Celebrating Grandparents - Our Multicultural Picks!

In the U.S., tomorrow is Grandparents' Day. This isn't as big a deal for Americans as Mother's Day or Father's Day, not by a long shot (you don't see ads like "buy Grandma a diamond necklace for Grandparents' Day", for instance). I'm not sure why this is, although it's an interesting commentary on our culture. The sociologist in me is fascinated by this kind of thing. But the mother in me is busy making sure we have a homemade card and a picture for Oma -- no diamond necklaces here, that's just how we roll.

A fun way to celebrate Grandparents' Day would definitely be an intergenerational storytime. I think this would be an awesome program for a library or bookstore to host, but you could certainly do an impromptu one at your own Grandparents' Day celebration or the next time an extended family get-together comes around. I've gathered up some terrific picks to share for such an event - none of which are specific to Grandparents' Day itself, making them the perfect titles to share for the holiday or any time you want to celebrate these important folks in your kiddo's life.

1. Can You Hear the Sea? by Judy Cumberbatch - this vibrant title, set in West Africa, catches readers right from the front cover (got you, didn't it?). The story is simple enough for the youngest listeners, but works on multiple levels to teach concepts and share relationships. I love the messages about trust and caring for one another.

2. All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino - kids will recognize Yaccarino's whimsical style, and adults will appreciate his intergenerational theme of a family's immigrant heritage. Based on the author's family's journey to America from Italy, this story of perseverance and connections will get kids thinking about what pieces of their own family are being handed down for generations. A lovely title on all levels.

3. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia - this was one of Sprout's favorites for a long time, for the fun illustrations and the playful text. This one's great because it really shows the relationship between Aneel and his grandfather, whom he idolizes. And the elements of tall tales that Zia weaves in make this a true joy to read aloud - over and over again!

4. Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki - a classic title that speaks very much to identity and being confident in your own skin. Suki decides to wear her kimono to school because it reminds her of a special time with her grandma - even though she knows that other kids might make fun of her. All is well in the end, though not unrealistically so. A good choice for older kids just starting to find their identity.

5. Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell - Falwell's books are always a hit in our house and Rainbow Stew is no exception. This one not only has a grandpa taking care of all three of his grandkids, it also emphasizes the appeal of growing and preparing your own healthy food. Great for late fall storytimes about harvest and togetherness.

6. Lottie Paris Lives Here by Angela Johnson - it's hard to say how much I love Lottie Paris. She's pretty much everything I adore about kidlit today - a dynamic personality, full of flair and life, and just a little bit of naughtiness (which makes you love her even more). Lottie's just right for kids who like all things color and sparkle, and will add a burst of liveliness to storytime for sure.

7. My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone - a rhyming book! What fun! This rollicking read features a grandma who's getting around - around the world, that is. Kids will enjoy counting along with granny's purchases even as they are introduced to the concepts of global citizenship. Full of small details that make this entertaining even after the story is done!

There are so many more titles that we could have included, but I hope this list gives you just a taste of all the wonderful intergenerational titles that populate the shelves at your library or bookstore. What are your favorite grandparent stories? Please share in the comments!

Mama's Saris by Pooja Makhijani

Have you seen this infographic yet?

First Book, a remarkable organization dedicated to promoting childhood literacy, included this graphic in their recent blog post "Lack of Diversity in Kids' Books and How to Fix It". (You should go read the post, if you haven't already, and consider supporting this group in their efforts.) The stats are alarming, and they're real - based on data from the Cooperative Children's Book Center, which each year tracks the number of books published in the US that are by and about people of color. The most frightening thing about these statistics is that they've gone relatively unchanged in the timeframe that CCBC has been tracking this information (check out the statistics on the CCBC blog).

First let me admit a little bias here. I think the CCBC is an incredible group and I admire so much of what they've done. To be honest, my secret desire is to work there as a librarian someday (a girl can dream, right?). And as you already know if you've been reading this blog long, I feel strongly about the significance of multicultural literature for ALL children. So it may seem as though I'm just reiterating what has already been said, but it's obvious to me that these numbers don't lie. 

And the repercussions of these kinds of statistics -- say what you will about the causes, everything from a lack of manuscripts to "multicultural books don't sell" -- are huge for our society. There's a ripple effect here, and it starts with kids who don't see themselves reflected in the literature available to them or taught in their schools, who then begin to think books don't apply to them. And it continues to kids who see themselves reflected too much, who then begin to think their culture is normative and all other is just that, other. Further, it extends to all areas of our society. Where we see indifference and intolerance, prejudice and exclusionism, condescension and dismissal, we can be sure that there's a cultural disconnect that runs pretty deep. Think how different that might be if all kids learned at a young age to embrace difference and celebrate diversity!

To that end, I've made a conscious reading goal with Sprout. This is something I haven't really done up to now, largely because I like to follow his lead with our reading time and present a wide range of choices for us to share. But I also want to make sure that I'm giving him selections that are fully rounded, so I've decided to work through a list compiled by the CCBC, 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know. I've referred to the list before, and have already reviewed several of the selections on the blog. But going forward, as Sprout grows, we'll be working our way through the list, and I'll share a bit about each title as we read it together. (Look for the full list, linked to reviews, on Pinterest.)

First up was a book inspired by the author's affinity for playing dress-up as a child. In Mama's Saris, Pooja Makhijani writes about a little girl who longs to wear a beautiful sari like her mother. It's her seventh birthday, and our heroine feels she's ready for one of these incredible garments of her very own. She asks Mama, but the answer is not quite yet. So instead our girl helps her mother pick out a sari, and the journey through Mama's suitcase is full of gorgeous fabrics and delightful smells, and memories. And at the end, Mama relents and our heroine gets to wear a breathtaking blue sari for her special day.

This is a lovely story of family togetherness and the special bond between mother and daughter. As the two relive important moments in their lives together, readers find themselves in the moment, thanks not only to Makhijani's emotive text but also the thoughtful illustrations by Elena Gomez. Sprout loves not only the use of shifting perspectives, but also the incorporation of colors and patterns that blend with to produce some stunning spreads. Best of all, Mama's Saris includes Hindi words, with a glossary at the front that defines them, and a great insight into Indian culture. This is a terrific one for moms and daughters to share, but it's also a perfect choice for classrooms and libraries as well.

Stay tuned as we work our way through the 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know. It's not going to happen in a day (more like years, really!) but we're looking forward to experiencing all of these books together, and sharing our thoughts. And we'd love to hear what titles from the list your family has enjoyed!

Mama's Saris by Pooja Makhijani, published by Little, Brown and Company

Ages 4-7

Source: Library

Sample: "I jump onto my mother's bed and sit down. I watch her reach under the bed and pull out a leather suitcase. Inside are her sairs -- the yellow satin one she wore for Uma Didi's baby shower, the peach-colored one that is as fine as a spider's web, and my favorite, her red wedding sari, which I have only seen once because it is carefully wrapped in an old bedsheet."

Recommended

Bonus: interview with author Pooja Makhijani by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami {The Children's Bookshelf}

The best picture books transport a reader to a particular time or place, engage them with all the senses in a fully-realized snapshot of that reality. This can be a fantasy situation -- I'm thinking of excellent imaginative books like Inga Moore's A House in the Woods -- or it can be an actual place. For parents and teachers looking to give kids an understanding of a specific cultural system, picture books can be the doorway through which all readers enter.

In Uma Krishnaswami's Monsoon, young readers are set down in the world of a young Indian girl, waiting for the monsoon rains to come to her home in the northern part of the country. The summer is a hot and dusty one, and the family cannot wait for the rains to come and scrub all the grit and grime from the air. Though they know the rains are not long in coming, still the intensity of the heat builds, and with it the worry that this will be the year the rains don't come. The girl reads the fears in the faces of the adults around her. Even the slightest rumble makes all faces turn to the sky, searching for signs that the clouds are gathering. When at last the weather turns, the sky breaks open and the sweet rain comes, making the girl and her family burst with pure and perfect joy.

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book, one that reflects a view of India that's inclusive and unique. The girl and her family aren't poverty-stricken, they aren't beggars waiting to be saved. Rather, they're just people like those in any other culture, held captive by the weather and waiting for sweet relief from the summer's intensity. Krishnaswami uses evocative imagery, poetry really, to tell her story. Readers will fairly swoon as she describes the heat and grit in the air, then celebrate with the family as rain finally arrives. And the artwork by Jamel Akib is perfectly suited to the tone of the story, with a hazy softness that builds the emotion even as the family wonders and worries about the rains.

