Ritu Weds Chandni ❤️

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

Little Ayesha can’t wait to see her cousin Ritu get married. As Ayesha wears her lehenga and dances in the baarat (wedding procession) she learns that not everyone is happy with Ritu marrying a girl, with some vowing to stop the celebrations. Will Ayesha be able to save Ritu and Chandni’s special day?

We don’t see enough LGBTQIA and Queer books for children and this was a beautifully put together story with vivid illustrations to compliment. Ayesha struggles to understand why certain members of her family are angry and refuse to attend the wedding. As the elders bicker, fight and mistreat the brides, we see Ayesha’s fearless innocence and faith in love shine through.

There is still so much stigma surrounding same sex couples and marriage. They often face discrimination from their loved ones, community and society. Ameya emphasises in her author’s note that we must encourage discussions to raise awareness and educate those around us, starting with children. Extremely proud of Ameya and the team for the concept and implementation of this fantastic book! 👏🏽✨

This was a adorable read, a young girl is exited to see her cousin get married, it’s clear it’s a marriage of love. Others are not as exited though and the couple received hate and sabotage whilst travelling to their marriage, which the young girl does not understand. The story could have been longer and expand on the premise to help children understand more but other wise it was a lovely book.

<i> Thank you so much to NetGalley and Yali Books for giving me this arc to review </i>

This is exactly the kind of book I would like to have read as a young child and I am so very happy that children do get a book like this. Ameya Narvankar wrote a beautiful story that comes alive with the illustrations.

The story itself is a nuanced tale about love. Ayesha loves her cousin Ritu, but more importantly, she doesn't see why Ritu's marriage to Chandni should be any different to any wedding she has been a part of before.

It doesn't matter to Ayesha that her cousin is marrying her girlfriend, rather than a much more socially acceptable boyfriend. That optimism gives Ayesha the ability to be brave even when those around her don't see it as bravery. Ayesha just wants her cousin to have the same experiences on her wedding day that the cousins before her have had and I admire that.

I don't think it is very often that we get to read stories as Desi's about Queer triumph in our own circles and I love that with the art we get a story about triumph. We get a story about familial love and that marriage should be a celebration of that love. That our communities shouldn't be able to dictate who we love on the basis of sex or gender but rather by the worth of their character.

I definitely recommend this children's book and I hope to see more desi books on queer topics that feature joy.

The illustrations in this book are vibrant, colorful and incredibly lively. It is truly a delight to the eyes. The storyline of a wedding serves as a perfect focal point to showcase love and acceptance regarding same-sex relationships. This book is timely and it surpasses culture. It can be enjoyed by one and all.

The book is beautifully illustrated and the story is really heartwarming. The language and storyline make a difficult topic approachable, appropriate, and understandable for children. This could be a great way for non-Indian children to learn more about the rich and beautiful traditions of Indian weddings and for all children to learn about the importance of love and acceptance. It shares the important message that children can be difference-makers in the lives of their loved ones and that grown-ups aren't always right just because they are grown-ups.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review!

Ritu Weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankar is a very sweet and joyful book, even when it delves in the unfortunate reality of homophobia that still exists in most communities. It has wonderful art and seems informative about Indian traditions, as it beautifully illustrates the wedding ceremony alongside the events of the story. It lightly delves into the reality of homophobia without being too much for a kid to read and, as a queer brown woman myself, I think it is important to introduce children -especially children of color- to such inspiring stories and begin to discuss and explain these realities at a young age, to foster kinder hearts for the future.

My favorite thing is that the story has a happy ending and maintains its joyful tone throughout the whole book, without downplaying the important message. The vibrant art in this story is also such a treat, I had to go back and read it a second time to marvel at the illustrations.

I really enjoyed this sweet little story, and I will be recommending it to my friends too!

Seen through the eyes of a girl who is struggling to understand why people may be against the wedding between her didi and her girlfriend, Ritu Weds Chandni gives a voice to the South Asian LGBT. A festive happy event is about to be ruined by the absence of conservative relatives and the aggressive neighbours, but Ayesha will not let it happened. Naturally she succeeds to overcome the tensions with the simplicity of a child who does not need the narrow minded explanations of the adults to display her genuine love.
The message is convened in a children book but I bet there are adults that need some extra motivation to accept the choices of their fellow humans too.
The illustrations are acceptable from the aesthetic point of view. A list of the Hindi words used is provided at the end of the book.

This was so immensely beautiful, from the artwork to the story, I couldn't help but cry a little over all the love expressed on the page and in the words. This is exactly the story I wish I had been able to read as a child, so I can't wait for everyone else to read this.

This was the cutest little picture book ever! I love how the author chose the perspective of innocence and pure love of Ayesha to show us the very hard and heartbreaking reality when it comes to the acceptance of any form of queerness in Indian culture and society.

There is just something so beautiful and devastating about how easy it is for Ayesha to love and accept her didi for who she is, and how determined these strangers that the baraat meets on their way to the venue are to stop something that, for all intents and purposes, has LITERALLY nothing to do with their lives.

There's so many problems with how this country currently views its people - with what it considers right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, valueable and dispensible. A culture that prided itself on acceptance is now become one that is intent on segregating. In a time like this, I am so grateful for books like Ritu weds Chandni which exist with stubborn hope, which exist to instill faith, which exist to teach love, and acceptance and joy.

Also, like, the artwork in here is absolutely gorgeous!! I really hope this book finds its way into the hands of curious children who will, hopefully, grow up with one less prejudice to unlearn.

The story is about a little girl who is excited to go to her cousin sister's wedding. When she reaches there, she realises that her relatives are not there. Her cousin, Ritu deedi is going to marry her girlfriend, Chandni. Not everyone agrees to that. They consider it wrong. This little girl stands for her cousin and speaks up for her.

This little girl realises that it is ok to marry whoever you want. Whoever you marry, the important thing is to have love, trust and respect in the relationship. Even though some relatives and neighbours are against their relationship, Ritu and Chandni still married each other.

I really liked this story. It is different from other stories that I read. It also had some lovely illustrations.

It is so short and cute at the same time discussing the attitude of people towards to same sex marriage. I heard about this book from fellow bookstagrammers, and decided to pick it up.
This centers around the marriage of Ritu and Chandni, seen through the eyes of a little girl Ayesha. As from the synopsis "It showcases the power of young voices standing up against prejudice and bigotry", which perfectly sums up the intention behind the plot. I loved Ayesha who sees everything without any corruption of grown up minds, but still manages to act grown up supporting the wedding of her cousin.
The illustrations are a treat to the eyes.

A beautifully illustrated picture book, with a sweet story that highlights issues surrounding LGBTQA+ couples through the eyes of Ayesha. I loved the atmosphere it conjured with the lyricism of the words, as well as the use of colour and perspective. I only wish it had been a little longer, as it ended quite abruptly, though I loved the endpages with the details and pictures from the wedding.

Beautifully written and illustrated, this is beautiful and strong book! Highly highly recommended, specially to those who are looking to start with some LGBTQ+ books with some South Asian representation.

I truly adore this picture book.
A heartwarming tale about acceptance, about tolerance, about family and above all, love.
It shows how simple love is when you truly love.
Wonderful book for all of the kids out there :)

Also, LOVE LOVE LOVE the culture showcase in this book! So vibrant!

Ritu Weds Chandni is a very sweet children's book, filled with beautiful drawings and even more beautiful sentiments. I'm sure young readers will have lots of questions to ask their parents, relatives or friends when they read this.

A young girl is excited to see her favourite cousin marry her girlfriend and can't understand why a lot of the family are not going to the wedding, or why the neighbours seem so angry that the two brides will be riding to their wedding on horses with a procession of musicians and dancers.

Of course, the book is still fantasy for India where homosexuality has only been decriminalised quite recently. I wonder if parents, aunts and uncles are ready to have these discussions with their children. I hope they are, and I'm sure this book will help a lot. It may well sell better among the Hindu diaspora living in countries where same-sex marriage is legal.

I wish the author and publishers all the best with this beautiful little book. Only by letting children decide how they want to define 'normal' can we hope for them to grow up and change their worlds.

Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy.

As a kid (that would be the late 90s and early 2000s) I never once read a book representing same-sex couples and I'm so happy that stories like this one are out there now.

This book starts a much needed discussion and does so through the eyes of a child. All Ayesha wants is for her cousin Ritu to be happy on her wedding day and doesn't understand why others wouldn't. As children, we don't care if our cousin is marring a man or a woman, all we want is for her to marry someone who loves her and makes her happy. Culture, traditions and overall expectations then turn that around as we grow up and it's somehow more important for a woman to marry a man than for her to marry the person she loves.

Let's try to not to grow up in that regard and continue viewing the world the way a child does, without the influence of what society deems right or wrong.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

LGBTQIA, India, Hinduism, wedding, intolerance, family, family-dynamics*****

What a wonderful book! The story is meaningful anywhere, but the beauty of the illustrations is a joy to behold! Cousin Ritu weds her girlfriend amid opposition by intolerant people and those people are totally routed by young Ayesha who knows that the brides deserve to have the wonderful ceremony they want.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Yali Books and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!

I cried while reading this book. The illustrations are gorgeous and this story captures the bittersweet experiences that many queer couples have with milestones like weddings or children. I am so grateful every time I see representation of queer individuals in the cultures and communities that are meaningful to them.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really sweet book with a powerful message geared towards young children. The art is beautiful and I can't wait to be able to share with more people.

This is the best children’s book I’ve read in a Long Long Time. It’s beautiful and meaningful and also so fun. I highly recommend it for all families to open up conversations about queer couples and also different cultures.