KIRKUS REVIEW
A young girl discovers her world as she grows up.
Little Nanda’s world begins in her mother’s arms when she is a small baby. As she grows, her world expands too. From friends and family to new places and new discoveries, Nanda pushes the limits of her world as much as possible—until one day, she realizes her world is the same as it was when she was a baby in her mother’s arms: “safe, warm, small.” Rich, imaginative text paints a beautiful picture of Nanda’s life and generously weaves in figurative language (“It soared through a symphony of glass and stone. / It spooled through spirals of wire and foam”). It is also refreshing to see Nanda depicted as a strong South Asian girl protagonist who blends in and yet stands out. Unfortunately, some of the text and the broader underlying concept of the book—which takes her through college and beyond to a career as an astronaut—may be hard to grasp for the target preschool audience. Corace’s illustrations, created using gouache, ink, and acrylic, effortlessly show Nanda’s curiosity and the diverse world we all live in today. Attention to detail and authenticity in the illustrations is evident on each page.
A thought-provoking and evocative book that may unfortunately fail to pique the interest of its target audience but may also provide a fresh substitute for Oh, the Places You’ll Go come graduation season. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)
