Sommerfelt employs the journey motif from epic literature to signify Lalu's transition from childhood to maturity.

When he undertakes the long journey to Agra, he is young and unsure of himself.

He feels "as if he were a branch pulled roughly away from the parent trunk, a branch which must certainly wither."

Once he decides to take his journey, his elders treat him like an adult and give him advice on how to survive. As he traverses the dusty road to Agra, Lalu learns from both good and bad experiences. But although Lalu and his sister learn about human nature, they react to events instead of making them happen. Despite the emotional appeal of the children's situation, Sommerfelt is unable to portray well-rounded, multidimensional characters.

Lalu and Maya undergo a series of adventures on their way to Agra. The book's episodic plot follows an almost predictable...