Book Uncle and Me

Firstly, I don't think I've ready any children's books from an Indian author before so I was interested to see if the styles would be at all similar and what kind of themes would be explored. Secondly, this book is about two of my favorite things: books and community activism. :-D Our main character, Yasmin, is a voracious reader and she gets all of her books from a lending library run by Book Uncle who sets up his 'shop' on the corner by her apartment building. There is no price for these books and if you want to keep it then that's perfectly okay. Yasmin and many members of her community come to see this little library as a constant in their lives but one day their world is upended because Book Uncle has been told that he must leave. show more What transpires next is nothing short of inspiring and that's just what I think is so phenomenal about this book. It teaches children that their actions matter and that activism can be accomplished by every member of the community. It's a great way to talk about 'doing your part' that doesn't make it overbearing or heavy-handed. It's also a great way to expose children to a different part of the world. 8/10

Note: This book will also make you extraordinarily hungry. show less

While I love that this story captures day-to-day life of school kids in India, I find it a bit hard to follow. Both the main character and the plot zig-zig-zag all over the place before finally settling in. It adds to the the atmosphere, but not to the understanding.

A second reading, a second feeling about it. I really appreciate the direct action Yasmin takes to improve her community. I like the subject of elections and amplifying your voice to have your issues heard. Good read!

A young girl dreams of reading a book a day, but a pink slip from the city government demanding "Book Uncle" get a permit to peddle books from his free lending library thwarts her plans. She takes to heart the story learned in a book loaned to her, organizing a plan to help Book Uncle by contacting all mayoral candidates in the upcoming election. Will the campaign promise be empty or will the Book Uncle be allowed to resume his work? This cute chapter book praises reading and provides a good platform for discussing election processes and campaign promises.

A good spirited look into grass roots politics and the power of books. If your family frequents a local free library and values community, this is the perfect book. It also brings you into the culture of a common Indian family in the city and offers some insight into difficult family dynamics without letting them over take you.

I love the different style of writing and the vocabulary words. I felt both the universality of the urban child's experiences and the uniqueness of the Indian perspective. The theme, of course, is important. All the characters are interesting... glimpses of the istri lady's life, and Reeni's family situation, and Rafiq Uncle, are only some of what could each have been at least another full chapter. But this is pared down to a quick read for 6-9 year-olds. I love all the descriptions of the foods, though again they were pared down. A glossary may have been helpful, but context clues were sufficient, and there's always the internet for further research.

I don't know if I'd recommend it to absolutely everybody, but I do recommend that every show more library system in the US gets a copy. Big points for multiculturalism/ diversity, of course.

Maybe not the best/ most typical example of the writing style, but this was cute: "If there were a feather handy, I could have tried it out to see if it worked as a knockdown weapon." show less

An adorable chapter book about a voracious reader who becomes a vocal participant in a local election. Loved it and loved the illustrations.

A wonderful book that weaves in the power of reading, voting, using your voice, community, friendship, and true democracy. And it's fun and lovely to boot!