THE HARVEST FESTIVAL of Pongal is days away, and V. Malar could not be more excited for the celebration. With her aunt, uncle, and cousins Priya and Kamal flying in to visit her home in Pori, India, Malar and her parents have food to prepare and a house to clean, so they can be gracious hosts to their guests.

When Priya and Kamal arrive, they take over Malar’s room and compare everything about Pori to their home in Seattle. Even when Malar shows them the farm animals and the local temple, her cousins whisper secrets to each other, laughing and making Malar feel left out. It’s not long before Malar realizes that creating a special connection with her cousins is going to be a lot harder than she thought.

But V. Malar refuses to give up because Pongal is all about celebrating family and showing gratitude. Despite the obstacles, Malar practices patience, shows compassion, and stays true to her promise to be a super-host in this chapter book from author Suma Subramaniam.