Bindu's Bindis

by Supriya Kelkar, Parvati Pillai (Illustrator)

Overview

A companion to Kelkar’s The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, this picture book features a little girl named Bindu whose bindis connect her to family and help her find courage to compete in the school talent show.

This charming picture book is about a little girl who loves her bindis (and the many creative shapes they come in!). The bindis are also a connection to her Nani who lives in India. When Nani comes to visit Bindu and brings the bindis to her, it is just in time to wear something new to the school talent show. Bindu and Nani work together to shine their brightest and embrace their sparkle, even when they stand out from the crowd.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454940203
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	03/16/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	266,746
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD570L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Born and raised in the Midwest, Supriya learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. Supriya is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. Her books include The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh (Sterling, 2019), American as Paneer Pie (Aladdin, 2020), Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame (Tu Books, 2020), and Ahimsa (Tu Books, 2017).

Illustrator Parvati Pillai lives in Finland.
 

Editorial Reviews

04/26/2021

Bindu’s loving Nani—and the multicolored, myriad shaped bindis she sends from India each month—imbues the child with strength in this rhythmic, anaphoric read by Kelkar: “Bindu adored her bindis. She wore them to the temple. She wore them on holidays. She wore them at home.” Pillai illustrates in a richly patterned digital style with expressive character designs and jewel tones. A pivotal spread shows an aerial view of visiting Nani twirling, fuchsia and goldenrod skirt fanning out around her, as bokeh lights her smiling face and Bindu watches in awe from the front of the stage. An encounter with racism feels a bit disconnected from the rest of the story, but this narrative effectively highlights the way a warm grandparent-child relationship can keep culture alive. Back matter includes more information about bindis. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

From beginning to end, Pillai has created rich, colorful cartoon-style illustrations with intricate details that give a nod to classical Indian artwork…. This #OwnVoices entry offers solutions as well as a healthy dose of joy.”—School Library Journal

"Pillai utilizes vibrant colors and wide-eyed, smiling faces to sustain the optimism of this sweet story of a little girl who just wants to be herself."—Booklist

"Bindu is a delightful protagonist whose emotional ups and downs are both familiar-feeling and fun to read about. . . . the ending is both realistic and uplifting, tying together a storyline that strikes an expert balance between drama and humor. A beautiful intergenerational tale about the importance of embracing the parts of ourselves that others may find strange."—Kirkus

“...narrative effectively highlights the way a warm grandparent-child relationship can keep culture alive.” — Publishers Weekly

 

From the Publisher

02/01/2021

K-Gr 3—With warm storytelling and dazzling art, Kelkar and Pillai welcome readers into Bindu's world. Bindu is a young South Asian girl who loves to dance almost as much as the bindis her grandmother mails her each month from India. The different shapes and colors of the sticker-like cosmetic—worn in the middle of the forehead—help Bindu to express herself, whether it is for a special occasion or just at home. When her grandmother Nani comes to visit, she helps Bindu courageously ignore xenophobic protesters, and also perform at her school's talent show. Because Bindu loves to match her grandmother in all ways, their charming intergenerational bond helps Bindu transcend her fear of performing at her school. From beginning to end, Pillai has created rich, colorful cartoon-style illustrations with intricate details that give a nod to classical Indian artwork. Short sentences in large font are perfect for young readers, though some of the vocabulary and situations may be more relatable for readers on the older end of the range. A note from the author provides readers with more information on bindis, their significance, and many other names for them. VERDICT As in the recent When Nana Akua Went to School, the elder generation nudges the young to embrace their culture and the challenges of fitting in. This #OwnVoices entry offers solutions as well as a healthy dose of joy.—Monisha Blair, Rutgers Univ., NJ

School Library Journal

2020-11-27
Bindu loves bindis, the adornments that some South Asians wear on their foreheads for religious or cosmetic purposes.

Bindu’s bindis are particularly special to her because they’re from her grandmother: Every month, her nani sends her a new packet all the way from India, and her delight emanates from every brightly hued page. But when Nani comes to visit, xenophobic White protestors at the airport make Bindu and her family feel scared and out of place, and Bindu briefly questions whether she ought to wear a bindi at all. The feeling returns a few days later, when Bindu must perform a dance onstage at school. In the moment when she experiences stage fright, Bindu isn’t sure if her bindi gives her strength or makes her different—too different for her classmates. With a little bit of courage—and some help from Nani—Bindu gets up on stage and, in the process, remembers why she loves bindis. Bindu is a delightful protagonist whose emotional ups and downs are both familiar-feeling and fun to read about. Bindu’s likability makes it slightly disappointing that it’s Nani and not feisty, resourceful Bindu herself who ultimately resolves the book’s main conflict. Nevertheless, the ending is both realistic and uplifting, tying together a storyline that strikes an expert balance between drama and humor. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.9-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 58.3% of actual size.)(Editor's note: This review has been updated to provide a more accurate description of a bindi.)

A beautiful intergenerational tale about the importance of embracing the parts of ourselves that others may find strange. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews