Many Things At Once
Written by Veera Hiranandani
Illustrated by Nadia Alam
Published by Random House Studio
In this poignant picture book about family and belonging, the child of a Jewish mother and a South Asian father hears stories about her family history. Sometimes she doesn’t feel Jewish enough or South Asian enough, but comes to realize you can feel–and be–many things at once.
Based on the author’s own family history, here is a moving story about a young girl from two different backgrounds. The girl’s mother tells her stories about her mother, a Jewish seamstress in Brooklyn, New York. She lived in a tiny two-bedroom apartment and sewed wedding dresses shimmering in satin and lace.
Her father tells stories of his mother, the girl’s other grandmother, who liked to cook bubbling dal on a coal stove in Pakistan. They tell stories about how both sides came to America, and how, eventually, her parents met on a warm summer evening in Poughkeepsie.
The girl sometimes feels as if she’s the “only one like me.” One day, when she spots a butterfly in her yard, she realizes it’s okay to be different–no two butterflies are alike, after all. It’s okay to feel alone sometimes, but also happy and proud. It’s okay to feel– and be– many things at once.
Primary ISBN: 9780593643907
Publication Date: January 2025
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Indian/Indian American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Youth Media Awards, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Storytelling, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Generation: 2nd, Identity: Exploration, Identity: Multiracial, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Hindu, Religious Background: Jewish
Setting: United States (New York)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 2nd Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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