Priyanka discovers a magical Pashmina that allows her to see things others can't. When a letter from her aunt arrives from India, she is convinced that is where her destiny lies. This book takes us along as Priyanka is forced both to mature and to come to terms with her culture and heritage. A must for middle-school students who enjoy graphic novels.

A truly unique story! Pri and her discovery of the magic Pashmina that shows one's choices, were captivating and beautifully executed. The choice of greyscale for reality and color for the pashima's world was excellent, and lent well to the story.

I really really wanted to like this and while it was okay, it wasn't great. It seemed like there were missing panels because the storiy would jump so drastically to one event to another without any explanation. I really didn't the way one of the characters called eyeglasses "a date killer". Young girls need to know that it's perfectly fine to wear glasses. They don't make girls ugly. The art was relatively good. The color panels were obviously better with greater detail than the black and white. Overall, the story didn't really have much impact. It touched on some really profound ideas but didn't really do anything with it.

Priyanka is an Indian-American young woman, living with her single mom, in California. She's got so many questions: Why did her mother leave India to raise her daughter in the States? What's India like? Why doesn't she ever talk about India? And the big question: Who's her father, and why hasn't she ever met him? For Priyanka's mom, though, the topic of India is closed. She will only say that things were different for women in India, and that's that. Left with her questions, and feeling emotional after her uncle - her only father figure - becomes a new dad, Priyanka stumbles across one of her mother's old suitcases, containing a beautiful pashmina shawl. She wraps it around herself and is transported to a magical, beautiful place: India. She also meets two guides: Kanta, an elephant, and Mayur, a peacock, who show her a breathtaking India. Priyanka gets the feeling she may not be getting the whole story - especially when the two guides keep shooing away a mysterious shadow that lurks by them - but she's determined to find out more about her heritage and her birth.

Priya gets the opportunity when her aunt calls to reconnect with her estranged sister. She's pregnant, and Priya's mom agrees to let her fly to India to spend time with her. Thrilled, Priya embarks on a journey that will provide more answers than she expected, and learn more about her mother - and herself.

Pashmina is brilliant, bold, and beautiful storytelling. It's the story of a child walking the line between two cultures, and it's a story about the search for identity. It's also a powerful story of feminism; the goddess Shakti guiding women to choose their own paths and the women who are brave enough to answer the call. Nidhi Chanani creates breathtaking, colorful vistas within the pashmina's world, making Priya's everyday black-and-white world even more stark and humdrum. This is a must-add to graphic novel collections, particularly for middle schoolers and teens. Booktalk and display with Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese, Na Liu's Little White Duck, and Sarah Garland's Azzi in Between.

See more of Nidhi Chanani's art at her website.

First off, I love Graphic Novels for younger audiences, I know I have said it and I am saying it again. They are a wonderful way to get reluctant readers started, they are visually appealing, and they can teach a lot though those images and limited words. I find that some graphic novels do a wonderful job taking what has meaning and preparing it in a concise way so that the reader is able to take it in easier and it ends up having more impact.

I think that this is one of those graphic novels. Nidhi Chanai uses magical realism to tell the story of a young girl who wants to know more about her mothers past and where she came from, the Pashmina scarf is her way to see India in all of its splendor. But when she gets the chance to visit India, she learns that while, yes, there are beautiful bits, you have to take everything in context. India is gorgeous through the lens of the Pashmina but India in real life, while still beautiful has some flaws.

Priyanka, the main character, learns a lot about her heritage from these trips with the Pashmina, and from her visit with an aunt. The tale is heartwarming and reflective and for those of us who have never experienced India, it is a good way for us to learn about the culture and its difference from living in the US and how people that are coming from these backgrounds do things a certain way for a reason.

The book also includes a glossary in the end of words used that non-Indian readers will find very helpful. Overall, I think this book is wonderful for SO many reasons, if you have a young reader, reluctant reader, or one that likes to learn about cultures, this is definitely a book to grab.

Blog Review will go live on Sept 25th.

I think many children will enjoy this combination of fantasy and realistic fiction.

When Priyanka discovers the powers of the pashmina shawl, showing the wearer the choices in life they have if they just let go of their fears, she turns towards her cultural roots to better understand herself. A powerful story of self identity and acceptance and coming of age complimented with vibrant and engrossing graphics. -Jesica Sweedler DeHart

I love the illustrations for this story! It's a very interesting tale that spins in the diverse world of India. It would be a good addition to any juvenile collection, and suggested to readers who enjoy graphic novels or who may struggle with an unknown family history (or hitting a teenage phase). I do think the story could be developed a bit more in places, but is still worth the read.

This book was kind of a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed learning about the characers culture, but the magical elements, never took off for me. Maybe it was because the writer really shared the interior thoughts of the character. The artwork is simple but well done.

This was a beautifully drawn, colored, and executed comic! I loved Priyanka's young, evolving voice throughout the novel. This speaks a lot to the feelings one has when they're young and unsure of their past and where their future will take them. Woven beautifully with a few glimpses at parts of Indian culture and Hindu religion, this is a beautiful and very real feeling glimpse into a girl who is unsure of where she's going because she's not sure where she's been. It was a quick read for me, but one that I feel like I could come back to again and again.

Priyanka is an Indian-American raised by a single mom. She finds that she can't relate to her mom and is teased a lot at school.. One day she finds a pashmina in her mom's old suitcase and when she puts it on, something magical happens. Filled with lots of cultural references, this graphic novel has a lot of heart. It will appeal to those who are curious about their Indian heritage as well as for those who are curious about Indian culture in general. Highly recommended.

Beautiful artwork and culture infused. I wish that I got to spend more time with the story after Priyanka learned what the purpose of the pashmina was, and less time with the story before that when the true meaning of it wasn't available to us. But I truly loved the concept of the pashmina and loved how the Indian culture was effortlessly woven into the story of a girl who has only known America.

While I'm sure there may have been some cultural stuff that I missed, I did still enjoy this GN. It's an interesting view into a word which I knew little about. And while the main character interest was more about finding her roots/focusing on India, I think her journey and feelings is something almost anyone can relate to.

A magical tale where a young Indian girl learns about her culture that has always felt somewhat secret to her. The graphic novel form added to the enjoyment of the story as well as the characters. I plan to book talk this new book with my students.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of “Pashmina” by Nidhi Chanani. This is beautiful story that will pull at your heart. The illustrations are fantastic. Both the story and illustrations will appeal to many graphic novel readers and the library where I work will definitely be ordering a copy!

Thumbs up. A girl whose mother won't talk about why she emigrated from India discovers a shawl that transports her to a magical version of the land. Cute, but I wish the characters had been more deeply developed. (I think that would have been possible even granted this was marketed toward children.) This seems to be the author's debut as a graphic novelist, which seems about right. I look forward to seeing her work in the future.

This is a beautiful graphic novel. The contrast between the black and white everyday life and the world of the pashmina is powerful. Showing the ideal life vs the real in this way is inspiring.

The story itself has depth and emotion which is relatable to those in many walks of life however it is particularly moving for those in similar situations. I cannot even begin to understand how difficult it would be to leave everything you know and love on the mere hope that things will get better. It is a terrifying decision to have to make.

Representation is extremely important and Chanani adding her voice to the literary world is a wonderful thing!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this story. The colors were beautiful, and the artwork of each scene perfectly matched the emotions if the story. It was a little confusing at time, because the story seemed to jump around. Overall, it's a fairly light-hearted story of love and self-acceptance.

Pashmina illustrations from color to black and white make this story realistic.

Decent so far. Malfunctioned at page 25 or so though.