As a family story, Monsoon is just as fully realized, with the strong and reassuring relationships among family members emphasized throughout. An added bonus is the author's note at the end, explaining the importance of the monsoon and the people's deep connectivity to the weather of their region. As with the best title, Monsoon is story, character and setting all drawn together in a gorgeous picture book that makes a great addition to any library.

Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami, published by Farrar Straus Giroux
Ages 3-7
Source: Library
Sample: "Evening falls. I watch the faces on TV. Old and young, poor and rich, all across India, we wait for rain. The heat makes me feel like a crocodile crouching snap-jawed."
Recommended

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Picture Book Review - Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

One thing I love about picture books these days is that they are an absolute bounty of visual delights. Seriously, some of the artwork that illustrators and author/illustrators are turning out lately just causes me to go all goggle-eyed with admiration. I have zero artistic talent, or maybe less than zero -- an elementary school memory of gobs of clay plus the instruction "make whatever you feel like inside" still causes me to break out in a cold sweat -- but I loves me some gorgeous illustrations.

And wow oh wow, does this book have them! Filled with collage and outstanding mixed-media imagery, this is just a delight to behold. And best of all, it's a multicultural title about two boys. Win win, right?

According to the jacket copy, Same, Same but Different was inspired by author/illustrator Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw's travels in India and Nepal. While there she picked up the saying "same, same but different" -- a way of expressing that things in other cultures might be done differently, but are ultimately still the same. That simple phrase sparked the idea for her picture book, which is, I tell you truly, simply rich with culture and nuance.

In the book an American boy named Elliot participates in an art exchange at school, painting a picture of the world that his teacher mails to India. A boy named Kailash responds, mailing Elliot a picture of the world as he sees it. And so begins the correspondence, in which each boy talks about the things he enjoys, or what life is like where he's from. As the book continues, we begin to see that though some aspects of their activities are different, they are also much the same. For example, Elliot lives with his family (mom, dad and baby sister) and Kailash lives with his family (23 relatives in all). Elliot rides a bus to school and so does Kailash (though his is a large pedal-cab). Elliot and his friends do a complicated handshake to say hello, while Kailash bows and tells his friends "Namaste". All in all -- same, same but different!

I love the way that the book posits each culture opposite one another, so we get a sense of each in its uniqueness even as we see that people around the world live much the same. I would have liked it if the comparison was a little more equal -- because Kailash lives in a village, we're comparing rural life with Elliot's city life, and that feels a bit disjointed -- but Kostecki-Shaw is careful never to overtly place one culture as more important or better than the other. And indeed we can see that each boy enjoys the same pursuits, just in different ways. In one of the final spreads Elliot is drawing a bird from his perch in his treehouse, while Kailash draws a bird from the shade of a big tree. While Elliot's picture displays more material goods (books, a globe, even a telescope), each boy looks just as content, just as satisfied with his leisure time.

If you're looking for a good introduction to other cultures, a title that will open up lots of possibilities for discussion and further exploration, Same, Same But Different is an excellent choice. And if you're just looking for a book that's outright wonderful to look at and to read together -- this one fills the bill.

Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw, published by Henry Holt and Company
Ages 2-5
Source: Library
Sample: "A great river flows through my village. Peacocks dance under trees shaped like umbrellas. The sun is giant and especially hot here. / In my city, the sun hides behind buildings as tall as the sky. Taxis, buses, and cars fill the streets."
Recommended

Picture Book Review - Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia

Hitting the right balance with a culturally specific tale is no easy feat. You want the book to appeal to insiders, by being authentic and a true representation of their cultural experience. At the same time you need it to be something that cultural outsiders can appreciate, even if they have no knowledge of traditions or even language. Tough stuff indeed.

The same is true for intergenerational stories - the plot needs to be believable and realistic. Why is this young kid interested in what an oldster has to say, anyway? What's his/her motivation to listen? We've all read historical fiction in which the often-used trope of "come little child, let me tell you a tale" is trotted out, and most of the time it's thin at best. We just aren't given a good rationale for keeps the kiddies enthralled.

And so, since it is both culturally specific and intergenerational, you might think Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji has the deck stacked against it. But you'd be wrong, because this is a story that works on many levels: specific enough to speak to cultural insiders, broad enough to appeal to outsiders, and held together by the truly believable bond between grandfather and grandson.

