On a train journey to Chennai in India to study art, a young woman notices a very poor girl. She wonders why the girl is alone, whether she is hungry, where she is going, and what her dreams are. When they arrive at the Chennai station, the young girl is met by another poor girl, with a partial limb, pushing a fruit cart around confidently. She makes her living selling fruit. The delicate, yet powerful paintings, in shades of reds, greens, and blacks, are in the Mithala tradition of folk art, which originated from women living in the rural communities in the state of Bihar. Amrita Das has gone beyond the traditions of Mithala to explore modern Indian women’s lives, mobility, class, and choices. This is a powerful picture book that is suitable for middle school and young adult readers, as it examines both what it means to be a young independent woman in the city, and what it means to be a member of a marginalized group in a mainstream society. mjw