Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps

by Srividhya Venkat, Kavita Ramchandran (Illustrator)

Overview

A 2022 South Asia Book Award Winner

On Sundays, Varun has his karate lesson, and his sister Varsha heads to dance school with their grandfather. One weekend, Varun reluctantly accompanies his sister to her lesson. Bored of waiting, he peeks into the classroom, and almost immediately, he is fascinated by the rhythm and grace of bharatanatyam, a dance from India that Varsha is learning to perfect. Varun tries a few moves at home in secret because...well, boys don't dance, do they? His grandfather is not so sure. Will Thatha be able to convince Varun to dance in his footsteps?

A heartwarming picture book about a multigenerational Indian-American family discovering a shared love for bharatanatyam, an ancient classical dance that continues to fascinate dancers worldwide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781949528893
Publisher:	Yali Books
Publication date:	06/30/2021
Pages:	36
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.09(d)
Lexile:	AD670L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Srividhya Venkat's first story was illustrated and published by her brother when she was eight years old. Then she grew up to be just another adult. But after reading several books to her children, she became a child once more and began to weave stories again. Today, she is a children's author and oral storyteller who loves to create and share stories about our big beautiful world where everyone is different, yet same-same. Connect with her at srividhyavenkat.com

Kavita Ramchandran received her MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York and has spent more than twelve years as a graphic designer in the children's educational and entertainment industry including art directing the award-winning kids' magazine Kahani, designing for Scholastic, McGraw Hill, and Harcourt, and working with networks like Disney Jr., Nick Jr., and Sesame Street Productions. A self-taught illustrator, and a dreamer & doer of her own Make Believe Design Studio, she lives in New York with her husband, two children, and a few imaginary characters. See more of her work at wemakebelieve.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This book's charming protagonist and believable plot provide a wonderful opening for conversations about the dangers of strict gender constructs."--Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-04-14
On Sundays, Varun’s grandfather takes Varun’s sister, Varsha, to dance lessons where she learns bharatanatyam, a South Asian dance style estimated to be 2,000 years old.

When Thatha invites Varun to come and watch the lesson, he doesn’t think that he’ll be interested. To Varun’s surprise, though, he finds the rhythm impossible to resist. Before long, he leaps to his feet and joins in with the other dancers. Dancing makes Varun feel wonderful—that is, until his sister tells him he has to stop because dancing is not for boys. Although Thatha objects, revealing that he used to be an accomplished dancer in India, Varun still feels uncomfortable. After all, if he did join his sister’s dance class, he would be the only boy. With a little help from Thatha, Varun musters up the courage to follow his dreams—and to prove that gender stereotypes are no match for the power of performance. This book’s charming protagonist and believable plot provide a wonderful opening for conversations about the dangers of strict gender constructs. The vibrant paintings take readers to a diverse U.S. city, cleverly incorporating details such as a Pride flag and a Black Lives Matter sign that establish a clear political tone. In this context, the author’s note disappoints, focusing on discrimination male dancers face instead of challenging the kind of toxic masculinity Varun overcomes in the story.

A culturally responsive picture-book critique of gender roles. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews