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Girl Reviews Sunita Sen, the eighth-grade heroine of this disarming first novel, is sure that her grandparents' protracted visit from India will ruin her social life. She wants only to be normal--but her mother, the college teacher, has traded in her wardrobe of tailored suits for a succession of sarees, and Sunita can no longer invite boys over. Torn between her love for her family and self-consciousness about their Indian traditions, Sunita walls herself off from everyone. Gradually, however, she learns to appreciate the possibilities of a cultural mingling. To Perkins's credit, this change occurs naturally and not as the direct result of any one conflict or event. Perkins combines her fresh, unaffected prose with moving bits of Indian poetry and lore, rendering this well-thought-out investigation of cultural identity doubly moving. Colorful material about Indian customs, language and religion is sturdily woven into a funny, honest and homespun story." — Publisher's Weekly "When her (Eastern) Indian grandparents arrive for a year-long visit, outgoing eighth grader Sunita Sen feels caught between two cultures. Her Westernized upbringing is threatened when her parents discourage visits from boys; her cosmopolitan mother dons traditional dress and takes a sabbatical from her college teaching job; and the aroma of curry fills the house each day. Embarrassed by her heritage, Sunita withdraws from her classmates. But her friends are admirably patient and tolerate her rebuffs, and gradually she begins to appreciate her grandparents' wisdom and values. In a cathartic moment, she discovers that her mother has been under pressure, too, and is also unhappy with the family's altered lifestyle. This novel realistically addresses numerous issues, including Sunita's temporary rejection of an African-American classmate when both girls are referred to as "colored." Her adolescent angst over social acceptance, family discord, and personal identity will be familiar to readers; positive solutions and role models are presented for dealing with cultural differences, peer relationships, and domestic problems." — School Library Journal "Mitali Perkins was born in India and grew up in California ... There are genuine insights here." — New York Times Book Review "A perceptive and insightful book that will strike chords in most readers." — The Horn Book "...A sweet story of family ties and peer pressure, and the misunderstandings that develop from lack of communication." — Bookloons.com "... This book paints a fun, yet sympathetic picture of a teenager who is trying to fit into two different worlds. Many teens will be able to identify with Sunita's search for herself, regardless of their own cultural backgrounds. This book would make a fine addition to any young adult collection." — Myshelf.com "...Mitali Perkins makes tangible the ups and downs of American children from non-Western families. Sunita Sen hasn't given her Bengali heritage much thought until her old-fashioned grandparents arrive for a year in the US. Suddenly, Sunni's mother leaves her teaching job and turns in her workout gear for flowing silk sarees; the family's pizza and sushi nights are thrown over for home-cooked samosa and other traditional dishes. Deciding that would-be boyfriend Michael will never understand her "weird'' family, Sunni goes into self-imposed exile; she experiences racism when she and an African-American student are both pejoratively referred to as "colored.'' Grandparents Didu and Dadu, however, relish American culture and have depths of tolerance and understanding that even their own daughter failed to recognize. Though all the characters are fully realized, it's the endearing elderly couple (he gardens, she adores soap operas) who give this story its old-world roots; Sunni's parents seem far more torn between cultures than their typically American teenage children. Gentle and palatable, the lessons are offered with compassion and easily absorbed insights." — Kirkus Reviews "Written from a background not unlike Sunita's, (the novel) deftly combines common adolescent themes with deeper concerns. Sunita...is a believable adolescent in her emotions and responses." — Quill and Quire "...There is plenty to offer in Mitali Perkins' story-telling. The relationship between Sunita and Dadu (her grandfather) is especially sweet, and their dialogue delightfully juxtaposes their different upbringings: "Study well then. I would not sway you from the call to acquire wisdom. Perhaps later we may visit?" asks the grandfather. "Sure Dadu. Later," Sunita replies. Sunita herself takes offense at The Secret Garden in the book, and indignantly reads a passage to her vegan/recycler/peace activitst older sister Geetie. But although Geetie would be the first to roll her eyes at The Secret Garden's outdated (read racist) notions, she tells her little sister that there is still a story to be appreciated within, adding, "Welcome to the real world." The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen is proof that South Asian-based children's literature is beginning to join the real world as well." — Asian Review of Books on the Web Read an excerpt |
