Review by Booklist Review
Typically, the monsoon season is welcomed in India for the respite it brings from heat and drought. But for Mina, the rainy season means she can't be outside doing what she loves most: playing soccer. Captive to the weather, she finds ways to entertain herself. She drums on her tablas to the beat of the raindrops, but that doesn't cheer her up. In the midst of her gloom, Mina's mother has a surprise for her: a gift and a piece of information that Mina would never have guessed. Ultimately, Mina realizes that sulking is pointless, and that chai, samosas, and time with her mother are the silver lining to the heavy monsoon clouds. This charming bilingual book has universal appeal and cultural specificity, with a guide to the story's Urdu and Hindi words appended. A richly colored palette and crisp digital illustrations combine with a story that is refreshingly free of stereotypical tropes, making this a delightful addition to the #OwnVoices offerings for younger readers. This would pair nicely with Uma Krishnaswami's Monsoon (2003).--Amina Chaudhri Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-It might be monsoon season in Mina's village in eastern India, but the soccer-loving girl is determined to chase away the gray weather so that she can get outside and shoot goals. Ammi suggests they remain indoors to avoid catching cold and celebrate the weather with chai and samosas. However, an impatient Mina believes that her mother just doesn't understand the excitement of playing the game and "that explosion of happiness when you score." As raindrops drum on the tin rooftop, the girl tries to disperse the clouds by playing the tabla (a percussion instrument), dressing up in a special outfit ("bright bindi, red-orange shalwar kameez, copper-brown henna, and silver anklets") and dancing to the beat of the rain, and performing a magic trick (with the help of her toy elephant). However, a special surprise-Mina discovers Ammi's childhood soccer jersey tucked away in a cupboard-reinforces a close family relationship and turns the day around. Urdu and Hindi words are woven into Guidroz's accessible text (and defined along with a pronunciation guide at book's end), and the narrative sparkles with genuine emotion and lyrical language. Featuring charismatic characters with expressive windowpane eyes, Dasgupta's vibrantly hued illustrations burst with emotion and action. VERDICT Both words and pictures create context for the book's cultural and geographic setting, while effortlessly incorporating universal themes that speak to children everywhere. A winner for storytime or one-on-one sharing.-Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ostensibly, this is a story about a girl and her ball and the rain: Mina wants to play soccer, but the monsoon has arrived in her South Asian village.When her mother tells her to stay inside to prevent catching cold, Mina turns to her sandalwood elephant: "Ammi doesn't understandshe has never felt that explosion of happiness when you score a goal." To deal with her frustration, she drums on the tabla to chase away the rain. She asks the doodh wallah why it has to rain; the milkman tells her that the monsoons are a time "to dance and be happy." Mina dances to stop the rain. Finally, in searching for craft supplies in her mother's cabinet, Mina finds something that she has never seen beforeAmmi's soccer jersey! Mina realizes that Ammi does understand, and when the clouds break, Mina and Ammi play soccer together. The book's backmatter includes a glossary with pronunciations for Hindi/Urdu words in the book. Many such phrases appear in the text without adjacent translations ("Nahi beta, stay inside," Mina's mother says, without explanation), which is very refreshing for readers who may see themselves in Mina, while context makes them accessible to non-Hindi/Urdu speakers. Dasgupta's illustrations are dynamic and evocative, complementing Guidroz's energetic text well, her big-eyed characters exuding energy and verve.On close inspection, it is so much more than it seems: a delightful picture book about a girl child discovering a wondrous secret about her mother. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
