English
4-8 years
- Own Voices
- Chennai, India
- Family
- Gifts
Meera Sriram & Mariona Cabassa
Summary:
This book is so bright and cheery, it’s a joy to read! The narrator is a young girl on her way to the colorful market nearby to buy a present for her Amma, and there are so many choices!
Wandering through the market, the narrator sees all sorts of colorful options. Vermilion peppers, green herbs, pink treats…so many choices! The simple story introduces a bustling Chennai marketplace, colorful vocabulary, and beautiful illustrations. I love that the author used memories of her own childhood’s local marketplace, and even included some photos she took on her last trip there in 2019. There is also additional information in the back about different objects for sale at the markets, notable markets around the world, as well as a few trivia facts about outdoor markets.
This book was published by Barefoot Books, but sent to me by PubSpotlight! However, all opinions are my own.
As an Indian-American, Meera has lived almost equal parts of her life in both countries. Previously an engineer, she now enjoys writing for children and advocating for diverse bookshelves. Meera is the author of picture books, THE YELLOW SUITCASE, A GIFT FOR AMMA, and the upcoming titles, BETWEEN TWO WORLDS and DUMPLING DAY. She has also co-authored several kids’ books in India. Meera believes in the power of stories and likes to write about people, places, and experiences less visible in children’s literature.
From her website: “I’m a seeker, an explorer, a child that plays, a dancer, a dreamer, a lover, I was born in 1977, I wander around a lot, I take pictures of everything, I travel, I’m a tattoo artist, I sew, I paint, I live in Barcelona, I listen to music all the time, I’m a mum, I like solitude, wide spaces, small groups of people, good wine, I dress mainly in black and sometimes, in flowered dresses, I need big windows and natural light, I love cookies and coffee, I don’t like small boxes, I’m more often out of this world than in it…and yet, I love being here and sharing what I see and do.
I believe that art and creativity are necessary tools and a gift for all of us, artists or not. Magic tools. For the last 20 years I’ve been a children’s books illustrator. I studied illustration at Massana art school in Barcelona and a postgraduate at l’Ecole des Arts Déco in Strasbourg.
Over these years, I have published more than 80 story books, more schoolbooks than I can count, and illustrated all kind of other products like puzzles, decorative vinyls, bags, toys, postcards, posters, wine labels…I have also been teaching at several art schools in Barcelona and I run my own workshops. One day, the main medium I was working with (paper) started feeling like a too small box. A good one I have to say, that has brought much joy to my life, professional and personal, but still a box. So I decided to go explore the world, outside and inside, and what I found was a huge available space full of creative possibilities. I named that space The Invisible Circle, let the wings of my drawings spread and find other shapes of expression, other mediums, materials.
A friend, artist and teacher who I respect very much said to me once that my work was like a poliysymphony and right now I can’t find a better word to define the nature of this Invisible Circle. I hope you enjoy it and it brings some inspiration to you.”