American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar
Release: June 9th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Aladdin
Source: Amazon
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As the only Indian American kid in her small town, Lekha Divekar feels like she has two versions of herself. Home Lekha, who loves watching Bollywood movies and eating Indian food. School Lekha, who pins her hair over her bindi birthmark and avoids confrontation at all costs, especially when someone teases her for being Indian.
When a girl Lekha’s age moves in across the street, Lekha is excited to hear that her name is Avantika and she’s Desi, too! Finally, there will be someone else around who gets it. But as soon as Avantika speaks, Lekha realizes she has an accent. She’s new to this country, and not at all like Lekha.
To Lekha’s surprise, Avantika does not feel the same way as Lekha about having two separate lives or about the bullying at school. Avantika doesn’t take the bullying quietly. And she proudly displays her culture no matter where she is: at home or at school.
When a racist incident rocks Lekha’s community, Lekha realizes she must make a choice. Continue to remain silent or find her voice before it’s too late.
About the Author
Born and raised in the Midwest, Supriya Kelkar learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. She is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. Supriya’s books include Ahimsa, The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, and American as Paneer Pie, among others.
American as Paneer Pie Review:
I always love reading a good story that focuses on tolerance and acceptance towards anyone different from us. American as Paneer Pie shows the issues some Indian-Americans feel from being uncomfortable in their own skin, even if they are born there.
The author did a wonderful job with this book. She wrote all the characters in a delightful way. I enjoyed Lekha as the main character and could relate to her. Even as an adult, we sometimes don’t have the courage to stand up for what is right. Moreover, the story highlights that even though we don’t have to completely step out of bubble, just a small step could start a ripple effect in the right direction. It shows how we need to embrace our identity and not let others bully us. Moreover, as an Indian, I loved all the Indian references about the food, cultures and traditions.
However, my only criticism is that I felt the plethora of Indian references might throw off few readers not accustomed to the culture. Some of the terms did not have a glossary or description, and while I understood and enjoyed it, I feel it would have confused others. Also, even though I understand why the mother was paranoid for her family, I didn’t understand how she suddenly changed her mind. Moreover, I felt like Avantika was a very interesting character, but we don’t see much of her.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading this story. I think the author has a wonderful talent for showcasing American Indian characters, and look forward to reading some of her other works.
