Happy Book Birthday, American Desi by Jyoti Rajan Gopal!

Today's read was a surprise even for me. It just popped up in my box, yesterday. Now, usually that would mean a 2-3 month wait (if I think it's something my readers might like), but the original book I wanted to read today still isn't available (publishing was pushed back a few months). See, that's how the book world rumbles and tumbles and stays so unpredictable.

Which is fine because what's better than a colorful surprise, and this one promises to be that. 

AMERICAN DESI

by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

Illustrated by Supriya Kelkar

Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Picture Book

40 pages 

ages 4 to 8

For fans of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, this poetic story filled with expressive art empowers South Asian children living in the United States and celebrates being bicultural.

Pavadais in bright gold colors
Jersey shirts and faded jeans
Swapping, changing, feeling seen...
Which is the color of me?

A young girl longs to know where she fits in: Is she American? Or is she Indian? Does she have to pick or can she be both? With bright, joyful rhyme, and paired with an immersive art style using American and Indian fabrics, American Desi celebrates the experiences of young children growing up first and second generation Indian American: straddling the two cultural worlds they belong to, embracing all they love of both worlds and refusing to be limited by either.

This story is a powerful tribute to the joy of being South Asian and for every reader who aspires to bridge their worlds with grace, grit, and confidence.

GOODREADS    /    BOOK DEPOSITORY    /   B&N    /   AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Colors explode in an exciting dance through texture, possibility, and all those things, which make us who we are.

This book is a celebration of variety: cultural, heritage, and much more. It takes an American girl, whose family stemmed from India. Since the two cultures can be very different, she swings through a world of variety to show all the wonderful things, which make her who she is...and that is good.

The energy and positivity swell from every page as a girl dances, hops, and skips from one artistic background to the other. The illustrations make this a whirlwind with whimsical flair as a color is presented in every scene before morphing into a little more detailed atmosphere with different foods, languages and such. The artist has added a huge variety of textures, which really makes each page shine. Sometimes, there's a touch of humor, too, but always a cheerful feeling.  It's really a feel-good book with a positive message

The text flows with a musical flair, drawing in and inviting to the same fun. It's written in flowing rhyme and always ends with a phrase similar to 'The colors of me.' It's catchy and ties everything up nicely.

This is also a lovely way to touch upon the topic of being multi-cultural. While these pages swing toward the South-Asian culture (which is a bonus and lovely aspect all in itself), the same thoughts apply to other mixes just with different details. Thanks to the more indirect manner used in these pages, applying it to all mixes really isn't difficult. But then, it even can be tied to those, who aren't multi-cultured in the traditional sense, since this 'different colors of me' aspect can apply in so many ways.

This is a up-beat read, which works great in a group or single setting, inspires, and offers tons of self-confidence.

And here they are...

Jyoti Rajan Gopal is a kindergarten teacher, writer, and mom who loves taking any opportunity to break out her Bollywood moves and hip-hop grooves. She grew up in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, and China and now lives in New York City, so she knows what it feels like to be caught between multiple cultures. She chooses to embrace all her wondrous colors! This is her debut children’s book.
 
Supriya Kelkar grew up in the Midwest, where she learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. Supriya is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. She is the author of Bindu’s Bindis; American as Paneer Pie; and Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame, among others. This is her debut illustrated book. She invites you to visit her online at http://www.supriyakelkar.com.

Review: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

 

THAT THING ABOUT BOLLYWOOD

by Supriya Kelkar

Simon & Schuster 

Middle Grade Magical Realism

352 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

MAY 18th!!!

Bollywood takes over in this contemporary, magical middle grade novel about an Indian American girl whose world turns upside down when she involuntarily starts bursting into glamorous song-and-dance routines during everyday life.

You know how in Bollywood when people are in love, they sing and dance from the mountaintops? Eleven-year-old Sonali wonders if they do the same when they’re breaking up. The truth is, Sonali’s parents don’t get along, and it looks like they might be separating.

Sonali’s little brother, Ronak, is not taking the news well, constantly crying. Sonali would never do that. It’s embarrassing to let out so many feelings, to show the world how not okay you are. But then something strange happens, something magical, maybe. When Sonali gets upset during a field trip, she can’t bury her feelings like usual—instead, she suddenly bursts into a Bollywood song-and-dance routine about why she’s upset!

The next morning, much to her dismay, Sonali’s reality has shifted. Things seem brighter, almost too bright. Her parents have had Bollywood makeovers. Her friends are also breaking out into song and dance. And somehow, everyone is acting as if this is totally normal.

Sonali knows something has gone wrong, and she suspects it has something to do with her own mismanaged emotions. Can she figure it out before it’s too late?

