Ten-year-old Chandu’s summer vacation in the quiet town of Perinvagur, India, is about to turn into an extraordinary adventure!
When Chandu’s parents – disappointed by his math grade and squabbling over his future – threaten to ship him off to boarding school, Chandu wonders what it would be like to have a different set of parents. He discovers, hidden in the forest, a curious storefront: The Exchange Your Parents Shop. Enrolling in their Happily Ever After Program, Chandu has the opportunity to become the child of math geniuses, movie superstars, or sports icons. Or he could choose obedient parents that bow to his every wish! Which set of parents will be his perfect fit? Traveling by elephant, peacock, hot air balloon, and even on the back of a tiger, Chandu keeps company with a talking parrot and Moustache Muthu in what becomes the adventure of a lifetime. Chandu and the Super Set of Parents is a fantastical tale of a boy’s quest for love, confidence, and acceptance, set against a rich tapestry of Indian food, culture, and customs.
Praise for Chandu and the Super Set of Parents
“An amusing read that intersperses real-life issues with a healthy dose of fiction! Peppered with wonderfully apt nicknames and tongue-in-cheek comments, the story revolves around a disgruntled Chandu who visits the local Exchange Your Parents Shop. Escorted by Moustache Muthu and the haughty Pinky Parrot, he uses the Time Twister to travel to exotic locations. Does Chandu find his dream parents? What is his final decision? Roopa Raveendran-Menon has an engaging style of narration that takes the readers along with Chandu, keeping them hanging on to her every word. The anticipation grows as he explores different possibilities that are a reality in the modern world… possibilities that the youth of today juggle between before they opt for that one choice that leads them towards satisfaction and fulfillment. While children will enjoy this joyride, it is also a subtle eye-opener to eager-beaver parents who want to push their children into careers that they may not be enthused about.”
-Deepti Menon, author of Arms and the Woman and Shadow in the Mirror
“Hasn’t every child wished at some point that they could trade their annoying parents in for ‘better’ models? Readers will delight following ten-year-old Chandu on his fantastical time-traveling adventure to different households searching for the perfect replacement parents. Written in prose that zings and sings, Chandu and the Super Set of Parents is a zany, sweet reminder that love takes many forms and we should all be careful what we wish for. Peppered with tidbits of Indian Folklore and chock-a-block with charming, outlandish characters–human and animal alike, Chandu’s quest is a marvelous modern fable. Hold on tight, dear readers, you’re in for a colorful ride!”
—Alice Kaltman, author of Wavehouse and The Tantalizing Tale of Grace Minnaugh
“Tightly woven, with clear images, full of telling detail and very informative also for westerners, who should have no trouble seeing and feeling love and empathy for Chandu as he seeks and worries whether his parents are the best ones for him, as still within their love always, he lives into the answers. A true Memory Zapper. Thank you, lord Shiva, for everything, and especially Roopa…”
-James Lawry, author of The Nudibranch Elegies and Anthropocene’s End
