Nina Soni is a lovable, distractible Indian American girl with big plans and cast of family and friends to help her make her realize her dreams—or resolve the chaos that often results.A long rainy stretch during spring break has Nina restless and hungry for a new project and aggravated with little sister Kavita's embarrassing behavior. Then, a fresh pile of dirt is delivered to the neighbor's house for a landscaping project. It's too tempting to resist. Can Nina fix Kavita and create something amazing at the same time?
Middle grade readers are sure to relate to Nina Soni and her entertaining efforts to manage her life with lists, definitions, and real-life math problems. Perfect for STEAM enthusiasts.
On sale: April 6, 2021
Age: 7-10 years
Grade: Grades 2-5
Page count: 176 Pages
ISBN: 9781682632093
Reading level: Lexile: 560L | Fountas/Pinnell: Q
Kashmira Sheth was born in India with Guajarati as her mother tongue and began learning English in fifth grade. She had lived in Bhavnagar and Mumbai before moving to United States when she was seventeen to attend Iowa State University, where she received a BS in microbiology. Before becoming an author Kashmira had many different jobs, including running a dance school and choreographing and performing Indian dances, working in a bakery, and working as a food microbiologist. She is the author of several picture books, chapter books, and middle grade and young adult novels. Taking inspiration from her own life and experiences, much of Kashmira's work centers on Indian culture and features Indian and Indian American characters.
Jenn Kocsmierksy is a watercolor artist and picture book illustrator. She was adopted from Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in rural New Hampshire. Now, as a mom and artist, Jenn hopes to promote relatable childhood experiences featuring diverse characters. She was the recipient of the 2018 We Need Diverse Books Mentorship for Illustration and the 2016–2017 Walter Dean Meyers Grant. She lives in New York with her two children and a ginormous goldfish named Joey.
"As in the previous book, Nina's appealing first-person narrative includes lists, which she uses to organize her thoughts, and definitions of words that interest her, but it's her lively personality and refreshing candor that will endear her to readers."
—Booklist"Sheth's clear and distinctive narratorial voice effortlessly leads readers through the intricacies of Nina's quirky, innocent world. . . . The children's Indian heritage is cleverly woven into the storyline, infusing their lives without eclipsing their American identities."
—Kirkus Reviews
