I LOVE this cover! The book was so much more than I was expecting. I thought I'd be in for a light hearted, easy MG read. This story has so much depth and a wonderful message for young readers. Definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Dr. Rudine Bishop Sims I know that books can be windows, mirrors and sliding glass doors for readers. That Thing About Bollywood was both a window into a world I long to know more about and a mirror of some of my own childhood experiences. For that reason, this book will hold a lasting impression for me.

When Sonali's world seems to be coming apart at the seams, things get even crazier as Bollywood filmi magic takes over and threatens to ruin all her memories, good and bad. She must figure out what caused it and how to stop it before it's too late.

Family, friendship, magic and dealing with the truth create a story you won't want to put down.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and #NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of That Thing about Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar. This middle grade novel will be published May 18, 2021. All opinions are my own.

Sonali has always had a hard time sharing her feelings. Ever since she can remember, her father has drilled into her that their family business is their business and no one else's. Because of this, she bottles up her feelings and tells everyone she is okay. This is the exact opposite of the Bollywood movies she loves where everyone's emotions are apparent and the lyrics reflect their feelings. Now, Sonali's parents are separating and her life is turned upside down. First, background music appears (and no one but Sonali thinks it's weird). Then, during a school field trip, Sonali bursts out into song and performs a Bollywood solo. After this, everything in her life seems brighter and the solos become more frequent as Sonali struggles to control her emotions. Everyone is acting like it's all normal, but Sonali knows something is wrong and she has to figure out what before her Bollywooditis becomes permanent.

While at first glance this book appears to be a fun, whimsical novel about a girl whose life suddenly becomes a Bollywood movie, its message is so much deeper than that. Kelkar expertly uses the filmi magic and Sonali's story to teach readers about the importance of expressing our feelings and talking about what is troubling us. It also deals with divorce and changing friendships. I enjoyed the filmi magic and the fact that though Sonali wasn't always truthful with her friends, her pain and struggle is apparent to the reader. I think she is a character that many readers will be able to relate and connect to.

I was drawn to the book by the premise and the cover. Dad played the tough guy foil, and Mom had the emotional intelligence. They were fighting all the time, so they decide to separate. The book centers on Sonali, who gets sucked into a Bollywood movie with their decision, learning that she can “turn it off” by suppressing her feelings. As her parents continue the fighting and decide to separate, she realizes she can never turn the Bollywooditis off until she opens up. Some parts were choppy, but overall it was a good story about opening up and sharing what’s going on.

This middle-grade book is a jumbo-sized metaphor to teach younger readers about the benefits of expressing their feelings instead of bottling them up.

Sonali has always loved her Bollywood movie nights with family, but she herself couldn't be further from the singing, dancing, overacting, emotional expression of the movies. Tension and fighting between her parents has wounded her so deeply over the years that she thinks the only way to cope is not to feel. Then her family starts to split up for real.

In a fantastical, magical twist, suddenly Sonali's world is turned into a Bollywood extravaganza, where everyone has their own soundtrack and everyone sings or dances their feelings at the drop of a hat. Including Sonali herself. She's horrified at the way her feelings are starting to escape her. The longer it goes on, the more Bollywood her life becomes. Will she ever get out of this absurdity? The only hope is if she can learn to genuinely speak her feelings to the people around her.

The message is a truly worthy one, and I really liked the discussion that Sonali finally has with her best friend Zara about how friends aren't mind readers and that they have to tell each other what they're feeling.
But the device of a magically-Bollywood-infused world goes on rather too long and could have been more effective in a somewhat shorter book. Also, different readers may have different reactions to the supposedly inevitable split-up of Sonali's family, which to me was the most regrettable part of the story.

Sonali is an 11 year old who loves Bollywood. Sunday nights are her favorite because that's movie night and she and her younger brother and parents all watch a movie from the VHS tapes her grandfather gave her. One Sunday night, her parents tell them they're separating and Sonali's world is turned upside down. She awakes the next morning to discover the world is now exactly like a Bollywood movie and she has to figure out how to change it back.

This was a sometimes funny, sometimes sad, very heartfelt middle grade book that teaches it's okay to show your emotions. It deals with grief, family separation, fear of losing a friend, and struggles with grades all with a Bollywood music theme song playing in the background.

This book could also make a fun movie. I also sincerely hope they have an audiobook with the music playing and singing, so those listening can get a full Bollywood experience. This is a great middle grade book and I definitely recommend it.

