Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Orca Book Publishers (2020), Edition: Illustrated, 32 pages
Description
"This brilliantly illustrated picture book tells the story of the Aajibaichi Shala, the Grandmother School, that was opened in Phangane, India, in 2016 to teach local grandmothers how to read and write."--
Local notes
Booklist, 05/31/2020
Grades 1-3 - It’s morning, and someone is getting ready for school—a grandmother! Clad in a fuschia sari and escorted merrily by her granddaughter, Aaji hurries across the village to the one-room schoolhouse decorated with marigolds, built especially for the education of the village grandmothers. The ability to read and write her name, to count out correct change in the market, and to study the Marathi language empowers Aaji, despite the derision of some of the men in the community. The story is narrated by Aaji’s granddaughter, whose pride in her grandmother’s efforts is contagious. Gorgeous multimedia illustrations, textured with traditional textile designs, add a folkloric element, while the colors are crisp and contemporary. This is a book based on real events, which readers can learn more about in the author’s note, and it’s one that provides a surprising angle to the growing body of children’s books about gender inequality and the continued work of pioneers like Aaji.
Grades 1-3 - It’s morning, and someone is getting ready for school—a grandmother! Clad in a fuschia sari and escorted merrily by her granddaughter, Aaji hurries across the village to the one-room schoolhouse decorated with marigolds, built especially for the education of the village grandmothers. The ability to read and write her name, to count out correct change in the market, and to study the Marathi language empowers Aaji, despite the derision of some of the men in the community. The story is narrated by Aaji’s granddaughter, whose pride in her grandmother’s efforts is contagious. Gorgeous multimedia illustrations, textured with traditional textile designs, add a folkloric element, while the colors are crisp and contemporary. This is a book based on real events, which readers can learn more about in the author’s note, and it’s one that provides a surprising angle to the growing body of children’s books about gender inequality and the continued work of pioneers like Aaji.
Awards
Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2021)
The Willow Awards (Finalist — 2022)