Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Anitha Rao-Robinson!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Anitha Rao-Robinson
Anitha Rao-Robinson is an author, conservationist, and creator of the Kindness Is Everything podcast. A former accountant, Anitha now devotes her time to writing stories and helping animals. She also wrote the picture book A Family for Faru, inspired by her daughter’s time volunteering at a rhino orphanage in South Africa. Anitha lives on a hobby farm in Milton, Ontario, with her family, both human and non-human alike. You can visit Anitha Rao-Robinson at AnithaRobinson.com or follow her on Instagram @AnithaRobinson4.
About the Book: Sari Sisters
Critically-acclaimed artist Anoosha Syed brings Anitha Rao-Robinson’s stunning text to life in this story about getting dressed up and the enduring bonds between sisters.
Ruhi is ready for her weekend tradition: a dance party with her older sister, Kayra! Everything is ready to go–the music, the lights, the glitterballs–but where is Kayra?
Ruhi finds her sister getting ready for the weekly family gathering and carefully tying a sari for the first time. When Kayra emerges from her room, Ruhi is in awe of her sister and can’t wait to wear a sari too. But her mother and sister say she’s too young to carry all that fabric without tripping.
Ruhi fears that she’s missing out on all the fun that her older sister and the aunties are having upstairs while she’s in the basement with the other kids, so Ruhi comes up with an idea to loosen the adults up and bring everyone together: have a sari dance party! Ruhi spends all week learning to tie and pleat with her mom’s saris so that she can show everyone the following weekend, and reignite her dance party tradition with her sister. But when the big moment arrives, Ruhi trips and her sari begins to unravel! Luckily her sister is there to help secure the fabric and get them back to their favorite tradition.
This beautifully written story by Anitha Rao-Robinson is about the tight-knit bond between sisters as they navigate adolescent milestones and the beauty of updating traditional customs for a modern audience, and features art by Anoosha Syed—the critically acclaimed and bestselling illustrator of That’s Not My Name!, Bilal Cooks Daal, and I Am Perfectly Designed.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Growing up with a sister who is nine years younger than me, I often felt the double tug. The tug to play and enjoy playing but also the tug to behave as a grownup. I played with dolls well into my teens and really enjoyed making stories, but it wasn’t something I would ever share with my friends. So I wanted to write a story that showcased the double tug of the older sister and the confusion for the younger sister.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Kayra because as the older sister, I can totally relate to her brewing cauldron of emotions. Wanting to be in that adult world, all dressed up, accepted by the grownups and the older kids, but also sad to say goodbye to the fun and joy of childhood.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I love the scene where all the kids show up wearing saris in so many different ways. I love the diversity and inclusivity this scene offers.
YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
That is a very tough question. But if I had to only pick one, it would be Middle Grade novels in verse. I only started reading books in this genre last September and I can’t get enough of them. I also really like writing in this style. Poetic scenes that somehow come together and seamlessly move the story forward.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
My special vegan hot cocoa
YABC: What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?
Man up- I’ve never liked this. It gives the impression that boys/men have to be tough all the time/or tough it out. I think we all should be allowed to feel safe and accepted in our many emotions/doubts/fears.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
So many things- cleaning is my main choice of procrastination. We live on a hobby farm, so there’s a lot to do from brushing the horses, cleaning stalls, mowing, tending to our gardens.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I am working on a MG novel in verse as well as a picture book
YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?
I love Christmas. My family and I have fun traditions like making pot art creatures and giving each other hand gifts. Gifts we make from things found in the house that generally fit in the palm of our hand.
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
I would love to talk about my Kindness Is Everything podcast, if possible, where I chat with folks of all ages who are kind to animals, the environment and people. I love the community I have created in the almost 4 years I’ve had the podcast.
Book’s Title: Sari Sisters
Author: Anitha Rao-Robinson
Illustrator: Anoosha Syed
Release Date: 10.22.2024
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 9780593526354
Genre: Girls & Women, Family, Siblings, Clothing, Saris, Self-expression, South Asian Culture
~ Giveaway Details ~
Three (3) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Sari Sisters (Anitha Rao-Robinson) ~US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*