SATA
ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Love Is Here with You
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Male.
EDUCATION:Art school.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Children’s book illustrator; illustrator for The Bright Agency, 2018; Wild Canary Animation, freelance character designer.
AVOCATIONS:Doll collecting, reading, South Asian mythology and folklore.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2021, Ronny Khuri, review of Laxmi’s Mooch, p. 62.
Children’s Bookwatch, April 2024, review of Mano Memories.
Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2023, review of Babajoon’s Treasure; April 1, 2021, review of We Move the World; July 1, 2021, review of Beautifully Me; May 1, 2023, review of Shakti; October 15, 2024, review of Love Is Here with You.
Publishers Weekly, September 23, 2024, review of Love Is Here with You: A Lullaby of Blessings, p. 52.
ONLINE
INTO, https://www.intomore.com/ (May 31, 2023), Johnny Levanier, “Nabi H. Ali is Drawing a New Chapter for Children’s Literature.”
The Bright Agency, https://thebrightagency.com/ (April 2025) “Nabi H. Ali.”
Nabi H Ali is Drawing a New Chapter for Children’s Literature
By Johnny Levanier
May 31, 2023
Nabi H Ali was in college, on track towards a degree in international relations, when he decided to make a risky life change. He wanted to become a professional artist.
“I felt so miserable after every single day at class, and coming back to my dorm the only thing I could do to cheer myself up was draw,” he tells INTO. “It took me a year to figure out I didn’t want to be a lawyer or sorting papers in the UN. So, I dropped out of my university and transferred to art school to major in animation.” But Nabi didn’t want to be just any artist—he wanted to be the kind of artist who is proud of his Tamil Nadu heritage, proud of being Thirunar (a cultural gender identity in Tamil society), who brings his identities and values to work every day. Now, Nabi is a professional illustrator for children’s literature, rendering marginalized representation in beautiful works of art.
ADVERTISING
It began with odd jobs and illustration commissions in college, and The Bright Agency quickly caught on to Nabi’s talent and recruited him. Through agency representation, Nabi had found not only consistent work but the freedom to choose the projects that most interest him—those that centered stories like his own. His work since has ranged from indie books to kid’s animation to Marvel comics. One of the first children’s books he illustrated was Annette Bay Pimentel’s All The Way to the Top, the true story of eight-year-old disability activist Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins. He followed this up by illustrating Rob Sanders’ The Fighting Infantryman, the story of the historical transgender Civil War soldier, Albert DJ Cashier.
“Luckily, my agent James Burns knows exactly what kinds of projects I like, so I don’t feel a dearth of work,” Nabi explains. “I get so excited to be a part of anything with South Asian characters, my most favorite projects including “Laxmi’s Mooch,” by Shelly Anand—which is a celebration of self-love and body hair—and “Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin” by Nadia Shammas, which gave me the opportunity to contribute to the lore of my most favorite superhero, Kamal Khan/Ms. Marvel!”
Related
Horizon Forbidden West’s Big LGBTQ+ Story & Why Critics On Both Sides Are Wrong
Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shore’s DLC has been review bombed for queer content, but the critics on both sides are wrong.
Nabi’s ambition does not end with children’s literature. Last year, he was involved in what would have been Netflix’s first authentically South Asian animated series, Boons and Curses, before the streamer pulled the plug. Now he is currently in the process of pitching his first graphic novel, adding “author” to his growing list of credentials.
In the meantime, Nabi continues to illustrate children’s literature with diverse representation that is nuanced and challenging. “I don’t want representation to be a checklist where you put bodies in front of a camera or on canvas and let an audience mindlessly consume (because art is not for consuming—it’s for experiencing!)” he says. “I think it should be intentional and always seek to break boundaries.”
His approach to illustration is often inspired by South Asian religious imagery. “Growing up, I mostly drew religious art—mostly of Hindu gods,” Nabi recalls. “Eventually I progressed onto other subjects like Islamic, Christian, and Tamil folk religious art. Theology/folklore is still the gift that keeps on giving for much of my hobby work.”