The book begins with Aneel's grandparents coming from India. Aneel relishes his time with them, especially Dada-ji's wonderful stories. He loves to hear the tales of Dada-ji's amazing strength as a young lad - wrestling elephants and tying cobras in a knot. And what was the young boy's secret? Eating lots of his mother's fluffy-puffy roti, hot from the grill and topped with spicy mango pickle. Mmmmm! Dada-ji can almost taste the roti now! So Aneel asks everyone to make some, but all the members of the family are busy. It's up to Aneel, and he gets to work, making a huge stack of delicious roti for Dada-ji. When the last scrap of roti has been gobbled up, Dada-ji has his famous strength -- and the two go off to the yard to have some new adventures together.

It's interesting to note that this is the first picture book for both author F. Zia and illustrator Ken Min. The quality of this effort certainly speaks to a pair of artists who know how to craft a work that appeals to a broad audience. Sprinkling culturally specific elements throughout the text, Zia lets us in on what life was like for Dada-ji as a young boy. I especially appreciate that she doesn't interrupt the flow of the story to define the Hindi words, but rather includes a glossary in the back for those of us who may be unfamiliar with the terms. And Min's illustrations are spot-on: you can feel the power welling up in Dada-ji as he gulps down the huge stack of roti, and the shifting perspectives he uses (watching from inside the bowl as Aneel dumps the flour down) add a playful element that's just right. I love the energy that bursts from each of the characters, especially Aneel, who is excited to be doing something for his grandfather.

Sprout LOVED this book, which surprised me because it's a bit on the long side and more introspective than some of his favorites. But he asked for it over and over again, and was thrilled when my husband offered to take us all out for Indian food the other night. (Here he is, enjoying his own hot, hot roti - ok, naan bread, but it was hot and delicious too!)

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia, published by Lee & Low
Ages 2-6
Source: Library
Sample: "What made the lad so strong? It was the hot, hot roti that sizzled and wizzled on Badi-ma's wood hearth. You see, baba, Badi-ma made the best roti around! Hungry villagers trampled tall fields and swam angry rivers to sniff the fluffy-puffy roti that bubbled and wobbled in ghee on the hot, hot tavva pan."
Recommended

Bonus: interview with F. Zia at The Happy Nappy Bookseller

Chapter Book Review - Vanished by Sheela Chari

I'll admit it -- I'm a sucker for mysteries. I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and the like, moved up to Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle in middle school, and by high school was reading pretty much any mystery author that could hold my attention. Now, whenever I need a break from schoolwork and a change of pace from kid's books, I'm all about authors like Lee Child, Michael Connolly, Meg Gardiner and Laura Lippman (among many others).

So when Vanished by Sheela Chari cropped up on my radar screen, it was pretty much a must read -- a middle-grade mystery that takes the reader from Boston to India and back again. Neela is pretty much an average musician, but she longs to be world-class. When her grandmother sends her a beautiful and intricately carved veena (a stringed instrument from India), Neela is more than happy to cast off her practice model and play this gorgeous heirloom. But then Neela's veena disappears, and in her efforts to find it, Neela uncovers some unexpected information about a famous veena player who died tragically, and a cursed veena that will never stay with the one who owns it. Could this curse be on Neela's veena? And how will she ever get the priceless instrument back in her family?

What I loved about Vanished is Neela's persistence. Once she gets hold of the idea that there are strange circumstances surrounding her instrument, she just won't let it go, despite getting in trouble at home or receiving threats to give up the hunt. This persistence drives the story, and keeps the reader hanging in with Neela, certain that the truth will turn up around the next corner. Neela's friends add flavor to the plot, from traditional Pavi to unconventional Matt to Lynne, who seems somewhere in between friend and nemesis for much of the book. Neela's parents are proud of their Indian culture and traditions and have taught Neela to be too -- another point I like is that Neela's ethnicity, while it adds depth to the story, doesn't drive the plot. This isn't a "ethnic girl clashes with American society" story -- it's a "creepy guy appears, veena vanishes, what is girl going to do" tale, and that's what will hold a young reader's interest.

For me the plot ran a little thin towards the middle; although I think a strong reader will hang in with it, this slowdown could be a turn-off for reluctant readers or those who aren't true mystery fans. Still, things pick up considerably when the family travels to India, and the change of locale is perfectly timed with the build-up of plot tension. Chari's strength is character, and it shows in people like Lynne, whose unusual mannerisms fit perfectly with her role in the story, and Matt, who turns out to be the right person to help Neela crack the case (even despite his orange hair).

