I really liked this. the writing, the graphic, everything, the vibe was so realistic and yet so wholesome.

I love that this is a kids book. it's just really good and necessary.

this book can be incredible to make sure kids are not close-minded.
it shows a Hindu marriage but this book is applicable and can be read by all cultures.

I really enjoyed it.

I'm looking forward to checking out other books by the author.

amazing.

I might not be the target market for this picture book (being a 27 year old grown woman) but I really loved it. The illustrations were beautiful, vibrant and accessible, a real celebration of culture. The story itself deftly walked a line between being too serious for a children's book and being too flippant about an important topic. The book focuses on a little girl whose female cousin is getting married to another woman - she can't see why there's such opposition to her cousin's marriage as she can only see the love and joy of such a celebration. It was quite a moving read for something so short. I would buy it for all my little cousins and niblings.

Great representation of South Asian culture and a gay wedding in a children's picture book. I really liked the artwork and the end note by the author.

Ritu Weds Chandi by Ameya Narvankar boldly goes where few children's authors choose to go... LGBT, homophobia, and intolerance. It is well written and beautifully illustrated. I haven't written my full review yet, but when it's done I'll post it to my website (Kelly's Classroom Online).

Update 11/9/2020: I completed my review and posted it to my website. I also included strategies to integrate Ritu Weds Chandni into classroom instruction.

This book is short and sweet while being full of beautiful art work. The short translations in the back helped a lot. It's a good educational book to have while also being a very loving way to show acceptance.

Thank you so much to net galley for sending me a copy of this book. I DNFd this book. If it seems enjoyable I would give it a try

A sublime graphic book for children, very colourful, well drawn but above all the story is essential as it follows Ayesha, a young Indian girl, on her way to her cousin Ritu's wedding with her girlfriend Chandni. The story deals with love in the face of tradition and the need to stand up for those you love.

I thank Netgalley for this book in exchange for honest criticism, and acknowledge Ameya Narvankar for this story and the representation it offers.

Ritu Weds Chandni was an absolute joy to read. While it is a short picture book geared towards a younger audience, it is a read that is impactful and important for all ages. The illustrations are stunning–wonderfully detailed and full of rich, vibrant colors. The story itself is lovely and heartwarming, and it was beautiful to see a children's book that centers an LGBTQ+ couple (specifically, two South Asian women). I thought the book did a wonderful job of addressing a potentially heavy subject in a way that can be understood by young children, while also infusing it with an important message of joy, hope, love, and acceptance. I would absolutely buy/recommend this book for a classroom library, my young cousins, and my friends' children, or even fellow adults. Thank you to Yali Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

<i>arc provided to me by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

This was absolutely beautiful. The art was stunning, the characters were gorgeous and the message in this short little picture book was so important and just as beautiful as the art.

This story will let others see a new perspective, one that before was not seen in a good light. A younger audience will get to grow up seeing themselves in these characters and seeing the hope and love poured into these pages. Their culture shouldn’t have to be erased for them to love and our main character, Ayesha really highlights this. We see her showing her love for her cousin and her wife and because of Ayesha, they found the courage to continue on with their wedding. This was so beautiful.

I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this story.

5/5⭐️

Ritu Weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankar
Rating: 5/5

Little Ayesha is all excited about her favorite cousin Ritu’s wedding. She can’t wait to dance at the baraat ceremony! But not everyone is happy that Ritu is marrying her girlfriend Chandni. Some have even vowed to stop the celebrations. Will Ayesha be able to save her cousin’s big day?

Being a part of a large family, I have attended weddings where relatives, cousins gather together and have immense fun. I always believe that weddings are a great way to celebrate the meeting of two hearts. That’s why, even after not being a fan of children’s books anymore, I picked this book up. I thought this one to be fun read. However, this book emerged out to be a game-changer.

The social message that was sent by the writer through our little Ayesha is important for us as a society to understand and abide by. The judiciary system sanctions a law. However, it is up to the people following the system to respect the law and make everyone’s life smooth. But, to our very dismay, there are always people to come in between every good deed. They don’t have the courage to accept the fact that everything is not about ego and trivial prestige.

Little Ayesha with her innocence will do something that elders were unable to act upon. Children do have very soft hearts and sometimes they act more maturely than adults. I loved the execution of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing me a copy of this beautiful book.

This was so sweet! I don’t often read children’s books, especially picture books, but when I saw what this was about I decided I really wanted to read it,

This was a cute and quick read, and I enjoyed it as an adult - I think children will like the book as well! I enjoyed the art style and there’s plenty of colorful pictures for children to enjoy,

I hope more picture books like this one, with queer characters and especially queer characters of color, get published. It’s so important for children to reads books like this one early on in life and I’m so happy that this book exists for children, I hope to one day have lots of books like this one if I end up having children!

