Bringing Asha Home [Hardcover]

Uma Krishnaswami (Author), Jamel Akib (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Just a couple of months after Arun wishes he had a sister with whom to celebrate Rakhi Day, his parents announce that they are adopting a girl. As he awaits his new sibling's arrival, he carefully crafts a special paper airplane, pretending that it is flying to India to bring her home. After more waiting, Dad finally retrieves Asha, who gives Arun the rakhi bracelet she clung to during the flight. An author's note provides additional details about adoption and the North Indian Hindu holiday that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, symbolized by a bracelet given by the sister. Realistic illustrations spread across the pages in muted colors and show well the characters' range of emotions, but Arun's adultlike narration does not match the innocence of his actions. While the text states that Arun is eight, his size seems to vary from picture to picture. Although Krishnaswami does add a unique perspective to a genre largely focused on Chinese adoptions, Janet Morgan Stoeke's Waiting for May (Dutton, 2005), Jean Davies Okimoto's The White Swan Express (Clarion, 2002), and Ed Young's My Mei Mei (Philomel, 2006) more fully describe the adoptive family's process.–Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Arun longs for a sister, so he is excited when his parents tell him that they are adopting a baby girl from India, his father's native country. As the year drags on and his parents speak of forms and permissions, Arun studies the baby's photograph and eagerly plans for her arrival. Finally, a full year later, his father returns with baby sister Asha and a special rakhi or bracelet for brother Arun. Filled with tender details, the story opens and closes on the Hindu holiday Rakhi, a day when siblings honor each other. Chalk pastel illustrations follow the text closely, but the dark palette of blues and grays sets a somber tone for the joyful story. Arun's tale presents an authentic slice of East Indian American life and provides a fresh perspective in adoption stories. An appended note adds information about Rakhi. Suggest Allen Say's Allison (1997) and Jean Davis Okimoto's White Swan Express (2002) to readers who want more on the topic of adoption. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584302593
• ISBN-13: 978-1584302599
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Adoption

More About the Author

Uma Krishnaswami is the author of many books for children. She is also on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Asha Home, October 30, 2006

By 

Liz B. "Blog: A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy" (Ocean County, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bringing Asha Home (Hardcover)

The Plot: Arun's family adopts a baby girl from India.

The Good: The story is framed by the Hindu holiday Rakhi, a holiday that is about brothers and sisters. Arun wishes he had a sister so that he could celebrate Rakhi. A few months later, he finds out the family is going to adopt a little girl from India, the country where Arun's father was born. The story ends with the baby, Asha, (now about one years old) arriving just in time for Rakhi. It's a holiday I was unfamiliar with; but it's a perfect holiday to celebrate children becoming siblings, and it's also one that will be easily understood by children hearing the story.

I love that this story was framed by this holiday; and I love that the pictures and text show a family that celebrates a diverse heritage. Rakhi is celebrated; during October, there is a jack-o'-lantern on a table. The pictures, as well as the text, show a biracial family. (Truth be told, I didn't pick that up until my second reading, when I noticed that Dad's country of origin was mentioned but not Mom. The Lee & Low website confirmed this. I like that it's not a "hit you over the head with it" part of the story.)

This is a great story about adoption, particularly international adoption, and the long wait many families face in waiting for their adoptive child. "When you adopt a baby from one country and bring her to another, there are many governmental forms to fill out and laws to follow," Dad says. "It takes time." (I am so good. I am not making any snarky comments about international adoptions and certain celebrities.) While the actual process takes a long time, Bringing Asha Home shows a family taking the steps to welcome the baby into their hearts long before the child is brought into their home: a room is prepared, Arun makes her presents of paper airplanes, and a birthday party is held.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring this book home!, December 1, 2006

By 

Kelly Herold "Big A little a" (Smalltown, Midwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bringing Asha Home (Hardcover)

Arun really wants a little sister. His best friend, Michael, has one and even though Michael isn't that impressed by the experience, Arun thinks having a baby sister would be great. He tells Michael, "In India, where my dad was born, sisters tie shiny bracelets on the wrists of their brothers. The bracelets are called rakhi too, just like the holiday. Brothers and sisters promise to be good to each other, and everyone eats special sweets."

Arun soon finds out that he will have a baby sister. Mom and Dad are adopting a baby girl, Asha, from India. But the wait and the papers and the regulations are excruciating. Arun, in the meantime, turns eight and celebrates his birthday without Asha. The family even celebrates Asha's first birthday without her. Arun makes do by fashioning the best paper airplane he's ever created for his sister and placing it on a shelf in her room.

Finally, Arun tells us, "a few weeks later, on a sticky-warm Saturday, I find an envelope from India in the mailbox." It's the letter. "We help Dad get ready for his long trip. I write colorful letters--forward, backward, upside down--on the folded wings of the paper plane I've been saving for Asha. I tuck it into Dad's suitcase."

"Bringing Asha Home" is a beautiful adoption story from a brother's point of view. Jamel Akib's illustrations are warm, friendly, and accessible. I hope that "Bringing Asha Home" will be read outside the adoption community, however, because it's a universal story about the hopes of a boy and his family.

"Bringing Asha Home" is great read-aloud choice for children ages 4-9.

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Asha Home - Ahgoo Review, November 20, 2011

By 

Ahgoo Review - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bringing Asha Home (Hardcover)

This book describes adoption without describing adoption. It is intended for children 5 to 9 but may help children of any age to understand a new addition coming into the family by way of adoption. Personally, I love sociology and the differences of all cultures. I love to learn about different holidays, religions, beliefs and practices. This book taught me about Rakhi. On the last page there is an author's note that further tells about Rakhi in addition to a blurb about adoption.

The story is well written and told from a little boys perspective as he waits for his sister to arrive. The anxiety and impatience that he feels as the seasons change are evident. He wants to meet his sister but the paperwork and other red tape take long. Soon his sister comes home.

The images are a great pair to the story. They are lifelike and because of this the reader feels a real connection with the cast of characters. The emotions that they feel waiting and waiting for Asha to come home to them is intense and as an adult I felt sympathy for the parents as they waited for everything to be in order. Children are a blessing no matter how they come to us and this book shows us the waiting that goes along with the overseas adoption process but also the satisfaction when the baby finally arrives.

ahgooreview.com