At the same time, he is keenly aware of the way religious subjects have traditionally been used to reinforce gender roles and caste hierarchy (“caste” is a complex term that refers to the social stratification contributing to marginalization in South Asia to this day.) He is also aware that these are not the only stories the history of religion has to tell.
“A lot of my personal art deals with the radical and revolutionary spirituality of the masses—of Dalit-Bahujan gods and saints, of folk Muslim practices with syncretic congregations, of Dravidian mother goddesses who don’t turn anyone away—rather than within the boundaries of ‘organized’ religion and its many rigid boxes,” he says.
Within his professional work, he brings this anti-caste ethos and multi-layered view of humanity to South Asian characters. “There isn’t much South Asian rep, and when there is, it’s hyper-saturated with upper caste (and often North Indian) cisheteronormative stories,” he says. “What about Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi, queer, Muslim, Sikh, and/or Dravidian characters? Is your retelling of South Asian folklore Brahminical, or is there some other way you can explore this? Are you only focused on skinny, conventionally-attractive bodies?”
I think art should be intentional and always seek to break boundaries.
Nabi H Ali
When done well, Nabi believes that diverse and honest representation can change readers’ lives, especially young readers. “My hope is for readers to see diversity that makes them think, that makes them actually learn and think critically about themselves and the world around them, instead of just adding accessories towards their comfort zone and calling it a day, like slapping a Pride sticker on a cop car,” he says.
What the creative industry needs is more queer artists like Nabi pushing boundaries. And from his experience, there are plenty of opportunities for LGBTQ+ creatives to leave their mark on the industry. “The possibilities of getting out there are endless,” he says. “Just keep doing what you love and eventually that passion will translate and people will notice. And that feeling of finding an audience that feels seen and understood through your work is the best payoff out there.”
At the same time, Nabi does not sugarcoat the realities of championing marginalized voices in a time when they are under assault. His advice for the next generation of LGBTQ+ change-makers is to be realistic, focus on the positives of the work you do, and don’t be afraid to set your boundaries to maintain your safety and well-being.
“A lot of bigoted people are loud, they are bullies, they go to a lot of lengths to harass someone who they know is speaking out,” Nabi warns. “A lot of my anti-caste and queer activist and creator friends regularly go through this. I still get bombarded and dogpiled for my work from time to time. But just know that you are doing something right, and through your work, a lot of people like you who didn’t get to see themselves represented will finally find a voice in what you make. … But [that] doesn’t mean you should intentionally push past your boundaries and put yourself in unsafe situations, and I say that especially for my fellow trans folks, namely trans folks of color, even more specifically Dalit and Black trans folks.
“I know this is a very difficult moment, with the anti-trans legislation and censoring of critical race theory in the US, the hate campaigns in the UK, the pushback against Khawaja Sira [trans community] in Pakistan, the opposition to horizontal trans reservation in India. There is a lot happening globally, and it’s okay to feel vulnerable and scared. Sit with those feelings, take as much rest as you need. Your work should provide healing for yourself first! Your joy is not selfish; it is a big, big part of our global fight for a queer, trans, anti-caste, anti-racist future.”
About Me Blog My Books School Visits
1
Apr
Nabi Ali
Posted by: annettepimentel@gmail.com Categories: Interview 2 Comments
This is a big year for illustrator Nabi Ali. My book All the Way to the Top was his debut picture book. His second picture book, The Fighting Infantryman, comes out in June. I loved the way Nabi captured emotions in the illustrations for my book. I wanted to talk to him about his life as an illustrator of nonfiction. Here’s our interview.
Portrait of Nabi Ali with art in background.
How did you come to illustration?
The story is, I actually began college wanting to be a lawyer, and I was an international studies major, but I realized I was spending more time drawing than doing my homework! So, I transferred to an art school and into an animation major, but I didn’t really quite enjoy animating per se; I was way more interested in designing characters and doing story art, and during my free time, I made a lot of personal pieces involving original characters and their lives. Eventually, I began to get a few freelance opportunities for illustration and visdev in animation.
