This story is about a young girl, Arthi wanting to know more about the wooden dolls (bommalu) that her father makes. She learns that each of the bommalu has a story to tell. The exemplary dolls that these artisans create are considered heirlooms and are passed on proudly from generation to generation. (Grades K-2)
Author
My Incredible India
This vibrant nonfiction picture book takes young readers on an enchanting journey across India, showcasing the country’s rich cultural diversity, iconic landmarks, and natural wonders. Through lively illustrations and engaging prose, the book explores India’s varied traditions, languages, wildlife, and festivals, providing a window into everyday life. With each page offering a new discovery, readers are immersed in the sights, sounds, and colors of India, celebrating its complexity and charm. (Grades 2-5)
Enlightened
A fictionalized graphic telling of Prince Siddhartha. This fictionalized graphic novel retells the story of Prince Siddhartha, the boy who came to be known as Gautama Buddha. The story shares the stages of his life, his path to enlightenment and how he became The Enlightened One. From the moment the young boy won a marble game and lost his sword to use in practice, to the moment of enlightenment and the diffusion of his teachings, this story is a great foundation text for understanding the life of Buddha. (Grades 6-9)
Unknown Heroes Of India’s Freedom Struggle
This non-fiction graphic novel comprises 16 distinctive narratives that provide the histories of India’s hard-fought independence. The author notes that in a few years’ time, “there will not be a single person alive who fought for [India’s] freedom”. These (his)stories are available for adolescent and young adult learners to gain a deeper, and more humane, understanding of India’s history. Classrooms can easily use this book as a supplement to research projects, or as a classroom text that delves deeper into India’s past. (Grades 8-12)
I am Kavi
Fourteen-year-old Kavi dreams of escaping her impoverished village life in Sri Lanka and finding freedom through her poetry. After receiving a scholarship to an elite school in Colombo, Kavi is caught between two worlds: her rural home and the privileged urban life of her classmates. Set against the backdrop of the 1998 Sri Lankan civil war, Kavi’s journey explores themes of resilience, belonging, and self-discovery. (Grades 3-7)
Ganesha Goes Green
Prema is looking forward to the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival, but her anticipation is marred – her mother has become sick from the chemicals leached into the river by the very plaster Ganesha statues used to celebrate the holiday! While walking by the riverbank, Prema has an idea. Using the clay from the river to build the Ganesha statues will let the people celebrate as usual, while also preserving the health of the river water. Though it takes her many tries, and the help of her friends, Prema creates enough clay Ganesha statues to make a difference in her village’s celebrations. This colorful picture book raises awareness of ecological issues surrounding the festival. (Grades PK-3)
Global Reads Webinar Series The Moon from Dehradun
Join us for a conversation with Shirin Shamsi, author of The Moon from Dehradun, moderated by South Asia Book Award committee member Ritu Radhakrishnan. Monday, June 3, 2024, 4-5 PM CDT Watch it on YouTube Here! The Moon …
Himalaya: The Wonders of the Mountains that Touch the Sky
Himalaya, (or jimālaia in Sanskrit), means “abode of snow” is a rich non-fiction book that provides a factual examination of the Himalayas. Himalaya is focused on a specific area of the mountainous range that runs throughout China, India, and Nepal. With beautifully illustrated representations of the regional cultures, readers can examine the history and legends across the various communities. This book may serve as a wonderful reference book for K-12 educators, and also provides a source of adventure for readers as part of a classroom library, or can be used as a picture walk with younger readers to explore different areas around the world, featuring positive and historically accurate representations of South Asians. This book provides many opportunities for readers of different ages. (Grades 1-3)
All My Rage
The story chronicles the lives of Noor and Salahudin, close high school friends who share their Pakistani-American heritage. Their familial challenges unfold as Noor confronts an antagonistic uncle while Salahudin navigates his mother’s illness and father’s alcohol dependency. The novel thoughtfully delves into themes of family ties, trauma, grief, abuse, alcoholism, racism, kindness, forgiveness, and hope. (Grades 9-12)
Meet Me in Mumbai
A story about love and family that spans two generations – a connection that brings Ayesha as a visiting graduate student to the US, and Mira, adopted and raised by her moms in the US, to face each other. The narratives reveal how complexities in South Asian cultures about teen relationships, out-of-wedlock pregnancies become more fraught across differences in social class. (Grades 9-12)