SIDDHARTH AND RINKI

When a young boy emigrates from India to Britain, from a sunny, warm place to a grey, wintry place, adjusting can be an enormous problem. Siddharth attends a new British school for the first time, and Rinki is his favorite stuffed elephant, the best reminder of his life far away. Although his teacher and fellow classmates are friendly, Rinki is the only one that he can speak to about his feelings. When the elephant becomes lost, the other kids recognize that this very precious possession must be found, and Siddharth leads them everywhere until they find the lost-property room, all in darkness until the golden elephant shines out from the top shelf. The loose but realistic watercolors show a happy primary classroom. When Siddharth dreams of India near the beginning and then leads an exuberant march with Rinki on a pillow in the last double-page spread, the pages glow with color. The text employs a nice mix of alliteration and repetition: “…and slow, solemn Rinki remembered and understood.” A quiet story about immigration that focuses on small but common emotions. (Picture book. 3-5)