(2) 4-6 This heartbreaking and resonant story of twelve-year-old best friends Asha (who is wealthy and Indian) and Yesofu (who is poor and Black) takes place during the Indian expulsion period in 1972 Uganda, which was part of President Idi Amin's Africanization policy. Athaide probes questions of nationalism, poverty, and privilege in original and compelling ways, and explores Asha's recognition that some differences cannot be easily bridged. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA Nira, daughter of stubborn Guyanese-Indian immigrants and the "only brown girl" in her Canadian high school, auditions for the school jazz band. As Nira validates her own talent, she sees that her friend Emily and her cousin Farah are also struggling to come to terms with their identities and family situations. This bittersweet, humorous coming-of-age story offers no easy solutions or redemption narratives, but Nira is a hopeful, relatable character.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) YA Shalini has been betrothed to Vikram since the two were small children in India. When Shalini's family relocates from India to Los Angeles, they struggle to adjust to American ways--and Shalini struggles over her desire for another boy. The cultural insights Daswani offers provide a compelling and unexpected twist on romance in this humorous, heartfelt novel. Glos.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA In 1970s India, sixteen-year-old Asha longs for a different way of life, sans stifling customs. She promises to care for her family while her father looks for work, but her sister's inevitable arranged marriage and her mother's depression pose unexpected obstacles. Well-developed characters and a narrative rich in culture bolster the story. An author's note and a Bengali folktale are appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(2) YA After Idi Amin announces that all Indians will be expelled from Uganda, Sabine's uncle disappears. Writing partly from her own experience, the author creates a strong sensory background for the setting while making the complex set of societal and personal relationships in Sabine's life clear. Nanji gives readers a look at a terrifying time and place in history that resonates today.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(3) 4-6 Indian-British sisters Amber, Geena, and Jazz discover a former Bollywood star facing eviction and invite her to live with them, then hope she'll help them with their school fund-raiser--a Bollywood party. Fans of Bindi Babes will welcome this entertaining sequel, in which the tweenage sisters once again provide a comic, lighthearted romp with some serious undertones mixed in.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 1-3 Nine-year-old Lowji is sad to leave Bombay for small-town Illinois--until he realizes that he'll finally be able to get a pet. Unfortunately, his new place has the same no-pets rule as his old apartment. Likable Lowji finds a way around that rule in this humorous story told in short chapters that make this book accessible to readers new to novels. Glos.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) YA Beneath their ultra-cool appearance, the three Dhillon sisters share the unspoken grief of their mother's recent death. Drama ensues when their "interfering" Auntie moves from India to the Dhillons' British home, but the family's bonds ultimately heal their sorrow. The sisters' crafty antics and spirited relationships make this book a vibrant, humorous read.

Reviewer: Marika Hoe