CCBC Booklists

CCBC Review:

Harpreet Singh has a patka—a type of turban worn by some Sikh boys—to match every mood. When he’s feeling cheerful, he wears a yellow patka. For extra courage, he dons red. Pink reflects a celebratory mood, while blue and gray represent nerves and sadness, respectively. When Indian American Harpreet and his parents move from their warm, sunny home by the beach to a much colder climate, Harpreet wears blue and gray. At his new school, feeling shy and “not wanting to be seen,” he wears only white patkas. Subtle illustrations reveal that Harpreet may be feeling like an outsider: His classmates misspell his name on his valentines; the food he eats at lunch is different from theirs. Things begin to turn around when he finds a classmate’s yellow hat in the snow. The two hit it off, complimenting one another’s headwear. (“Mine’s not a hat, actually. It’s called a patka,” Harpreet tells Abby.) Bolstered by this connection, Harpreet wears red for courage the next day, and soon enough, he’s breaking out his rainbow again. The focus on one Sikh boy’s experience is welcome and refreshing in this simple but resonant story. ©2020 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Illustrated by Alea Marley

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-7
Age Range: Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3) PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: Asian Americans Difference/Individuality Feelings/Emotions Friendship Indians and Indian Americans Sikh People
Diversity subject: Asian Other Religion
On CCBC Booklist: Asian in America: Selected Books for PreK-Grade 12 to Support Hmong and Asian American Studies in Wisconsin 

Publisher: Sterling Children's Books
Publish Year: 2019
Pages: 24
ISBN: 9781454931843
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Kelkar

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