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Reviewed by:
  • Home Is in Between by Mitali Perkins
  • Deborah Stevenson, Editor

Perkins, Mitali Home Is in Between; illus. by Lavanya Naidu. Farrar, 2021 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780374303679 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 5-8 yrs

Shanti and her parents must leave her grandmother and the family home "amid the green palm trees of her village" for a new life in America. She starts learning the ways of her new home and new friends while still staying connected with the old ("Baba taught Shanti Bangla letters"), leaving her feeling "again and again. In between." Finally she realizes that this is where she makes her home, "in the space between cultures." Shanti's shift to embracing her situation is abrupt, but the book compactly conveys the pressure of juggling and code-switching even if there's joy to be had in both cultures. There's a bit of a Dora the Explorer vibe to the cartoonish digital illustrations, which will appeal to viewers, and there are plenty of observant and humorous details; audiences will want to look out for Shanti's beloved toy blue elephant, who appears alongside her in most scenes. This is a useful complement to books like Cassie's The Word for Friend (BCCB 6/20) or Williams' My Name Is Sangoel (BCCB 10/09) in its treatment of immigration as a bridge rather than a transplantation. An author's note on her own two-culture experience and a glossary of Bangla terms are included.

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