*Note: this review was completed by a guest reviewer*
In this story Jilly and June, a mother and daughter duo, seek out new experiences as they travel across the globe in their magic, flying house. In this story they set sail for India to learn more about the country that is famous for curry. After navigating their house through a storm, they arrive at their destination and find that there is much more to experience in this vibrant land where the trains are overcrowded, polo matches are played with elephants instead of horses, weddings feature “Bollywood” dance moves and saris, you can drive tuk tuks through mountains and find inner peace through the art of meditation.
Drew brings an innocent curiosity to both Jilly and June as they discover new cultures and social norms, such as adapting to eating meals with their hands instead of cutlery. She also captures the intimate moments in a mother-daughter relationship, highlighting Jilly’s embarrassed reactions when June lets loose dancing at a wedding they attended, and enjoying a meditation session.
While Drew’s fictional perspective feels like it’s coming from good-intentions, there are instances in the book where research to the subject-matter could have been applied more effectively where she describes non-fictional references to avoid racial stereotyping. For instance, when Jilly and June meet with a “Maharajah”,I felt confused as to what time period they were in, since monarchies are now abolished in India. Jilly and June are also introduced to a “Buddha”, again,raising some questions about timelines and suggesting that Drew may have incorrectly referring to a Sadhu. Sadly, these examples left me cringing and I felt as though the writing was based on the idea of exotic glamour that is India, and not a true reflection of the rich culture that it is.
Drew’s desire to travel the world with her daughter in the eyes of Jilly and June draws a sense of wonder and spirit to the book. However, the story is yearning for more context and development to really capture the imagination of today’s children and to give the credit and respect to the cultures Drew is in awe of.More investment into planning content and approach to this story would make it a more inclusive, robust and enjoyable read for children. Unfortunately, I will not be reading this edition with my family any time soon as it’s not the perspective of my son’s heritage I want him to hear.
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2019
A review written by the mother of an Indian child wanting his heritage to be reflected appropriately
Top reviews from other countries
- VidaReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2018
Would highly recomend for children 😁