What’s visdev?
It’s the pre-work that goes into animated content, such as drawing explorations of backgrounds, characters, props, etc.
Eventually I was noticed and recruited by The Bright Agency to work in kidlit!
How do you choose the projects you’ll work on? Was there anything that particularly drew you to All the Way to the Top or The Fighting Infantryman?
When I joined Bright, my agent asked me if I had any particular preferences for projects, and I mentioned that minority representation–especially in relation to my identities and of the people I grew up around–is a subject that’s very important to me.
When I was offered to work on All the Way to the Top, I immediately signed on because I saw such few books about disabled people as the protagonists of their own stories; as a disabled person myself, All the Way to the Top was something I could really resonate with.
Cover of book shows a young girl crawling up the steps of the US Capitol.
That astounds me! We had searched very hard for an artist with disabilities without any success. We eventually went with you, happy because we loved your art but sad to miss out on the chance of own-voices visual representation. What a wonderful surprise that we did end up with an own-voices artist!
That’s a pretty amazing coincidence. I’m autistic, and I also have a congenital and degenerative joint syndrome. I will eventually need a walker and/or wheelchair, probably around my 30s. So I was glad to work on All the Way to the Top, with its wheelchair-using protagonist!
Cover of book shows a soldier next to flags.
The Fighting Infantryman spoke to me because as a transgender man, I’m often told that my identity is something new–it’s almost treated like a modern invention–while the reality is that trans people have always existed. The story of Albert D.J. Cashier is evidence of that historical transgender presence.
Illustrating nonfiction picture books has its own particular set of challenges. What do you like most about it? What is hardest or trickiest?
What I enjoy about illustrating nonfiction is that the story is already all laid out, and my work is to depict it in a new light rather than to construct how the world of the narrative will look from scratch. I think the trickiest thing about it, however, is that I sometimes struggle with getting people’s likenesses down. There’s a fine balance between stylization and recognizability that I have to mindful of whenever I draw the characters.
What are you working on now? What is your dream project?
Right now I’m working on illustrating two books. One is by Kari Lavelle called We Move The World for Harper Collins, and it’s about the ways children play and grow and the interconnectedness of these things with how people can change the world.
The second one is for the Kokila imprint of Penguin Young Readers, and it’s called Laxmi’s Mooch, writtenby my dear friend Shelly Anand. It’s about a young Indian American girl who is embarrassed by her fuzziness–especially by her mustache–and the story follows how she comes to accept herself for who she is.
Portrait of Nabi Ali
My dream project (something I’ve juuuust started working on) is to write and illustrate my own book. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say what it’s about, other than that it revolves around a small Muslim community in the U.S. I also want to eventually be a character designer for animation.
You can see more of Nabi’s art here and here.
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi Ali (Sourcebooks: 2020).
The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D. J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Nabi Ali (little bee: 2020).
Nabi is a Tamil-American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people.
His interest in illustration started when he realized he could help create representation in the arts and in media for minorities. He is very passionate about working with characters that he wishes he had seen in books when he was a child. Nabi is aspiring to become a visual development artist for animation alongside his pursuit of illustration. He has worked for studios like Wild Canary Animation as a freelance character designer. Usually, he illustrates digitally, but he also has a secret love of inks, color pencil, and acrylic paints. His favorite thing about art is experimenting with color and what the right colors can do to make a piece magical. His hobbies include doll collecting, reading, learning about South Asian mythology and folklore.
Nabi H. Ali is represented by James Burns — to work with Nabi please email James
Artist Journey: Nabi H. Ali
last updated 21 June 2021
Lead Banner
Artwork from Laxmi’s Mooch (Penguin Random House) illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
Bright Artist Nabi H. Ali gains inspiration from the world around him to create the soulful style he brings to art and children’s book illustration. Though he has had a complex journey of unlearning and reclaiming, it has also been one of self-discovery and love. As we continue to celebrate Pride, we sat down with Nabi to learn more about his journey as an artist, and also his take on the significance of this month. Nabi’s art sets him apart in colorful, unique ways, but his heart for the world to be a place where words are followed by actions calls us all to a higher standard.
