American as Paneer Pie by Kelkar, Supriya
Supriya Kelkar
Books

American as Paneer Pie -- Supriya Kelkar - Paperback


" A] charming novel that] explores the complexity of immigration and identity." --Teen Vogue

An Indian American girl navigates prejudice in her small town and learns the power of her own voice in this brilliant gem of a middle grade novel full of humor and heart, perfect for fans of Front Desk and Amina's Voice.

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, and 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.

Author: Supriya Kelkar
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 05/18/2021
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.60h x 5.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781534439399
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.4
Point Value: 9
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 508739 / American as Paneer Pie

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, American as Paneer Pie, and That Thing about Bollywood, among others. Visit her online at SupriyaKelkar.com.