 | |
| Author | Vivek Shraya |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Rajni Perera |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Children's book, Hindu culture, Cultural norms |
| Published | 2016 (Arsenal Pulp Press) |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 32 (unpaginated) |
| ISBN | 9781551526683 |
| OCLC | 938996631 |
The Boy & the Bindi is a 2016 children's picture book by Vivek Shraya and illustrated by Rajni Perera. It is about a young boy's obsession with his mother's bindi and his experiences when he wears one.
The School Library Journal in a review of The Boy & the Bindi wrote "Shraya (God Loves Hair) makes her picture book debut with gentle rhymes and warm whimsy, amplified by Toronto artist Perara’s richly hued illustrations. The author, a transgender woman, deftly explores difference and self-acceptance, the subversion of gender expectations, and the power of “making sure I don’t hide/Everything I am inside.”" [1] and Booklist stated "Suitable as a gentle introduction to Hindu culture, this simple reflection will complement multicultural collections. The beautiful and detailed illustrations, such as those of Ammi's traditional dress and jewelry, provide additional cultural context." [2]
CM: Canadian Review of Materials was concerned with the apparent awkwardness of the rhyming text but commended the illustrations. [3]
The Boy & the Bindi has also been reviewed by Publishers Weekly , [4] and Kirkus Reviews . [5]
Sindoor is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red coloured cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent, usually worn by married women along the part of their hairline. In Hindu communities the sindoor is a visual marker of marital status of a woman and ceasing to wear it usually implies widowhood.
A bindi or pottu is a coloured dot or, in modern times, a sticker worn on the center of the forehead, originally by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from the Indian subcontinent.
Vivek Shraya is a Canadian musician, writer, and visual artist. She currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she is an assistant professor in the creative writing program at the University of Calgary. As a trans woman of colour, Shraya often incorporates her identity in her music, writing, visual art, theatrical work, and films. She is a seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, and considered a Great Canadian Filmmaker of the Future by CBC Arts.
Karadi Tales is an independent children's publishing house based in Chennai, India focusing primarily on picture books and audiobooks. It was started in 1996 with an intent to create a space for Indian culture in the world of children's publishing, by a group of writers, educators and musicians. Since its launch, Karadi Tales titles have been consistently one of the largest selling publications in India. Many titles have sold more than 100,000 copies and most titles have crossed 20,000 copies. The audiobooks are narrated by a roster of celebrities and set to classical Indian ragas which are performed by trained musicians.
Christopher John Rocco, simply known as John Rocco is an American illustrator of book covers and children's books. He is best known for illustrating the covers of books in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He is the sole creator of some children's picture books.
Time for Bed is a 1993 children's picture book by Mem Fox. It is about various baby animals getting ready for bed with gentle encouragement from their parents; finally a human mother tucks in her child.
Where Crocodiles have Wings is a 2005 children's picture book by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Bob Barner. It is a rhyming story where imaginative animals occur.
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Pete the Sheep is a 2004 picture book by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley. It is about a shearer, Shaun, and his sheep, Pete, who open a hairdressing salon for sheep.
God Loves Hair is a collection of 21 short stories by Vivek Shraya with illustrations by Juliana Neufeld. The collections tells the stories of a child of Indian immigrants growing up in Canada.Originally self-published in 2010 it was a finalized for the Lambda Literary Award. In 2014 it was rereleased by Arsenal Pulp Press. In 2020 a hardcover 10th anniversary edition which includes a new story, new illustrations and a foreword by writer Cherie Dimaline.
She of the Mountains is a 2014 novel by Vivek Shraya that interweaves a story of the Hindu deities, Parvati, Shiva and Ganesh with a queer Hindu boy growing up in Canada.
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A Different Pond is a 2017 children's picture book by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui. The book tells the story of a boy and his father going fishing. Phi created the book because of his desire to have books about people like himself to read to his daughter. Bui's detailed illustrations allowed Phi to remove elements of the prose. Bui, who had never illustrated a traditional picture book before, won praise for her use of colors and was recognized with a 2018 Caldecott Honor. The book received positive reviews and appeared on best of 2017 book lists.
I'm a Hungry Dinosaur is a 2015 children's picture book written by Janeen Brian and illustrated by Ann James. It is about a small dinosaur that makes a mess baking and eating a cake.
This & That is a 2015 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. It is about a mouse telling bedtime stories to a pup.
Baby Bedtime is a 2013 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Emma Quay. The book, published in America by Beach Lane Books, and published in Australia by Penguin Books Australia, is about an adult elephant getting her baby ready for bed.
Max Attacks is a 2019 children's picture book written by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan. It is about a distractible young cat called Max who is obsessed with some fish in a bowl but continually leaves them to pounce on things including socks, shoelaces, and a lizard on a flyscreen but always returns to the bowl. He eventually "pounces" on his food bowl, eats lots, then has a cat nap.
Cat Dreams is a 2009 children's picture book by Ursula K. Le Guin and illustrated by S D Schindler. It is about a cat that has a nap, dreams of fantastical kitty things, like raining mice, is startled awake, then finds a nice human lap to snooze on.
Going Down Home with Daddy is a 2019 picture book written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter. It tells the story of a young boy who attends a large family reunion at his great-grandmother's house and struggles to prepare a contribution to the family celebration. Inspired by Lyons's visit to a family gathering in rural Georgia, the book was published by Peachtree Publishing on April 1, 2019. The acrylic illustrations incorporate Adinkra symbols representing various concepts in Ghanaian culture. Critics praised the book's themes of family culture and heritage as well as Minter's illustrations, for which it received a Caldecott Honor in 2020. It also received the 2019 Lupine Award in the Picture Book category.
{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)The short rhyming text from an author who has other publications as well as awards to her credit is a bit awkward. .. The bright and luscious illustrations by Perera, a Toronto artist of Sri Lankan heritage, show the boy in day-to-day surroundings and isolate charming small details such as a foot with an ankle bracelet or the contents of a trinket drawer.
Newcomer Perera's illustrations sometimes stumble into cliché with stars and tie-dye effects, but other spreads compel attention. .. Shraya's (God Loves Hair) story defines and affirms important values of Hindu culture—and nudges gender norms, as well.
The bright, beautiful illustrations by Perera do the heavy lifting, symbolically infusing the boy's cultural difference with the spiritual power it carries for the wearer. .. The mostly easy rhyming and vivid colors make this an unforgettable look into Hindu culture.
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