What I Am
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
The creator of Little Owl's Night explores and celebrates the complexities of what makes us who we are in this comforting and thoughtful picture book.
A young narrator describes herself: a girl, a granddaughter, Indian, and American. Soon, we see the young girl as a plethora of things: selfish and generous, mean and kind, brave and mischievous. While many of these qualities oppose each other, the context and illustrations make it abundantly clear that she speaks the truth. She is a walking contradiction, and that is precisely what makes her both a unique individual and an essential piece of the greater world around her. Divya Srinivasan shows what makes us human and proud to be who we are.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Based on a scenario that Srinivasan's sister once faced, the author-illustrator offers an empowering, accessible response to the often racially motivated question, "What are you?" After affirming that "I am a girl. I am a human," an unnamed Indian American protagonist speculates on her relationships with others: "I am a daughter. I am a granddaughter.// I am an Amma to my guys." She is a vegetarian, and the darkness of her skin color depends on who she's comparing it with ("I am dark. I am pale"). Next comes a series of opposing qualities: "I am mean," one page asserts, as she sticks her tongue out at Amma's cooking; "I am kind," reassures the opposite page, which shows the child holding up a picture reading "I love you" to her mother. Art rendered in pencils, watercolor, and digitally features appealingly childlike art that expounds upon the text. This volume succeeds in restoring the dignity and nuance to identity that an all-too-common microaggression often condenses. Back matter features a stirring author's note. Ages 3–7.
