Shanthi Sekaran is an author whose works delve into complex human relationships and cultural experiences. Her prose is noted for its depth and keen eye for detail, thoughtfully exploring the inner lives of her characters. Sekaran investigates themes of identity, family, and an individual's place within broader societal landscapes. Her writing reflects a careful observation and an empathetic understanding of the human condition.
Critically acclaimed author Shanthi Sekaran makes her middle grade debut with this timely and stunning novel in which a young boy and his friends must rescue his grandmother from a relocation camp after their country's descent into xenophobia.
This heart-wrenching novel gives voice to two mothers: a young undocumented Mexican woman and an Indian-American wife whose love for one boy binds their fates. Eighteen-year-old Solimar Castro-Valdez embarks on a perilous journey across the US/Mexican border, arriving in Berkeley, CA, dazed by first love and unexpected pregnancy. Amid the uncertainty of new motherhood and her American identity, Soli learns to guard her precious possession—her child—making motherhood her refuge. Kavya Reddy, a chef at a UC Berkeley sorority house, faces her own struggles when an unexpected desire for a child emerges in her mid-thirties. Unable to conceive, this longing tests her marriage and sanity, leading her to a collision course with Soli when she is detained, and her infant son comes under Kavya's care. As Kavya navigates motherhood, she builds a love that intertwines her heart with someone else's child. This emotional journey reveals the redemptive beauty of the world, showcasing the complexities of motherhood and identity. The narrative avoids clear villains or heroes, blending real-life challenges with fiction in a moving and revelatory manner.