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON    /    B&N    /     BOOK DEPOSITORY

BOOK BLINK

                                         * addresses problems such as parental divorce and friendship troubles

                                         * India and culture

                                         * magical elements mixed with reality

                                         

MY TIDBITS

                                         

I have a soft spot for Bollywood and was thrilled to get my hands on this ARC, hoping that it would hold all the magic and fun of the productions. This book not only does that but so much more.

There's one big rule in Sonali's family—never give outsiders a reason to gossip and embarrass the family. In other words, keep your mouth shut about personal issues. This works fine, normally, but with her parents' increasing fights and sudden pause from each other, Sonali's walls are needing extra fortification. Add that her best friend seems to have found a new friend she likes more...plus, her falling grades...and well, it's a bit much. But she can take it. Unfortunately, as she learns to hold it all back, strange things start happening...things no one else notices. But could her world really be turning into a musical, Bollywood reality?

There are several tough themes in this book, ones very fitting for the age group. While facing parents' separation and divorce is a common issue, this one also addresses the problem of changing friend groups and learning to stand up for what you really think. Sonali has a lot on her plate, but the problems are ones many readers will identify with.

I love Sonali's glow. I'm just going to call it that because her personality...even when she's bottling things up...is really a shining one. She's a positive person, who cares very much about those around her. She loves fun and joy and happiness, and is silly in her own way. Those around her are also very supportive people, but even when there is a lot of positivity, it doesn't mean it always radiates through everything or makes life perfect. But it's this glistening inner part of Sonali, which allows the magical elements to hold the perfect fairy tale atmosphere and Bollywood to come across as if it naturally should be there. The mix of magic and reality is simple well done. Plus, the addition of some of India's culture was nice. 

There is a lot going on in these pages thanks to the various issues, and that did mean a little less depth for some of the side characters. There were a couple, I would have loved to get to know a little better. The ending also hit a little off. At first, I thought it might be too quick, but this really isn't the case. It rounds of nicely and wraps things up well. But the main message of the book warped slightly. While Sonali learns her lesson and has a chance to correct her mistakes, one of her parents happens to have the exact same trouble that she does. While this mistake is admitted at the end, it's treated as if its too late and while admitted, the parents doesn't even think of trying to find a way to make amends. It reflects the reality of such situations and, of course, has it's own important meaning, but it cheapened the overall lesson for me.

But this was an awesome read, and I have no doubt any middle graders who know anything about Bollywood will enjoy it. 

And here she is...

Born and raised in the Midwest, Supriya Kelkar learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. She is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. Supriya’s books include Ahimsa, The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, American as Paneer Pie, and That Thing About Bollywood, among others. Visit her online at SupriyaKelkar.com.

Review: American As Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar

AMERICAN AS PANEER PIE

by Supriya Kelkar

Aladdin

Middle Grade Contemporary

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

MAY 12th!!!

An Indian-American girl who struggles to navigate her two very different lives: the one at home, where she can be herself, and the one at school, where she is teased for her culture. When a racist incident rocks her small town, she must decide to continue to remain silent or find her voice.

     

MY TIDBITS

Hitting on these such as racism, hate crimes and bullying, this read gets to the heart and awakens awareness.

Lekha's family is the only one of India-American heritage in their small town, and despite practicing her culture within her family, she does the best to hide it in school. If she didn't, she's sure she'd be laughed at and teased even more. When another family just like hers moves in across the street, she's excited to finally have someone who is just like her. And although she does have a lot of similarities with the girl, they have some differences, too. Not only do things grow more uncomfortable in school, but in the town as well. When a hate crime hits the town, Lekha is forced to re-evaluate her views.

Readers who love discovering other cultures and enjoy realistic, middle grade drama are going to sink into this one and get lost in the pages. Lekha is hard not to like. She's very caring, loves her family and friends, and is, in general, a happy girl. But she has her problems, too. Conflict is something she tries to avoid at every turn, and this ends up causing more trouble than one might first suspect. Her desire to fit in is understandable and the decisions she makes to simply feel included are ones readers will sympathize with. She's a very normal girl facing issues many kids her age group recognize, but this tale also celebrates friendship and makes it clear that just because a few might behave horribly, not everyone is that way.

The author does a lovely job at bringing the culture to life. The first chapter hit a little harder with it than I personally would have liked, but it smooths out quickly as the story gets going. Lekha faces quite a bit of ridicule, and the author brings this across in an age appropriate manner. Readers will recognize the issues and maybe, learn something along the way.

And here she is...

Born and raised in the Midwest, Supriya Kelkar learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. She is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several HIndi films and one Hollywood feature. Supriya's books include Ahimsa, The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, and American as Paneer Pie, among others. Visit her online at supriyakelkar.com