Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Annelie Geissler
Categories
Children’s, Teenage & Educational

AHIMSA

Supriya Kelkar

In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi asks Indians to give one family member to the freedom movement, ten-year-old Anjali is devastated to think of her father risking his life for the freedom struggle.

But it turns out he isn't the one joining. Anjali's mother is. And with this change comes many more adjustments designed to improve their country and use "ahimsa"--non-violent resistance--to stand up to the British government. First the family must trade in their fine foreign-made clothes for homespun cotton, so Anjali has to give up her prettiest belongings. Then her mother decides to reach out to the Dalit community, the "untouchables" of society. Anjali is forced to get over her past prejudices as her family becomes increasingly involved in the movement. When Anjali's mother is jailed, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work, ensuring that her little part of the independence movement is completed. Inspired by her great-grandmother's experience working with Gandhi, New Visions Award winner Supriya Kelkar shines a light on the Indian freedom movement in this poignant debut. Supriya Kelkar grew up in the Midwest, where she learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. Winner of the New Visions Award for Ahimsa, Supriya is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. Supriya's books include Ahimsa; Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame; American as Paneer Pie; and That Thing About Bollywood, among others.

Available products
Book Published 2017-10-02 by Tu Books

Comments

AHIMSA was a New Visions Award Winner

Kelkar s first middle-grade book is filled with female empowerment, hope, family, and the power of nonviolent resistance. Drawing from her own family history, Kelkar doesn't shy from the reality that progress is slow and that one must persist even when all hope seems gone. Readers will empathize with this heartbreakingly charming debut about the universal struggle of overcoming fears and biases in order to make the world a better place. Read more...

Kelkar gives us a front row seat at a critical moment in history with skill and emotion as we journey through India with Anjali, a feisty, inquisitive daughter of a freedom fighter who strives to stay true to Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence, ahimsa, while tackling issues of colonialism, caste, women's rights and communal violence at the eve of the country's independence. Read more...

Young Anjali's journey of awakening opens windows upon the complex history of India's independence struggle. With simple text and dramatic action, we are drawn into one girl's life and the steps she must take in her swiftly changing world. Here is a compelling character - impetuous, intelligent, and brimming with heart. At the same time, Kelkar's novel reveals the power of compassion, as Anjali grows to be a clear-eyed witness to her time and a hero for our own. Read more...

This 2015 New Visions Award winner offers a complex narrative and inspires readers to check their privilege to address ongoing injustices. Read more...

The novel smoothly and realistically depicts the complex segregated world of India in those years, including characters from different castes... Kelkar builds compelling tension, which leads to grim outcomes, while highlighting Anjali's resulting bravery and maturity. Read more...

A poignant look at India's independence through the eyes of a ten-year-old, Ahimsa is a well crafted tale of resistance. Read more...

Sprinkled with action as this story is, it is also packed with a wealth of interesting information and teachers and librarians will find much in this book to spur thoughtful discussions. Readers are also sure to discover parallels between the desegregation of schools in our nation and the attempt to integrate lower-caste children into the Indian education system... A welcome addition to the growing body of South Asian literature for children in the United States. Read more...

As the world around us is getting more divided, Supriya has written a simple and yet compelling story about love and tolerance. Both her protagonists are strong women who take the lead in changing the world, even though one of them is only 10. Read out Ahimsa to your children. Its an important lesson delivered through a delightful story. Read more...

A historical, timely, and informative story that is full of heart and belongs in most library collections. Read more...

This is an eye-opening tale of dramatic events and richly diverse characters who discover that, with time, determination, and ahimsa, young people can solve real problems in the world. Read more...

Writing is youthful yet complex, and includes wonderful descriptions of India.... Fluid writing and a delightful, realistic point of view make Ahimsa an enjoyable period piece for young adults. Read more...