  | American desi Author: Gopal, Jyoti Rajan | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
An American child of East Asian descent revels in dances, clothing, games, foods and other characteristics of both cultures, while blending them into what makes this American desi unique.
| Illustrator: | Kelkar, Supriya |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 4.10 Points: .5 Quiz: 520353 |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (+) (07/01/22)
Booklist (05/15/22)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 07/01/2022 K-Gr 4—"Which is the color of me?" is the question at the center of this picture book in which a young girl explores her dual identity of Indian and American. Told lyrically, with bold adjectives that portray a universe of dancing, feeling, words, spices, food, bindis, bangles, fabrics, moods, and more, Gopal examines how young children make sense of their world when it crosses cultures through multiple sensory experiences. This book can evoke conversations of religion, race, and culture as the book discusses Hinduism, Indian dress, and baseball, among other topics. The language is crisp, specific, and concise, making it a perfect read-aloud for young children or an independent read for early elementary grades. The vibrant illustrations swirl with the colors of a marketplace, where there might be too many choices, but this small girl can handle it. What a celebration of self! This is a joyful book, for every age. VERDICT This rhythmic picture book articulates a common experience for young children who straddle two cultures. Highly recommended.—Tracey S. Hodges - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 05/15/2022 In the South Asian diaspora, the term desi applies to people connected to the countries and cultures of the Indian subcontinent. It is a harmless label that loosely translates to “from the land.” This captures the duality of a child who has strong claims to her Indian heritage and equally strong ties to the culture she is absorbing in the U.S. Each spread juxtaposes cultural elements that she values: Bollywood dance and hip-hop; cricket matches on TV and baseball games at the park; Hindi, Tamil, and English languages. Rather than the conventional tension we see in many books about bicultural people, this wields a more inquisitive tone. The girl is seeking a cultural balance that incorporates the various aspects of her identity, and she finds it in the people around her. Sumptuous illustrations formed by collages of textured and printed fabrics provide the visual metaphor for the many threads that weave together harmoniously in the girl’s community, depicting beauty in what would otherwise seem like an incongruous combination of colors and textures. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
