Padma Venkatraman – författare

From the award-winning author of The Bridge Home comes a gripping novel about a boy who's released into the world after spending his whole life in jail with his mother—a remarkable celebration of the aching will to survive. “Borrowing elements of fable, it's told with a recurring sense of awe by a boy whom the world, for most of his life, has existed only in stories.”—New York Times Book ReviewA KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST MIDDLE GRADE BOOK OF THE CENTURYKabir has been in jail since the day he was born, because his mom is serving time for a crime she didn't commit. He's never met his dad, so the only family he's got are their cellmates, and the only place he feels the least bit free is in the classroom, where his kind teacher regales him with stories of the wonders of the outside world. Then one day, a new warden arrives, and announces Kabir is too old to stay. He gets handed over to a long-lost "uncle" who turns out to be a fraud and intends to sell Kabir. So ·Kabir does the only thing he can—he runs away as fast as his legs will take him. How does a boy with nowhere to go and no connections make his way? Fortunately, he befriends Rani, another street kid, and she takes him under her wing. But plotting their next move is hard—and fraught with danger—in a world that cares little for homeless, low caste children. This is not the world Kabir dreamed of—but he's discovered he's not the type to give up. Kabir is ready to show the world that he—and his mother—deserve a place in it.

An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge Home.

Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love – romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.

Making friends with faraway relatives you’ve never met can be a little daunting at first, but this family finds a unique way to connect.It’s a joyous occasion when you get to visit family in another country after a long time apart. But sometimes it takes a while to connect. That’s what happens to the little girl in this book—when she first sees her faraway family, they feel like strangers. To make matters worse, the power goes out at bedtime, and that means no more night-light. Then a flashlight beam appears—it’s her grandmother, who invites her into a lively game of shadow play. And soon the two of them are having a grand adventure, and the girl’s faraway family starts feeling more like friends.Award-winning author Padma Venkatraman’s picture book debut shows the joy of connecting through imaginative play, and Nicole Wong’s evocative illustrations bring the story to brilliant life.