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I have dreamt of being an artist ever since I was in elementary school, but I didn’t know if it was a realistic goal. I eventually went on to major in International Relations at UC Davis, but my first year was so catastrophic that I realized it wasn’t worth it to pursue something other than what I was passionate about.
When the day to day of work life feels mundane, what keeps you thinking creatively? If you could describe your artistic style in one word, what would it be?
I like to look at old paintings from South Asia, particularly Mughal paintings. I’m always taken back by the attention to hair detail, foil work, and rendering of fabrics. It pushes me to improve my own skills. I also enjoy going on drives so I can look at the outdoors— the shops, the streets, the people, the trees and birds. Seeing the hum of life around me inspires me to imbue my work with that same liveliness. All of this inspiration leads me to describe my style as “soulful” !
Interiors
Artwork by Nabi
We are celebrating Pride Month! We’d love to hear more of your story, and how the meaning behind this month resonates with you.
I have a very long and complex relationship with Pride Month, partly because I’ve come out as different things so many different times! In high school I was convinced I was a bisexual cisgender girl, and then agender, and then in college I saw myself as a transgender man. I recently unlearned my compulsive attraction towards men (which had been imposed on me through a deeply gendered and conservative upbringing), and I slowly became more comfortable with identifying as third gender- an identity often used as an umbrella term for all trans and gender variant/non-conforming people in South Asia, but it’s something I’ve come to reclaim.
Pride Month for me means the liberty of queer people who originate from historically marginalized backgrounds. I think many people have forgotten the Pride that began with the work of black trans activists, with the power of the queer working-class, and are instead opting for rainbow imperialism and pinkwashing. But my Pride is not the pride of billionaires and politicians.
Pride
Art created by Nabi for Pride Month, titled To Love From The Soul
What message do you hope your art shares with young readers during Pride month and months after?
I want readers to see their identities as a source of power and resilience, but most importantly, of beauty. Sometimes it is hard for us to love ourselves when we are locked in our own heads; art and art appreciation are great ways to leave the cage of shame and self-loathing, because we finally get to see those like us depicted vibrantly, with love and care. I hope my work can fulfill that mission, and I wish to inspire others to do the same so that we can share the fruits of this goal.
Tell us a little about your experience with Bright! What has it meant to you to be a part of an agency?
I joined Bright in 2018 after I was approached by James Burns. With almost no experience in the illustration world (as I had studied animation in art school), jumping headfirst into kidlit was a little daunting. When James landed my first gig, I couldn’t believe someone was interested in having me draw for their book!
Ever since then, Bright has directed me towards one amazing opportunity after another. One of my biggest goals as an artist is to contribute towards South Asian representation, and I’ve been able to do that so far through Shelly Anand’s Laxmi’s Mooch, Nadia Shammas’s Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin, and now I’m working on a graphic novel by SJ Sindu called Shakti.
Covers
Cover of Laxmi's Mooch (Random House) and Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin (Marvel)
Miss last month’s Artist Journey blog? Learn all about Howard Gray! Check back each month to learn more about the featured artist, and how they came to shine so Bright!
Nabi H. Ali is a Tamil-American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people. He is the illustrator of several picture books, including Laxmi’s Mooch, which received three starred reviews, was featured on The Today Show, and was a New York Public Library Staff Pick, A Charlotte Huck Honor Book, and a ALSC Notable Children’s Book. His other illustrated picture books include Beautifully Me and We Move the World. Nabi lives in California.
Noor, Nabela BEAUTIFULLY ME Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $17.99 9, 14 ISBN: 978-1-5344-8587-7
Zubi Chowdhury is thrilled about her first day of school.
