It's Rakhi, the Hindu holiday special to brothers and sisters, and Arun wishes he had a sister with whom to celebrate. Soon it looks as if his wish will come true. His parents are going to adopt a baby girl named Asha. She is coming all the way from India, where Arun's dad was born.
The family prepares for Asha's arrival, not knowing it will be almost a year until they receive governmental approval to bring Asha home. Arun is impatient and struggles to accept the long delay, but as time passes he finds his own special ways to build a bond with his sister, who is still halfway around the world.
With warmth and honesty, this tender story taps into the feelings of longing, love and joy that adoption brings to many families. Readers will find reassurance knowing there is more than one way to become part of a loving family.
Awards
"Choices"
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
2007 Children's Book of the Year
Outstanding Merit
Bank Street College Children's Book Committee
Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
Special Recognition
The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College
Interest Level
Grades PreK - 4
Reading Level
Grade 3
Themes
Siblings, Home, Biracial Interest, Asian/Asian American Interest, Adoption
Jamel Akib is the illustrator of Krishnaswami's Monsoon, for which he won the Marion Vannett Ridgway Award for Illustration. His award-winning work has also appeared in numerous museum and gallery shows in England, including several Best of British Illustration exhibitions. A full-time illustrator of English and Malaysian ancestry, Akib now lives with his family on Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England.
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