Bringing Asha Home - Softcover

Uma Krishnaswami

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1620142252 ISBN 13: 9781620142257

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2006

Synopsis

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.

About this title

About the Author:

UMA KRISHNASWAMI is the author of several books for young readers. In addition to writing, she was the founding Co Director of the Bisti Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project, which fosters high quality teaching of writing across grade levels. The inspiration for Bringing Asha Homecame from an event at which Krishnaswami met families who had adopted children from India. She lives in Aztec, New Mexico.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Just a couple of months after Arun wishes he had a sister with whom to celebrate Rakhi Day, his parents announce that they are adopting a girl. As he awaits his new sibling's arrival, he carefully crafts a special paper airplane, pretending that it is flying to India to bring her home. After more waiting, Dad finally retrieves Asha, who gives Arun the rakhi bracelet she clung to during the flight. An author's note provides additional details about adoption and the North Indian Hindu holiday that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, symbolized by a bracelet given by the sister. Realistic illustrations spread across the pages in muted colors and show well the characters' range of emotions, but Arun's adultlike narration does not match the innocence of his actions. While the text states that Arun is eight, his size seems to vary from picture to picture. Although Krishnaswami does add a unique perspective to a genre largely focused on Chinese adoptions, Janet Morgan Stoeke's Waiting for May (Dutton, 2005), Jean Davies Okimoto's The White Swan Express (Clarion, 2002), and Ed Young's My Mei Mei (Philomel, 2006) more fully describe the adoptive family's process.–Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD
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About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1620142252
• ISBN 13: 9781620142257
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Jamel Akib