About This Book:
Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center.
Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won’t make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji– he just can’t eat it).
These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.
*Review Contributed By Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*
Authors AND Characters Working Together
I love short story collections that highlight authors who share some aspects of cultural backgrounds, and this one will be a great addition to my growing collection of culturally connected short stories. Make sure to also look for titles like Ali and Saeed’s Once Upon an Eid and Baron, Levy, and Milliner’s On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories which are separate stories, but also Oh’s You Are Here: Connecting Flights or Saee, Ali, Al-Marashi, and Thompkins-Bigelow’s Grounded which are both collections of interconnected short stories set at airports.
