National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins crafts a contemporary chapter-book mystery about a Nepali girl who sets out to solve the disappearance of her Bengali friend's missing jewelry. Set within a tea plantation in Darjeeling, 7-10-year-old readers are transported across the world to a politically and culturally rich setting, following our brave heroine, Sona. Sona, a 12-year-old Nepali girl, has struck up a friendship with Tara, the niece of the greedy tea plantation manager who has promised Tara's hand in marriage in order to get his hands on her inheritance of precious jewelry. Then Tara's gold jewelry goes missing. The search is on for the culprit, and Sona must use all her wits in order to prove it wasn't her beloved brother, Samiran Daju, who stole it. Filled with vivid characters against a complex and multilayered political and cultural backdrop, this novel showcases a strong girl protagonist whom readers will root for. The Golden Necklace is award-winning author Mitali Perkins's latest and most compelling story yet. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. "Featuring an endearing, resolute protagonist, this expertly plotted story will enthrall readers . . . A page-turner that's richly threaded with social conflict." ~ Kirkus Reviews "Sona is a brave protagonist who uses her smart thinking to help others. The exciting story ... about an ambitious Nepali girl detective will capture readers' attention before the first chapter is done." ~ School Library Journal "Full of rich cultural heritage and nuanced political divides, this is a fun, low-stress (but high-stakes) mystery for readers who want to explore the world and dip into different pockets of history. The prose is clean, the story moves quickly, and Perkins, as always, invites her reader to think more carefully about the world around them and root for the girls of her tales." ~ ALA Booklist Amazon's Editor's Choice for Children's Books. I love a steaming cup of Darjeeling tea, and I have visited the hilly estates where the leaves are grown and harvested. May this book shine a light on the lives of the hospitable women and girls who pluck diligently from dawn to dusk. It is also a tribute to my older brother Samiran, who died as a child before I was born. His name in Sanskrit means "'gentle breeze'," and I think of him when I hear the rustle of coconut fronds in our native Bengal. You may find a classroom guide and a glossary on my website at mitaliperkins dot com. Mitali Perkins was born in Kolkata, India, and has lived in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Mexico, Thailand, Great Britain, and Austria. She is the author of Bamboo People, Rickshaw Girl, Monsoon Summer , The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen , and Secret Keeper . She regularly blogs about life between cultures at www.mitaliblog.com.