She’s got a special outfit picked out: a pink shirt paired with overalls tailored in Bangladesh. She’s got her hair in a special style: two bouncy, perfect pigtails. And she’s got the perfect accessories: butterfly clips and bangles. Zubi feels gorgeous—but the rest of her Bangladeshi Muslim family doesn’t. Her mother bemoans her large stomach, her older sister, Naya, is on a diet in preparation for the school dance, and her father frets about how much weight he’s recently gained. Then, at school, Zubi’s classmate Kennedy calls their classmate Alix fat. Zubi—who illustrations reveal is fat—has always loved her body, but after this onslaught of negative messaging at home and in the schoolyard, she wonders if she’s deluding herself. At dinner, she decides to go on a diet. When she announces this to her family, her parents, siblings, and grandmother launch into a round of self-reflection that culminates in a frank conversation about what it really means to be beautiful. This warmly illustrated picture book features characters with varying body types, skin colors, and hair textures. Zubi’s slow descent from self-confidence to self-doubt realistically brings to light the subtle messages children get from friends and family about which bodies are valued and which are not. Zubi’s conversation with her family is a model for parents and children alike. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A spunky and sincere picture book about body positivity. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Noor, Nabela: BEAUTIFULLY ME." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667042189/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ba4af0e6. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Lavelle, Kari WE MOVE THE WORLD Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $17.99 5, 4 ISBN: 978-0-06-291685-3
Small children learning and playing are juxtaposed with adults changing history.
Children say first words, take first steps, stack blocks, and write the alphabet. Older people walk on the moon, build historic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, and write letters to the president to effect change. Children jump and leap and sing, adults record “We Are the World” to benefit world hunger, and Misty Copeland becomes the American Ballet Theater’s first African American principal ballerina. The children’s activities are narrated in a simple first-person-plural voice, easy to read aloud with little ones. The corresponding historical events and profiles are written in a more expository style better suited for older readers. While both storylines are worth reading, the combination makes the read-aloud experience less than smooth, although creative workarounds (like having children read the children’s parts and adults read the nonfiction parts) are possible. The adult achievements celebrated are progressive and diverse: Colin Kaepernick’s protest, Brazil’s Pride parade, Native American Code Talkers, and the AIDS Memorial Quilt are included, along with the Wright brothers, female Supreme Court justices, Mister Rogers, and the moon landing. Ali’s joyful illustrations successfully convey continuity between the children’s activities and the actions that changed history, infusing the narrative with an energy the text sorely needs to carry readers through. Endnotes provide further details about the events and individuals mentioned in the text. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 69.4% of actual size.)
A moderate success. (timeline, notes, bibliography, resources) (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lavelle, Kari: WE MOVE THE WORLD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A656696350/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ba429310. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Laxmi's Mooch. By Shelly Anand. Illus. by Nabi H. Ali. Mar. 2021.32p. Penguin/Kokila, $17.99 (9781984815651). PreS-Gr. 1.
Laxmi, an Indian American girl, kicks off this story of affirmation by introducing herself--"Hi!"--along with her mooch, the faint hair above her lip, which she invites readers to take a closer look at. Laxmi discovered her mooch at recess, when a blonde girl playfully suggested that Laxmi should be a cat because of her whiskers. This made her deeply self-conscious, noticing little hairs all over her body, and Ali captures the anxiety through the girl's expressive eyes and posture as she hides her mooch, while a crowd of imagined word bubbles of people whispering "meow" presses in around her. Back home--where both the text and art color scenes with Indian culture--she shares her distress, but her mom and dad, both rocking mooches, assure her that she descends from a long, proud line of women with moochay. "Everyone has a mooch, really." Next recess, Laxmi spots the faint hairs coloring her blonde friend's upper lip--to her delight. When another boy asks about his mooch, the girls can't find a hint of mustache, so he lines up, along with every other moochless child, to have Laxmi draw one on his face. Anand's story is simple and purposeful, but it's a much-needed purpose, sweetly delivering a message of body positivity around a common insecurity that is rarely addressed.--Ronny Khuri
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Khuri, Ronny. "Laxmi's Mooch." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 14, 15 Mar. 2021, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A656304127/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=581dc160. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Sindu, SJ SHAKTI HarperAlley (Children's None) $24.99 5, 23 ISBN: 9780063090132
Middle schooler Shakti discovers her powers.
