In time for election year, meet America's first daughter! Adopted from Pakistan when she was three, Sameera ("Sparrow") Righton is not your typical all-American girl. None of this used to matter, but that was before her father decided to run for president of the United States. Now some of her father'’s campaign staffers think that maybe a dark-skinned, adopted daughter could hurt his chances. They begin to pressure Sameera to change her name to Sammy and to be more "American." Sameera is torn between molding herself into the perfect daughter and being true to herself. Who will win out? Sparrow? Or Sammy?

First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover

Teen & Young Adult

Perkins, Mitali

Literature & Fiction

Speak

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center. Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to&nbsp;discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins&nbsp;chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won't make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji-- he just can't eat it). These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.

The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices

Children's Books

Hiranandani, Veera

DasGupta, Sayantani

Kelkar, Supriya

SAEED, AISHA

LaRocca, Rajani

Singh, Simran Jeet

Faruqi, Reem

Pancholy, Maulik

Hasnat, Naheed

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Sunita Sen, finally feeling like she fits in--especially since she has become friends with the school's tennis star--finds herself torn between two worlds when her grandparents come from India to stay with her family, bringing about lifestyle changes and identity issues. Simultaneous.

The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen

United States

Little, Brown Young Readers

In this engaging story about cultural discovery, thirteen-year-old Sunita finds herself resenting her Indian heritage when her grandparents come for a visit from India to California. She's embarrassed by the differences she feels between herself and her friends, but she's in for some surprises as she gets to know her grandparents -- and herself! Includes a reader’s guide.

The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen (Originally published as: The Sunita Experiment)

In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower--while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique. The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they're learning to live with. One can shape-shift--but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists "owning" a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined. Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today's top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it. Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.

A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems

Schmidt, Gary D.

Cartaya, Pablo

Lai, Remy

Grimes, Nikki

Krosoczka, Jarrett J.

Zoboi, Ibi

PARK, LINDA SUE

Young, Brian

Nayeri, Daniel

Medina, Meg

Henderson, Leah

Ryan,Pam Munoz

Lukoff, Kyle

Clarion Books

Product Description 
In the timely yet timeless picture book Home Is in Between, critically acclaimed author Mitali Perkins and illustrator Lavanya Naidu describe the experience of navigating multiple cultures and embracing the complex but beautiful home in between. Shanti misses the warm monsoon rains in India. Now in America, she watches fall leaves fly past her feet. Still, her family’s apartment feels like a village: Mama cooking luchi, funny stories in Bangla, and Baba’s big laugh. But outside, everything is different – trick-or-treating, ballet class, and English books.Back and forth, Shanti trudges between her two worlds. She remembers her village and learns her new town. She watches Bollywood movies at home and Hollywood movies with her friends. She is Indian. She is also American. How should she define home? 
 From School Library Journal 
K-Gr 4-Perkins explores a child's experience of immigration in a sweet and child-friendly story presented in a beautifully illustrated package. Readers meet young Shanti, a girl with brown skin and black pigtails, as she and her parents leave their village in India and relocate to a "town" in the United States. Shanti moves back and forth between cultures, first skipping, then running, then trudging. These changing action words are a metaphor for the labor of navigating between two sides of one's self. Perkins shows cultural examples: the familiarities of the village carried over in food, music, and household habits, along with the new sports, language, and holidays of the town. A refrain repeats: "Remembering the village. Learning the town. Again and again. In between." There are endearing moments. Shanti makes a new friend quickly and enjoys learning with her about town life. But she also struggles with school, misses family, and is the target of microaggressions. The range of emotions shows on her face: excitement, longing, frustration, comfort, and defeat. Naidu's animated style, with bright popping colors, expands on what Perkins leaves untold in her short poetic stanzas and careful words. As the harshness and unfamiliarity of the winter melt away, Shanti feels the warmth of the spring and determines to make her home in a space between cultures. The book ends with a glossary of Bangla words, and an author's note about her own immigrant experience, and her framing of code switching and biculturalism as a gift and a superpower. VERDICT This book can serve as either a validating mirror or an illuminating window. A warm read-aloud, it is a must-purchase for all picture book collections.-Clara Hendricks, Cambridge P.L., MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. 
 Review 
A Junior Library Guild Selection!"Perkins explores a child’s experience of immigration in a sweet and child-friendly story presented in a beautifully illustrated package . . . This book can serve as either a validating mirror or an illuminating window. A warm read-aloud, it is a must-purchase for all ­picture book collections." ―School Library Journal, starred review"Animation-style characters by Naidu (Susie Will Not Speak) reflect emotion clearly, while straightforward writing by Perkins (Between Us and Abuela) shows how Shanti learns to appreciate aspects of her new life while keeping people and elements from her old one close to her heart." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review"Reflecting the experiences of Perkins and many other immigrant children, this heartfelt picture book records the push/pull of remembering the old ways while learning the new ones . . . By shining a light on one girl’s story, this vibrant picture book illuminates the experience of many immigrant children." ―Booklist, starred review"National Book Award finalist Perkins’ picture book depicts a tale of immigration and adaptation . . . Kolkata-born, Australia-based Naidu’s illustrations are light and full of motion, reinforcing both the book’s to

