An Indian American girl navigates prejudice in her small town and learns the power of her own voice in this brilliant gem of a middle grade novel full of humor and heart, perfect for fans of Front Desk and Aminaâs Voice.
As the only Indian American kid in her small town, Lekha Divekar feels like she has two versions of herself: Home Lekha, who loves watching Bollywood movies and eating Indian food, and School Lekha, who pins her hair over her bindi birthmark and avoids confrontation at all costs, especially when someone teases her for being Indian.
When a girl Lekhaâs age moves in across the street, Lekha is excited to hear that her name is Avantika and sheâs Desi, too! Finally, there will be someone else around who gets it. But as soon as Avantika speaks, Lekha realizes she has an accent. Sheâs new to this country, and not at all like Lekha.
To Lekhaâs surprise, Avantika does not feel the same way as Lekha about having two separate lives or about the bullying at school. Avantika doesnât take the bullying quietly. And she proudly displays her culture no matter where she is: at home or at school.
When a racist incident rocks Lekhaâs community, Lekha realizes she must make a choice: continue to remain silent or find her voice before itâs too late.