A children's picture book that explores cultural and gender difference, through the eyes of a 5-year-old South Asian boy.
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Perseus Publishing)
In this beautiful children's picture book by Vivek Shraya, author of the acclaimed God Loves Hair, a five-year-old South Asian boy becomes fascinated with his mother's bindi, the red dot commonly worn by Hindu women to indicate the point at which creation begins, and wishes to have one of his own. Rather than chastise her son, she agrees to it, and teaches him about its cultural significance, allowing the boy to discover the magic of the bindi, which in turn gives him permission to be more fully himself.
Beautifully illustrated by Rajni Perera, The Boy & the Bindi is a joyful celebration of gender and cultural difference.
Vivek Shraya is a writer, musician, performer, and filmmaker. His body of work includes twelve albums, four short films, and four books which include God Loves Hair, She of the Mountains, and even this page is white. He has read and performed at shows, festivals, and post-secondary institutions internationally. He lives in Toronto.
Rajni Perera is a Sri Lankan-born artist whose internationally showcased work floats between Western and immigrant culture. She lives in Toronto.
- (
Perseus Publishing)
A children’s picture book that explores cultural and gender difference, through the eyes of a 5-year-old South Asian boy.
- (
Perseus Publishing)
In this beautiful children’s picture book by Vivek Shraya, author of the acclaimed God Loves Hair, a five-year-old South Asian boy becomes fascinated with his mother’s bindi, the red dot commonly worn by Hindu women to indicate the point at which creation begins, and wishes to have one of his own. Rather than chastise her son, she agrees to it, and teaches him about its cultural significance, allowing the boy to discover the magic of the bindi, which in turn gives him permission to be more fully himself.
Beautifully illustrated by Rajni Perera, The Boy & the Bindi is a joyful celebration of gender and cultural difference.
Vivek Shraya is a writer, musician, performer, and filmmaker. His body of work includes twelve albums, four short films, and four books which include God Loves Hair, She of the Mountains, and even this page is white. He has read and performed at shows, festivals, and post-secondary institutions internationally. He lives in Toronto.
Rajni Perera is a Sri Lankan-born artist whose internationally showcased work floats between Western and immigrant culture. She lives in Toronto.
- (
Perseus Publishing)
Vivek Shraya: Vivek Shraya is a writer, musician, performer, and filmmaker. His previous books include the novel She of the Mountains and the YA book God Loves Hair, and he has been shortlisted for Lambda Literary Awards three times. He has read and performed at shows, festivals and post-secondary institutions internationally.
Rajni Perera: Rajni Perera is a Sri Lankan-born artist whose internationally showcased work floats between Western and immigrant culture.
- (
Perseus Publishing)
Booklist Reviews
In this spiritual picture book, a young boy asks his mother about her bindi, the dot many Hindu women wear on their forehead. Ammi, his mother, explains how wearing a bindi takes her back to her childhood, reminding her of family traditions and inspiring her to be true to herself. She gives her son a bright yellow bindi to wear, and when he affixes it to his forehead, he experiences spiritual calmness and a sense of connectedness, simply but effectively conveyed through bright illustrations. The boy decides to wear his bindi all the time, even to school, to remind himself to be true to his heritage. Suitable as a gentle introduction to Hindu culture, this simple reflection will complement multicultural collections. The beautiful and detailed illustrations, such as those of Ammi's traditional dress and jewelry, provide additional cultural context. The story is told in first person and in rhyme. The cadence occasionally changes meter, so adult readers may want to practice a few times before sharing during storytime. Copyright 2016 Booklist Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews
An unnamed South Asian boy becomes fascinated with the decoration on his mother's brow, and when she explains what it means to her, he asks for one of his own. The bindi makes him feel safe, calm, sure. His white friends at the playground wonder what it is, and he has trouble explaining, but he decides he'll never be without it. He feels small and ugly sometimes, but the bindi brings beauty where there was none. Shraya uses rhyme, sometimes a bit awkwardly, to tell her tale. At the end, her protagonist imagines readers asking, "Why is it so special anyway?" More sure of himself now, the boy explains that it's like a third eye watching over him, reminding him not to hide himself away and to embrace his potential self. The bright, beautiful illustrations by Perera do the heavy lifting, symbolically infusing the boy's cultural difference with the spiritual power it carries for the wearer. The book does not say that bindis are mainly worn by Hindu women in relation to their marital status, allowing readers familiar with the culture to imagine what it means for the boy's mother. Her decision to give one to her son opens up discussions of gender within cultural norms, including the fact that some Hindu men wear bindis for spiritual reasons unrelated to marital status. The mostly easy rhyming and vivid colors make this an unforgettable look into Hindu culture. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus 2016 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
PW Annex Reviews
A small boy asks his mother about her bindi, the dot Hindu women wear on their foreheads: "Above her nose is where it goes./ What is this dot? I want to know!" He looks up at her in the bathroom as she peers into the mirror to make sure it's in the right position. "My bindi keeps me safe and true," she explains. "My bindi tells me where I'm from." She offers the boy his own bindi—a break from convention, since they are more commonly worn by married women—and he senses its effects for himself. "As soon as it's on, I feel so calm—/ Like all the noise around is gone." The bindi watches over the wearer, "Making sure I don't hide/ Everything I am inside." Newcomer Perera's illustrations sometimes stumble into cliché with stars and tie-dye effects, but other spreads compel attention. A tight-focused portrait of Ammi gazes out from the page; she's strikingly beautiful, with dark skin, dark eyes, and swirling black hair. Shraya's (God Loves Hair) story defines and affirms important values of Hindu culture—and nudges gender norms, as well. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)
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