Chari has a solid debut here, and I'll be interested to see what comes next from her. This is a great choice for readers interested in India, strong females, music or just a great character-driven mystery.

Vanished by Sheela Chari, published by Hyperion Books
Ages 9-12
Source: Library
Sample quote: "At the coat closet, she opened the wooden folding door, still thinking of what to say at home, when she stopped. At first she thought she was mistaken. But the closet was so small, the truth was plain and simple. An awful feeling crept over her. She stared at the coat still hanging in the closet, a dark vinyl jacket that Hal had said was his, and the gaping space next to it where her veena should have been."
Recommended

Chapter Book Review - Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

So wouldn't it be great if you could hand your child a thrilling, well-crafted, engrossing novel in which neither race nor adoption were the driving force behind the plot?

Thought so.

If you'd like to do just that, Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs is a must-have. I was excited to read this one not only because the main character, Hazel, is part of a multiracial family formed by adoption, but also because I've read and loved Ursu's adult novels Spilling Clarence and The Disapparation of James. Both were favorite handsells back in my retail days, for the clever mixing of intriguing characters and fantastical turns of everyday reality.

And Ursu didn't disappoint me in Breadcrumbs, which I think is a strong contender for the Newbery this year (please please please). In the book, Hazel and Jack are two peas in a pod, sharing everything from a love of fantasy to a talent at superhero baseball (a game of their own invention). But one day Jack just -- goes away. Oh, he's there in body, all right, but he's no more Hazel's best friend than a stranger on the street. Jack just looks right through Hazel like he doesn't even see her. Hazel's crushed, and she can't accept what her mother tells her, that "these things happen". And when Jack disappears for real, Hazel doesn't believe for one second that he's with his elderly Aunt Bernice. No, Hazel's going to get to the bottom of this -- and for that, she must set off into the frigid Minnesota woods to rescue her very best friend.

Now, I could go on and on about all the things there are to love about Breadcrumbs, from the way Ursu interweaves fantasy into common events and how she turns fairytale conventions upside down, while never betraying their essence. Particularly well-done are the scenes once Hazel enters the woods, so evocative that I was amazed to look up from reading them and find myself at home tucked up in bed. But what many readers will take away from Breadcrumbs is the sense of holding fast to your sense of self and letting that be your compass. Hazel never wavers from the notion that Jack, the real Jack is still in there, and that he needs her now even more than he ever has. Quite a commentary on growing up but not away, this one.

Breadcrumbs is that rare thing, a novel that's not genre- (or gender) defined, neither wholly fictive nor entirely true. Honestly, I can't say enough about this smart, funny, surprising novel, which I found so compelling that I truly regretted turning the last page. For kids who feel on the outside, either because of something like adoption, or because they're finding their way across that looming chasm between childhood and growing up, Breadcrumbs will be a great gift. And if you feel that way as an adult? Guess what -- it'll speak to you too.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, published by HarperCollins
Ages 10-13
Source: Library
Sample Quote: "Hazel blinked. It occurred to her that Mikaela was being nice to her. She did not know how to react, for when your heart has been poisoned and someone picks a dandelion for you -- because it is bright and yellow and you seem like you could use something like that -- all you can do is contemplate the funny ways of weeds."
Highly recommended

Want to read more? Check out this guest post from Anne Ursu at The Book Smugglers blog, or visit her official author site.

Chapter Book Review - Maya Running by Anjali Banerjee

"I don't want to be ethnic." Maya Mukherjee is tired of feeling like she's in between. When she and her parents are with other Indian families, Maya's on the outside -- she doesn't speak Bengali, she doesn't wear a sari -- not Indian enough. When she's at school, she's the only brown kid, noticeable for the rice and dahl in her lunchbox and the customs everyone assumes she follows. All Maya wants is to blend in, and to have Jamie Klassen finally notice her.