This was such a sweet book! I loved the fierceness of Ayesha refusing to back down when people tried to stop the baraat! I am white and did not know about a lot of these customs, so it was a really cool way for me to learn some new things! I loved seeing a lesbian couple represented in a childrens book, and learning about another culture, and traditions was really fun too. I will definitely be buying this book for my nieces and nephews!

This is one of the most important children’s books out there.

The book follows the story of Charu, who is excited to go to her cousin Ritu’s wedding. But the wedding is met with many obstacles—many family members do not attend and there are people opposing the wedding who are trying to disrupt it. Love wins in the end and Charu and her family celebrate the union of Ritu and her wife.

As a queer person who grew up in a culture that still doesn’t see queer marriage as valid, reading this book as a child would’ve been so affirming. I hope that young children can read this book and see that love is love and that there are people out there who are accepting, loving, and similar to them. The representation of two women getting married is so powerful, especially in a conservative religious society.

The color palette was very colorful, yet minimal and consistent the whole time, and effectively made the setting very immersive. The cultural details added in were lovely, and as someone who isn’t very familiar with Hinduism or its culture, it was great to see that represented in this book. There are Hindi terms embedded throughout and a glossary at the end. The author’s note was really impactful as well. All around, I think this is a much needed and important book that will positively impact many.

This book is simple, succinct and beautiful. It is a great book for adults who want to educate the children in their lives about compassion, LGBTQ and love. I love that the plot is extremely simple but has enough momentum to keep you engaged. The art is bright and colourful. It's not a style I usually prefer but it fits the narrative pretty well. It's something that was needed in india. It keeps the focus on the 2 women and little Ayesha, making Ayesha the eventual decision maker and ally. It's an amazing choice because it affirms that we only need love to accept things that might not make sense to us. It also places hope in children and how, if we teach them right and don't push our prejudices and agendas upon them, they might take their own decisions which will stem from a place of love.
Sweet, short read.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.
This is a beautiful short children's book that highlights the importance of LGBT+ marriages as well as how words and actions can influence a person. This was a beautiful book which should be in schools as not only should more people read about LGBT+ relationships but more people should also read more books featuring POC.

Rating: 5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes
Would I Recommend it? Yes

Ayesha is excited to attend her cousin Ritu’s wedding. She can’t wait to dance at the baraat ceremony! But not everyone is happy that Ritu is marrying her girlfriend Chandni. Some have even vowed to stop the celebrations. Will Ayesha be able to save her cousin’s big day? Centering Ayesha’s love for her cousin as much as it showcases Ritu and Chandni’s love for each other, this warmhearted debut from Ameya Narvankar celebrates the power of young voices standing up against prejudice and bigotry.

Ritu weds Chandni is a children's book that I really enjoyed. Told from Ayesha's point of view, it makes it more effective and easier to understand among the target audience.

Ayesha is not aware of the complexities of life or bigotry at that. She just wants her cousin to be happy and to enjoy the wedding and food! I found that heartwarming. The fact that Ayesha is the one who leads the wedding procession at the end challenges the younger generation to be the change they want to see in the society. The book is also hopeful... that even if not everyone supports you, there will always be those that will be there every step of the way.

The artwork in this book is very colourful and lively. It helps build the overall joyful and festive mood of the book. Would one hundred percent recommend.

There's also a glossary at the end of the book so there's no confusing bit of the book.

This book had really bright colors throughout and was very easy to read. I am glad that there was a glossary of Hindi words in the back of this book since I do not speak Hindi. I like that this book was written to change society's minds, but I think it may be better suited for older kids instead of young kids. I think older kids would definitely be able to understand it better.

This was such a great read!

I was lucky to get an arc of this book. I saw the cover and was automatically attracted to it. I came into it hoping the the story would be as beautiful as the art, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint!

Ritu Weds Chandni handles difficult issues with respect, while also in a manner that children can can understand.

I was delighted to see a book that involved both my culture and my sexual orientation. It felt authentic and heartfelt in a way that not many books do.

Thank you, NetGalley for an arc of this book!

I totally enjoyed this book. It was a short but nice read. I wish that it is available among the picture books for children in India soon because it is NEEDED.

-- the plot
I really liked it. It is simple and radiated joy but also knew how to hit right in the feels during parts with tension. I liked that the sad part explained enough while also not lingering on it too long. The representation showing how Ayesha's happiness for her sisters alone could bring the joy back to the marriage was wonderful because it does say that even if one person really supports queer people, it CAN help.

-- the drawings
LOVED them. They were simple, beautiful, and joyous. Looking at them made me happy and we're all for that.

In conclusion, I really liked this book and would like to gift a physical copy of it to kids because we! need! queer representation in books for younger audiences.

Oh meu Deus esse livro é a coisa mais fofa que li em tempos!
Histórias infantis lésbicas são realmente meu ponto fraco, ah se eu tivesse acesso a isso quando mais nova!! Adorei a história e vou guardar ela no meu coração pra sempre!