A girl explores her love of dancing and her cultural identity in a lively picture book with echoes of the real-life collaboration between Bharatanatyam icon Rukmini Devi Arundale and ballerina Anna Pavlova.

Paro comes from a dancing family. At home, she dances Bharatanatyam with her mom, and now she's excited to learn ballet. But what if she can't dance like the other kids in her class? Ballerinas move like fairies, while Bharatanatyam dancers seem like queens. Paro can't be both...can she? Anu Chouhan's vibrant, energetic illustrations emphasize themes of creative flexibility and navigating the intersections of different cultural identities.

About the Author

MAHAK JAIN writes for young people and adults. Her picture book Maya (illustrated by Elly Mackay) was a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a CBC Books Best Book of the Year, and winner of the 2017 South Asia Book Award. Mahak lives in Toronto, ON.

Anu Chouhan is a Punjabi-Canadian illustrator and former mobile game artist from Vancouver, BC. A trained animator and character designer, Anu often combines her love of her cultural heritage, anime, and global fashion into her art. She enjoys creating art that celebrates diversity and empowerment.

Awards
Joint winner of Best Books List 2022 (Canada). Commended for South Asia Book Award, Honor Book 2023 (United States). Nominated for Blue Spruce Award 2022 (Canada).



Book Information
ISBN 9781773216157
Author Mahak Jain
Format Hardback
Page Count 36
Imprint Annick Press Ltd
Publisher Annick Press Ltd