the many colors of harpreet singh by supriya kelkar

Harpreet's experience of being a fish out of water in his new home is one that will feel familiar to many children, while the hopeful ending, in which he makes a new friend, will also strike a chord. There is an afterword from scholar Simran Jeet Singh about the meaning of the turban in Sikh tradition, but while I appreciated this inclusion, and the opportunity the book affords young children to (potentially) learn about new customs, in the end what was most appealing here was the story itself, as well as the colorful artwork. The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh was a delightful picture-book, only the second I have read, following upon Super Satya Saves the Day, to specifically feature Sikh children, and the first I have read addressing the Sikh custom of wearing a turban. include white, to remind him of the snow on the ground, when he made his first new friend! Soon his outlook had improved, and he was back to wearing all kinds of colors. Then one snowy day he found a lovely yellow hat, and, returning it to its owner, got to know his new classmate Abby. Nothing his parents did could cheer him up. Shy and ill-at-ease in his new home and school, he took to wearing white, hoping to disappear from sight. I loved the unusual color palette.Īn exuberant young boy who liked to express his emotional state through the color of his patka - the patka is a style of turban often worn by younger Sikh boys - Harpreet Singh wasn't thrilled when his parents announced that they were moving from sunny California to a snowier region of the country.

The illustrations are lovely and colorful and interesting and the people have great facial expressions and general expressiveness. It’s so funny when he wears white to be invisible how all the other children in the classroom are looking right at him. This is a fun and somewhat more complex way for introducing (some) colors to even very young children. I like how Harpreet Singh uses the colors of his clothes and his patka/turban to outwardly express the feelings he’s feeling inside. Place names are not mentioned but one of the early illustrations looks as though it was set at Baker Beach or China Beach near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I got a kick out of how it looks as though the family starts in and leaves San Francisco, California. It’s a reassuring story in that of course he meets a new friend and there is a humorous bit where once he’s adjusted he even misses the snow that he hated once spring comes. A bit of education about Sikh religion’s beliefs and customs, particularly on the last page.Ī great story for kids who must move or have moved and struggle with adjusting to new weather, new friends, etc.

The many colors of harpreet singh by supriya kelkar