A review by leslie_d
Home Is in Between by Mitali Perkins
5.0
“The space between cultures doesn’t have to be a barrier; for children who grow up there, it can become a threshold of gratitude to celebrate the best of many worlds.”—Author’s Note
Home is in Between tells the story of a young girl who moves with her family from a village in Bengal to the United States (as had the author when she was seven). Shanti (a name that in Bangla means “peace”) finds herself between two cultures, continuing to grow in her first culture while learning to navigate a second one. The book portrays the joy derived from both worlds, even as it recognizes the challenges. Shanti begins to learn the art of code-switching and Perkins and Naidu illustrate how exhausting it is and becomes so beautifully.
After Shanti rests (a wonderful and remarkable inclusion), she finds confidence and inspiration in her experiences and brings communities together.
Perkins and Naidu make the two homes easy to follow, the left and right sides, the white space in the middle, the color palette. The panels for those “Back and forth” pages are so well done. The use of color tones to create contrast; and while the oranges and yellows are warming to the left, the blues and purples cooler tones aren’t necessarily unwelcoming—but they do successfully translate difference. Shanti herself is dynamic; bright with movement and expression—her elephant companion is a great partner in this.
The illustrations are absolutely charming. Please someone animate this book—and don’t change a thing. Perkins and Naidu are quite the collaborative pair: vibrant, accessible, skilled. Home is in Between is a pleasure to read. And I think what it brings to our bookshelves is invaluable.
Home is in Between tells the story of a young girl who moves with her family from a village in Bengal to the United States (as had the author when she was seven). Shanti (a name that in Bangla means “peace”) finds herself between two cultures, continuing to grow in her first culture while learning to navigate a second one. The book portrays the joy derived from both worlds, even as it recognizes the challenges. Shanti begins to learn the art of code-switching and Perkins and Naidu illustrate how exhausting it is and becomes so beautifully.
After Shanti rests (a wonderful and remarkable inclusion), she finds confidence and inspiration in her experiences and brings communities together.
Perkins and Naidu make the two homes easy to follow, the left and right sides, the white space in the middle, the color palette. The panels for those “Back and forth” pages are so well done. The use of color tones to create contrast; and while the oranges and yellows are warming to the left, the blues and purples cooler tones aren’t necessarily unwelcoming—but they do successfully translate difference. Shanti herself is dynamic; bright with movement and expression—her elephant companion is a great partner in this.
The illustrations are absolutely charming. Please someone animate this book—and don’t change a thing. Perkins and Naidu are quite the collaborative pair: vibrant, accessible, skilled. Home is in Between is a pleasure to read. And I think what it brings to our bookshelves is invaluable.