Theft of the Ruby Lotus

The theft of a priceless artifact coincides with a tween’s unexpected upcoming relocation to a foreign country in this bustling caper by DasGupta (The Ghost Forest). After Bengali American seventh grader Ria Bailey’s museum curator mother mysteriously loses her job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the youth is devastated to learn that the family is moving from New York City to “Nowheresville, Germany,” for Ma’s new job. When Ria opens a package addressed to her mother containing a ruby that was recently stolen from the Met, Ria—suspicious that Ma took the jewel herself to repatriate it to India—sets out to uncover the truth. Accompanied by her BFFs Miracle and Annie, Ria travels around N.Y.C. seeking clues surrounding the ruby’s origins. Upon discovering that the museum already intended to return the jewel to India, the trio attempts to covertly deliver it back to the Met through a series of reverse-heist-like maneuvers, along the way unearthing information about an underground organization specializing in repatriation. Steady pacing and cinematic prose renders an affectionate ode to immigrant families in N.Y.C. that takes a thoughtful and considered approach to colonization’s impact on the artifacts and history of the Global South. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US. (Apr.)