Home Is in Between (The "Between" Books)

Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

It's almost time for Christmas, and Maria is traveling with her mother and younger brother, Juan, to visit their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico. For the few minutes they can share together along the fence, Maria and her brother plan to exchange stories and Christmas gifts with the grandmother they haven't seen in years. But when Juan's gift is too big to fit through the slats in the fence, Maria has a brilliant idea. Here is a heartwarming tale of families and the miracle of love.

Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border (The "Between" Books)

Holidays & Celebrations

Nominated for the National Book Award * Winner of the South Asia Book Award * Walter Award Honor for Teen Literature * PW Best Book of the Year * SLJ Best Book of the Year * Horn Book Fanfare List * Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year * NYPL Best Book of the Year * Boston Globe Best Book of the Year * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults * Mississippi Magnolia Award * Six starred reviews: ★ Horn Book ★ School Library Journal ★ Publishers Weekly ★ Booklist ★ Shelf Awareness ★ VOYA Five girls. Three generations. One great American love story. You Bring the Distant Near explores sisterhood, first loves, friendship, and the inheritance of culture--for better or worse. Ranee, worried that her children are losing their Indian culture; Sonia, wrapped up in a forbidden biracial love affair; Tara, seeking the limelight to hide her true self; Shanti, desperately trying to make peace in the family; Anna, fighting to preserve her Bengali identity--award-winning author Mitali Perkins weaves together a sweeping story of five women at once intimately relatable and yet entirely new. "Perkins tells a nuanced, quintessentially American story. She affectionately traces four young women's interrelated yet distinct paths to determining their identities, and, later in the book, adds a fifth. Ranee, the Das family matriarch, has long lived according to Bengali tradition. In her 60s, she embarks on a process of discovery familiar to many immigrants who move to this country as adults: She reshapes herself from the blended clay of her native and adopted homes." -- Chicago Tribune

You Bring the Distant Near

Forward Me Back to You

"... Simple prose belies complex themes around faith, service, personal identity, and trauma, and Perkins adroitly threads carefully balanced perspectives throughout the story and draws readers' attention to cultural bias ... This timely, realistic story filled with lots of heart yet devoid of a pat ending is sure to capture readers' interests and spark contemplative conversations around global issues and activism. A must-have for teen and new adult collections." ― School Library Journal, starred review "... [E]xpertly explores personal identity, faith, trauma and ethnocentrism, cleverly using a dual narrative to depict Kat's and Robin's individual points of view. Perkins also uses the teens' experience in Kolkata to highlight the way many view service when done in cultures other than their own. Forward Me Back to You respectfully tackles heavy issues with a poignant, honest and refreshing outlook. ―Shelf Awareness, starred review "...The third-person narrative perspective is as accessible as it is literary. Perkins, who was born in Kolkata, India, knows how to write fiction about serious issues such as trauma, healing, identity, cross-cultural service, and social justice. Her inclusive, diverse characters leap off the page with distinctiveness and relatability. Perkins also does superlative work in creating characters of faith who pray, attend church and enact Christian principles. While there is an element of romance, this novel is about character growth, friendship, loyalty, self-discovery, and global awareness ... Unique and refreshing, Forward Me Back to You should bring even more fans to Perkins's novels." ~ VOYA Magazine, starred review School Library Journal Best YA Book of 2019Nominated for the American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults listNominated for the Amelia Bloomer ListBarnes and Noble Most Anticipated YA

Hope in the Valley, from National Book Award Nominee Mitali Perkins, is a middle-grade novel exploring grief, friendship, family, and growing up in a community facing a housing crisis. Twelve-year-old Indian-American Pandita Paul doesn't like change. She's not ready to start middle school and leave the comforts of childhood behind. Most of all, Pandita doesn't want to feel like she's leaving her mother, who died a few years ago, behind. After a falling out with her best friend, Pandita is planning to spend most of her summer break reading and writing in her favorite secret space: the abandoned but majestic mansion across the street. But then the unthinkable happens. The town announces that the old home will be bulldozed in favor of new--maybe affordable--housing. With her family on opposing sides of the issue, Pandita must find her voice--and the strength to move on--in order to give her community hope.

Hope in the Valley

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