Shakti has two moms: Pregnant Mom, who reads Black, is a microbiology Ph.D. student; Amma, Shakti's biological mother, is a programmer and a witch from a line of Indian women closely connected to the Hindu goddess Durga Ma. Shakti hasn't learned much magic--last time Amma taught her a spell, she accidentally summoned Kali Ma, goddess of death and destruction. After moving to Amherst, Massachusetts, Shakti quickly befriends Chinese American Xi, another new kid, but there's a weird energy on campus. Harini, Emily, and Kelly--queen bees known collectively as HEK--misbehave with impunity and seem to have the teachers under their spell. Shakti and Xi bond with other social outcasts, but after discovering HEK performing dangerous spells in the woods, they realize that there's something more sinister than run-of-the-mill bullying going on, putting the entire town at risk. Amma warns Shakti against trying out the magic in the spell book handed down from her ancestors, but, desperate to protect her unborn sibling, Shakti is unable to stand by--and the consequences are more than she bargained for. Ali's luminous, expressive, jewel-toned illustrations steal the show, highlighting the broadly diverse cast and supernatural happenings. Readers will have to suspend disbelief over wild violets and fiddleheads in the New England autumn, but Sindu's protagonist lives up to the meaning of her name, "energy of the universe," as she learns lessons about anger, balance, courage, and compassion.
Powerful and enthralling. (land acknowledgment) (Graphic fantasy. 10-13)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Sindu, SJ: SHAKTI." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A747342216/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b060ed0. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Esnaashari, Farnaz BABAJOON'S TREASURE Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $18.99 3, 28 ISBN: 978-1-66590-188-8
Miriam suspects that Babajoon has a secret life.
Every summer, Miriam spends a week of "magical adventure" at Babajoon and Mamanjoon's home. This year, after a picnic prepared by Mamanjoon, Babajoon takes Miriam out for a special treat. As Miriam's grandfather is paying, Miriam notices a mysterious gold coin fall from his pocket. Then, as they eat their rocket pops, Babajoon begins singing a beautiful song to the birds. Miriam suddenly realizes he must be a pirate! Miriam's suspicion is seemingly confirmed when Babajoon takes Miriam to his friend's store and speaks to him in a language that Miriam does not recognize. Concluding that they are speaking in a "pirate language," Miriam becomes even more convinced that Babajoon has a hidden past. But when Miriam confronts Babajoon, the truth he tells the child about their Iranian ancestry feels just as special as the one that Miriam imagined. Miriam's strong bond with Babajoon and earnest questions make for a lovable, relatable protagonist, while Ali's art shimmers as the child's vivid imagination comes to life. However, while the resolution of the protagonist's confusion is charming, the idea that Miriam would not know Babajoon's country of origin or at least recognize the sound of his mother tongue feels unlikely, especially given their closeness. Still, the story's humor and heart manage to shine through this inconsistency. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A heartfelt celebration of the magic of ancestry. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Esnaashari, Farnaz: BABAJOON'S TREASURE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A731562207/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=22ebb173. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Mango Memories
Sita Singh, author
Nabi H. Ali, illustrator
Anne Schwartz Books
c/o Penguin Young Readers Group
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593486252, $18.99, PB, 40pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mango-Memories-Sita-Singh/dp/0593486250
Synopsis: Every summer, the branches of a little girl's favorite tree droops heavy with mangoes. And this year, she is finally old enough to help her family harvest them.
Her brother shares a memory about his first time mango picking: his father holding him steady as he reached high above for the fruit. But when the girl climbs the tree, she becomes too dizzy. Then her grandma shares a mango memory: learning, many years ago, to toss a stone that knocked the fruit from the branches. But when the girl throws her stone, she keeps missing.
How can this little heroine create her own mango memory if she can't even pick a mango?
