Sona and the Wedding Game

Sona and the Wedding Game,
My Dadima Wears a Sari,
Monsoon Afternoon
by Kashmira Sheth
illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi
Tiger in my Soup
by Kashmira Sheth
illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler



Being a big fan of stories with strong multicultural backdrop, when I came upon a handful of picture books by Kashmira Sheth, I ended up reading them back to back to my kids. Illustrations by Yoshiko Jaeggi effortlessly capture the magic of Indian culture.

Sona and the Wedding Game was a favorite as it gave a glimpse into an Indian wedding tradition practised in certain communities, (not all over India) -- the bride's sister must steal the groom's shoe at the wedding. There are several traditions, some more solemn, some more fun, practised by different communities across India, adapted to their own local customs. Sona is unfamiliar with this tradition and doesn't know how to go about it, but what are annoying cousins for, right?

Monsoon Afternoon captures the joys of monsoon season and the intergenerational bonding in a subdued way, while not being cliched.

My Dadima Wears a Sari is quintessentially Indian in that it talks about the beautiful attire that is just 6 yards of fabric, the sari. It can become an umbrella, it can become a pouch for collecting seashells, it can bandage up an injured knee... Having grown up with sari all around me, I have a deep love for the traditional sari, which I must admit, I don't wear often. Again, an intergenerational bond is established in the book via traditional clothing - viz., Dadima's wedding sari, the one she brought with her when she came to America, and she shows her granddaughters how to wear it.

Full of imagination and lovely illustrations, Tiger in my Soup is about a boy wanting his older sister to read to him. She refuses of course, busy with her own book and earphones. But when she serves him a can of soup for lunch, the steam rises and assumes the shape of a... Tiger. Jumping out of the soup, the tiger prowls about, wild and unpredictable, so naturally the boy defends himself with kitchen utensils, while the soup sits there getting cold. The sister finally caves in and warms up the soup in the microwave, and reads the book to him. Satisfied, the boy (and the tiger) settle down for imaginary wanderings.

[image source: Yoshiko Jaeggi, Kashmira Sheth websites]

The Babysitters Club Graphic Novels

The Babysitters Club (Graphic Novels)
by Raina Telgemeier

Based on Ann M. Martin's novels in The Baby-Sitter's Club (BSC) series, these graphic novel adaptations by Raina Telgemeier are absolutely delightful, staying true to the original.

The resident ten year old enjoyed reading the challenges and perks of baby-sitting and the dynamics of friendship between Kristy and her friends in the BSC.

Four books have been adapted so far for the graphic novel presentation, with no more on the horizon at this time. Kristy's Great Idea starts it all, where the girls get together to form the club. In the Truth about Stacey, we watch Stacey go through some tough times, but manages fine thanks to her friends at the BSC. In Mary Anne Saves the Day, we see how Mary Anne rises to the occasion and handles her problems and keeps the BSC tight-knit again.Claudia and Mean Janine opens a window into Claudia and her sister's personalities and relationship.

The illustrations do a fantastic job of setting up the personality of each character with clear and big facial expressions that complement the text, adding a lot of movement and energy, making it crisp and heart-warming at the same time.

[image source: GoRaina.com]