You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hang on the edge of your seat... I'm not usually a fan of non-fiction but I enjoyed every aspect of this book.

The author/narrator is one Conor Grennan, who in response to his friends' claim that he is shallow for wanting to spend a year bumming around the world, decides to volunteer at an orphanage in Nepal. Despite warnings in the volunteer organization's brochure about the dangerous civil war, he cavalierly decides that they must be exaggerating because, of course, they wouldn't actually put a volunteer in the way of danger...

He soon encounters the less than pleasant realities of life in Nepal - limited indoor plumbing, freezing temps (with no heat, of course), twice daily meals of a local rice and lentil dish called daal baht, and armed soldiers everywhere. Despite these hardships, he grows very fond of the children in his care (the "little princes") and is stunned to find out that most of them are not actually orphans, but victims of child traffickers. This is Conor's introduction into a society where children are often victims of a brutal struggle to survive in a chaotic, poverty-stricken world.

Conor does go off on his "world tour", but finds himself drawn back to Nepal when some of his rescued children are abducted once again by the child trafficker. Back in Nepal, Conor continues his work rescuing and caring for children, as well as working to locate the children's families with the hope of some day reuniting the families. During his return to Nepal, he also develops an online friendship with a fellow American named Liz which later blossoms into romance.

Conor himself is a very engaging part of the story, but the kids (as kids will do) often steal the show. Many of them have a wicked sense of humor, especially when teasing their "brother" Conor. They are funny, wise and amazingly resilient. Their stories will break your heart but their smiling faces (there is a wonderful insert with photos) and buoyant humor will bring a smile to your face.

Note: A portion of sales of the book go to support Next Generation Nepal, an organization founded by Conor Grennan to help reunite children and families and build stronger communities. Go to http://www.nextgenerationnepal.com/ to learn more.