The Many Colors of Harpereet Singh by Supriya Kelkar - ESSENTIAL

The Many Colors of Harpereet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, illustrated by Alea Marley. PICTURE BOOK. Sterling Children’s Book (Sterling Publishing), 2019. $17. 9781454931843

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Harpreet Singh wears a colorful patka everyday until he has to move to a new area. He feels lonely and sad and only wears white on top of his head. When he makes a new friend, he starts to wear colors again. 

I love how this story normalizes something that young readers may see others wear but not understand and not know how to ask about. In fact, I learned from this book. In the afterword, a scholar and professor of Sikhism explains the use of the patka and turbans that many, but not all, Sikhs wear. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher