Amla Mater

In the stillness of autumn, I feel I can almost hear someone hum 'Lokame tharavadu (the world is my home)....'

In her tiny flat in East London, as Mili waits for her baby to arrive, little things remind her of her life in India­­-the scent of jasmine flowers, a heavy downpour, a late-night cup of coffee, an amla or gooseberry-and she is overcome with a deep desire to recreate the flavors of her childhood. Can a jar of amla pickle help her travel back to that safe haven she once called home?

In this sweetly nostalgic graphic novel, the narrator recounts her meandering journey from her ancestral village in South India to the United Kingdom, capturing the deep feeling of longing for home that shapes the lives of emigrants everywhere.

Honor Book, Virginia Library Association Graphic Novel Diversity Award (2018)