more than a little excited to read this one.With a spunky protagonist at the centre, A Chera Adventure explores the diversity of medieval Kerala. Sharadha, who comes from a family of healers, knows little beyond her matriarchal family and her rule-bound world. Her strict grandmother, though affectionate, insists on decorum and discipline, neither of which sits well with Sharadha. How can a young girl fired by the spirit of adventure put curiosity aside? Inquisitiveness and good old rule-breaking lead her away from her sheltered life and family. Stowing away … [Read more...]