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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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MY PAATI'S SARIS

Art Twink Jyoti Rajan Gopal

A Tamil boy explores his love for his grandmother and her colorful sari collection in this tale of expressing your true self.
Another exciting day with Paati begins with a host of fun activities done in preparation for tonight's party; threading flowers into garlands for decoration, going to the market, and helping her in the kitchen with the scent of sambar in the air.

Through it all the boy finds comfort in Paati's sari, whether he's wrapped in its colors for dress-up or clutching its folds for comfort. Each sari holds a story - ones that speak to him, but most important of all they allow him just to be.

With joyful text by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and dazzling art by Art Twink, My Paati's Sari is a commemoration of how clothing can convey tradition and individuality, and connect us to both our families and ourselves.

Jyoti Rajan Gopal is a writer, mom and Kindergarten teacher. Growing up, she lived in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, India and China. Twenty-seven years ago, she moved to New York and she now lives in Yonkers in a quirky old Victorian, with her husband and two daughters. Jyoti writes stories that speak to her heart, that reflect her multiple identities, that she wishes her daughters had growing up, that she wishes her students had now. When not writing or teaching, she loves to work in her garden, dance hip-hop and swing, and explore the many New York State park trails.

Art Twink grew up drawing critters they thought up to comfort themselves and their friends, and that mission continues to this very day. For Art Twink, art is for creating community and safety in a world that offers very little of either. After 6 years of working in graphic apparel design for brands like Disney, Marvel, Nintendo, and Star Wars, Art Twink is well versed in the technical and commercial world of visual art. However, Art Twink is a storyteller at heart. As a trans artist of color, they carry on the tradition of telling stories that inspire, validate, and comfort people and creatures in hard times as a trans artist of color.
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Published 2022-11-08 by Kokila

Comments

We Need Diverse Books (34.3k UVPM) included MY PAATI'S SARIS in a roundup of "40 Diverse Picture Books Coming Fall 2022": "A Tamil boy explores his love for his grandmother and her colorful sari collection in this tale of expressing your true self." Read more...

Publishers Weekly (978.4k UVPM) ran an interview with Jyoti Rajan Gopal and art twink. Read more...

...remarkable... a constant swirl of color beautifully limned and expanded upon in Twink's luminously painted illustrations, with backgrounds and foreground patterns like textiles themselves... uplifting... An expression of love threaded into the weave and weft of a boy's yearning, this recommended purchase should be on the shelves for use in cross-generational units, LGBTQIA+ acceptance, and cultural awareness.

Any child lucky enough to know a loving grandmother will be able to relate to the sensory details that capture the perfumes, spices, and softness of a paati, abuela, or grandma... My Paati's Saris is a story of love and acceptance. The illustrations burst with detail and movement...

...celebration of family, love, and gender-experimental play... a buoyant picture book about burgeoning identity and family lineage.

A Tamil child finds love and solace in their grandmother's saris... [the art] is glorious, each sari resplendently rendered, the textiles telling a powerful story by themselves. The last sari, the one the child chooses for themself, is stunning. Tigers leap across the fabric as dazzling suns offer highlights to the blue and pink of the material, an invitation to the child to explore and be themself: "My paati's saris are my shelter, my home." Many readers will be especially heartened to see a tale of LGBTQ+ identity - and acceptance - in a South Asian setting. A simple yet empowering journey through a cupboard of saris and stories.

This gorgeous story about a Tamil boy who finds both gender-expansive delight and meaningful connection to his heritage in his beloved grandmother's saris got me allllllllll the way in my feelings. Read more...

Q&A with Jyoti Rajan Gopal and art twink. Read more...

Mombian (9.3k UVPM) included MY PAATI'S SARIS in the roundup "4 New, Gorgeously Illustrated, LGBTQ-Inclusive Picture Books": "My Paati's Saris is a poetic story about the relationship between a grandmother and grandchild and the joy that can be found when children are allowed to express themselves freely, regardless of gender norms. The book is a swirling, colorful delight, and notable for showcasing a gender creative boy without anyone questioning or teasing him." Read more...