{"id":38819,"date":"2021-03-02T22:47:58","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T02:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38819"},"modified":"2021-03-02T22:47:58","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T02:47:58","slug":"review-of-sugar-in-milk-by-thrity-umrigar-illustrated-by-khoa-le","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38819","title":{"rendered":"Review of Sugar in Milk, by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Khoa Le"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Sugar in Milk<\/em><\/p>\n

by Thrity Umrigar
\nillustrated by Khoa Le<\/p>\n

RP Kids, Philadelphia, 2020. 48 pages.
\nReview written January 9, 2021, from a library book
\nStarred Review
\n2021 Capitol Choices selection<\/a>, age 7-10.<\/p>\n

This gorgeously illustrated and lyrical picture book contains a story-within-a-story.<\/p>\n

It begins with a spread of a girl alone in a snowy city, pulling a suitcase behind her.<\/p>\n

When I first came to this country,
\nI felt so alone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although the girl knows her aunt and uncle are happy to have her and try to be welcoming, she misses her parents and her family and even her cats, Kulfi and Baklava.<\/p>\n

Then her Auntie tells her a story, and that part is set off with decorated borders that get gradually more elaborate. The story tells of a group people long ago who had to leave their home and travel to a distant land.<\/p>\n

But the local king did not want to let them in.
\n\u201cOur land is too crowded,\u201d he grumbled,
\n\u201cwith no room for others.
\nBesides, these visitors look foreign
\nand speak a strange and different language
\nI do not understand.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But when the travelers don\u2019t understand him (because they speak a strange and different language), he shows them they have no room, by filling a royal cup with milk, all the way to the brim.<\/p>\n

But a wise man among the travelers took out a spoon and mixed sugar into the milk. And I won\u2019t spoil the lovely way the lesson is presented, but it\u2019s done lyrically, fittingly accompanying the beautiful pictures.<\/p>\n

And the girl\u2019s Auntie doesn\u2019t have to tell her the moral of the story, but it changes everything for her.<\/p>\n

I began to smile at the people we passed,
\nand they returned my smile.
\nEverybody I said hello to said hello back to me.
\nEven the dogs seemed friendlier
\nand wagged their tails faster.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I love the way this book tells a simple story that\u2019s so rich with application \u2013 but leaves the application to the children who hear the story. It\u2019s a good story for someone who\u2019s lonely as well as for someone who\u2019s not but who needs to have compassion on those who are.<\/p>\n

And the artistry of this book is lovely for the eyes and fingers both. And for the ears, it\u2019s written in the musical language of legends.<\/p>\n

Umrigar.com<\/a>
\nrunningpress.com\/rpkids<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/sugar_in_milk.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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