Book Uncle and Me, by Uma Krishnaswami

On the corner near Yasmin's apartment, an old man she calls "Book Uncle" runs a free library, offering books to anyone who comes by.  Every day, Yasmin returns a book and gets a new one from him.  She's read over 400 books from him so far.  They are always perfect choices.  When he gives her a book with an ancient Indian fable about a hunter and a group of doves.  She doesn't understand the story, but Book Uncle tells her it will make sense one day.

Then one day, Book Uncle and his cart of books are missing!  He's been ordered to close his library!  Yasmin is bereft and asks around for what she can do about it.  Everyone knows that there is a big mayoral election going on.  Maybe she and her classmates could write letters to try to convince the candidates to support Book Uncle.  They do so and find a sympathetic candidate.  But when the children help to get their pro-Book Uncle candidate elected, they discover that not all is smooth sailing.

A beautiful and short tale about the power of people to shape the world.  Yasmin's efforts to stand up for what is right is particularly inspirational.  Set in urban India, there are plenty of lovely cultural details that will be both alien and yet somehow familiar to readers.

The first of a series.