Then Maya's cousin Pinky arrives from India, and more than ever all eyes are on Maya's family. Exotic Pinky, with her Kathak dancing, her perfume and kohl, captures the attention and the admiration of even Maya's closest friends. Even Jamie, who had been slowly beginning to notice Maya, seems to have fallen under Pinky's spell. So Maya makes a little plea to the gold Ganesh statue Pinky has broug

ht with her. Just a small request, Maya thinks, from the god who "removes obstacles to truth". Suddenly, though, it seems like everything has turned upside down -- and Maya finds herself wishing for changes she never thought she'd be seeking out.

Anjali Banerjee's Maya Running turned out to be much different from what I thought initially, with an element of mysticism that I absolutely didn't see coming. Maya's relationship with Pinky is the turning point of the book, and though she is the one who initially wanted Pinky to come, after Pinky's arrival Maya is more of an outsider than ever. That things don't turn out how she planned is a big stumbling point for Maya, and feeds into the central conflict of a character who is at war within herself. I appreciate especially that Maya is authentic and her struggles are believable, which makes her someone readers can understand and will root for.

As Maya deals with the unexpected feelings that her plea to Ganesh has brought about, she gradually begins to understand the value of not being just like everyone else. Although I felt that Banerjee rushes the resolution a bit -- I would have liked to see Maya resolve her issues in a more realistic fashion -- she still demonstrates that Maya is able to come to terms with her place in society and become more comfortable with who she is.Maya's conflicts are pretty familiar for her age range, and even kids who don't feel singled out for their skin color can relate to her seemingly ever-present visibility. Didn't we all go through a similar thing at this age, where different is bad and all we want to do is blend in? I know this is something we'll deal with as Sprout gets older, particularly if we stay in an area that is predominately white. Hopefully we'll be able to guide him through it, to help him celebrate the uniqueness that is his heritage and to be proud, not ashamed. Books like this, we hope, will help affirm and support him in the process.

Maya Running by Anjali Banerjee, published by Random House
Ages 8-12
Source: Library
Sample quote: "There are no black people in our town, so I guess I'm the next best target. When I die, I'll become an exhibit at the local museum. Mayasri Mukherjee, born in India to a Bengali father and an Anglo-Indian mother. Nobody knew exactly how to classify Maya, but we do know this: she was all mixed up. I am Nowhere Girl in my Nowhere Land, between Canada and India."
Recommended

Picture Book Review - Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami

If there's one thing you need when embarking on an adoption, whether international or domestic, it's patience. Hurry up and complete paperwork; wait for government approval. Scramble to organize dossier; wait for translation. And that doesn't count the months, even years waiting for a referral, and then the post-referral wait for court approval, legal hoops and diplomatic clearances. All of this is very necessary to ensure ethical adoption, of course, but the fact remains that there's waiting. A lot of waiting. It's not a process for the faint of heart.

And yet few books that explain the adoption process for kids address the waiting that families undergo. Enter Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami. In this picture book, young Arun learns that his family is going to be adopting a baby sister from India. Arun is excited, especially once he gets to see the picture of little Asha. He really hopes his sister will be with them for his birthday. But that milestone, and others, come and go, and still no Asha. Arun is sad thinking about his sister waiting for her family: "I hope the people in India are taking good care of my sister. I try to believe that someday soon she will come to us." At last Arun's father travels to India, and soon the new family is all together in America.

I love that Krishnaswami discusses the process of waiting for a child, and how difficult that can be for parents and siblings alike. For children whose families are adding another member, it might be hard for them to understand why the wait is necessary; Krishnaswami explains this in simplified terms, and while the explanation may not be enough for older children, it does open the door for further discussion. I especially appreciate the connections the text makes to India. Arun's father is from India (Mom is not) and the family observes several holidays and customs from Dad's heritage. It's great to see a multiracial family expanding through international adoption, yet remaining connected to the country of origin of its newest member.

While the text is fairly long -- I wouldn't recommend this for toddlers, but kindergarten and grade school ages should follow it -- the author does a nice job of explaining the complexities of international adoption in a way that most kids can relate to. It's especially good to find a book that doesn't begin just when the new sibling arrives in the family. Arun is part of the process from the very beginning, and the way Arun's parents approach the entire issue with him is one that many families may choose to model. Overall a celebration of adoption that doesn't skip over the realities, both good and bad.

Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami, published by Lee & Low Books
Ages 5-9
Source: Library
Sample quote: "I sit on the step and drum my heels on the floor. 'I've been patient forever,' I cry. 'I'm tired of being patient.' Mom and Dad look at each other. I think they're tired too."
Recommended