Critique: Narrated by a determined young Indian child, and set in a lush mango grove, "Mango Memories" is an utterly charming picture book that honors generational traditions and beautifully introduces young readers ages 4-8 to a culture with which they may not be familiar. Very highly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mango Memories" by the team of author/storyteller Sita Singh and artist/illustrator Nabi H. Ali is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: Sita Singh writes heart-warming stories with a South Asian backdrop. She is the author of Birds of a Feather, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, which was a Dolly Parton Imagination Library selection. Another upcoming picture book--Indigo Hands--will be published by Anne Schwartz Books in Fall 2024. Born and raised in Ahmedabad, India, Sita now lives in South Florida with her family.
Editorial Note #2: Nabi H. Ali is a Tamil-American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people. He is the illustrator of several picture books, including Laxmi's Mooch, which received three starred reviews, was featured on The Today Show, and was a New York Public Library Staff Pick, A Charlotte Huck Honor Book, and a ALSC Notable Children's Book. His other illustrated picture books include Beautifully Me and We Move the World. Nabi lives in California.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Mango Memories." Children's Bookwatch, Apr. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A793839146/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9e058a73. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Love Is Here with You: A Lullaby of Blessings
Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illus. by Nabi H. Ali.
Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2827-4
As dusk falls at the start of this culturally rich bedtime picture book, a family of Indian heritage surrounds a wide-eyed infant: "Crickets sing at twilight's gloam/Night birds warble, creatures roam// My sweet baby, here at home/ Your cradle waits for you." Subsequent pages show the family amid clouds and swirls, while the narrator calls upon major deities of the Hindu pantheon to bless the child ("May mighty Durga, fierce and true,/ guard your slumbers, all night through"). Further invocations draw on American symbols ("Land of the brave, home of the free") and the earth itself ("sun and wind and fire") in petitioning strength and protection for the youth. Lushly rendered, dreamlike illustrations from Ali (Babajoon's Treasure), in blues, golds, greens, and pinks, seem to evoke the iconography of South Indian Hindu temples, while spot illustrations throughout highlight lore and traditions. On one spread, "joyful Krishna, prince of tunes," ensconced in a leaflike motif, gazes across the book's gutter at the delighted child. Lilting rhymes from Rajan Gopal (The Desert Queen) drive this tender familial lullaby with devotional cadences. Extratextual definitions of Tamil endearments appear throughout. Ages 3-5. (Dec.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Love Is Here with You: A Lullaby of Blessings." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 36, 23 Sept. 2024, p. 52. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A810712189/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9f39fe0b. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Gopal, Jyoti Rajan LOVE IS HERE WITH YOU Candlewick (Children's None) $18.99 12, 3 ISBN: 9781536228274
A South Asian family gathers around for a baby's bedtime.
Loving parents and grandparents sing a soft tune--inspired by a Malayalam lullaby from the author's childhood--coaxing the tot toward a cradle, where delightful dreams await. The baby lands in the lap of the goddess Durga, who will "guard your slumbers." Other Hindu deities appear: Saraswati ("heavenly guide"), Lord Ganesha ("beloved seer"), and Krishna "prince of tunes," who "will trill his flute and hum and croon." The family hopes that their baby will forge connections with their ancestors and shared traditions. As the infant drifts off to a blissful sleep, they call upon the blessings of nature and wish for a bright future where "hurdles crumble to debris." This calming story weaves a gentle circle of love. Tamil endearments intertwine with the elders' hopes, blessings, and prayers for the newest member of the family. Bold images in rich blues, sunset yellows, and dusky oranges showcase the Hindu gods in their regalia. By featuring Mohiniattam, Kathakali, and Onam dancers along with Oppana and Margamkali, which are traditional dances of the Kerala Muslim and Christian communities (respectively), the illustrator gives a nod to the diverse religious traditions of Kerala.
A lullaby that radiates feelings of protection and hope.(Picture book. 3-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Gopal, Jyoti Rajan: LOVE IS HERE WITH YOU." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A811898379/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c6b9139a. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.