That Thing About Bollywood is a middle grade novel that features an Indian family, and learning how to embrace and express emotions, even when they're painful. Sonali is an 11 year old girl , whose parents have a long history of fighting, and decide to separate. Sonali is known by her friends and family for being almost 'robot' like, and hiding her true feelings. After she finds out that her parents will be separating, she develops 'Bollywood-itis', where it becomes normal to sing and dance your feelings on a daily basis. Sonali is the only one who remembers life before Bollywood-itis struck. Sonali ends up learning a lot about emotions for not only herself, but her friends and family as well.

I felt that this book was a little slow and disconnected at the beginning, but it definitely grew on me, and by the end, it totally had my heart. I thought the concept of Bollywood-itis was really unique, and a great way to feature the cultural aspects of Bollywood and Hindi traditions. As a white woman, a lot of the things presented in the book were unknown to me (although, I do eat a lot of Indian food, yum). For me, I see it as a good way to learn more and expand my horizons, but I could see it leaving some non-Indian readers a little lost at times. But, I definitely love seeing more representation for South Asian readers, so I think this book brings a lot of value to the table in that aspect. It would also be a good book for children who are experiencing a parental separation, to see a character experiencing some of the difficult feelings they may be feeling as well.

All in all, I think this is a sweet, cozy book, that still manages to tackle some difficult subjects for middle grade readers.

I received this book as an eARC thanks to NetGalley!

"That Thing About Bollywood" by Supiyra Kelkar
Release Date: 5.18.2021

Sonali has a lot of questions, especially about love and romance. Her parents aren't getting along, and they might even separate. She knows people dance and sing in Bollywood when they're in love, and she wonders if it is the same when they break up.

Ronak, Sonali's little brother, is not adjusting well and cries constantly. Sonali doesn't think she could ever share her feelings like that, since it's so embarrassing.

But then, during a field trip, she finds herself singing and dancing in the style of Bollywood, expressing why she feels upset!

The next day, everyone is dancing and singing, like it's the norm. Sonali learns that it is okay to share her feelings, even if she is feeling frustrated and sad.

I loved the vivid descriptions of Bollywood! It appears that Indian and American culture are blended, as well as sharing the topic of divorce, which is not really discussed in South Asian families. I think this will be a great addition to my children's department.


Thank you to @NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #2021bookreleases #middlegradefiction #middlegradenovel #2021middlegrade #thatthingaboutbollywood #supiryakelkar

As a result of my various committee appointments and commitments I am unable to disclose my personal thoughts on this title at this time. Please see my star rating for a general overview of how I felt about this title. Additionally, you may check my GoodReads for additional information on what thoughts I’m able to share publicly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this and any other titles you are in charge of.

This book is exactly the kind of book I needed when I was in elementary and middle school! A wonderfully filmy book riddled with Bollywood references this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Kelkar blends American and Indian culture seamlessly and includes a cast of characters from many different backgrounds. This book also touches on the very taboo topic of divorce within the South Asian communities.

The Bollywood references would have been perfect when I was 11 years old but seeing as how that was nearly a decade ago, the references were just a bit outdated for kids today. References to more 00’s and 10’s movies like Jodhaa Akbar, 3 Idiots, or Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania would be more relatable to 11 year olds today.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. This book took a funny, unexpected twist, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! While the underlying story of parents' divorce, friendship troubles, and navigating the sea of adolescent emotions was painful, this book will be very helpful to many going through the same experiences during those difficult middle school years. The theatrics of song, dance, color, costume, and movie effects typical in Bollywood movies was well described, and I enjoyed the fantasy twist. I am very pleased that this book is very clean, without expletives, violence, or romance. While it is the Hindi culture is described, it is a wonderful diverse book touting the friendship across nationalities (India, Pakistan, and America). I will be recommending this book to our school counselor as well as school library.

Sonali has a lot of trouble expressing her emotions, until her world changes into a Bollwood movie - with an omnipresent soundtrack, spontaneous (but still choreographed!) dance routines, and occasional solo performances.

This was a nice middle grade book about emotions, especially those surrounding divorce, and thought the Bollywood angle was clever. I will definitely recommend this to kids 4th/5th and up, but I didn't love it personally.

Right off the bat I absolutely loved the world the book created. My kids love watching Bollywood movies with their grandfather and catching the references to famous movies was a delight. The twist really brought it to life and had me pulling for Sonali to open up and talk about her feelings. This book is a great jumping off point for middle grades students who need some encouragement to talk about their feelings and express themselves. I will definitely be recommending it to students.

This is a well composed novel exploring both Indian American culture and divorce. I think the addition of the Bollywood music angle is perfect to discuss the difficulty with sharing emotions in a tumultuous time.

Eleven-year-old Sonali prefers to keep her emotions in check but finds she is no longer able to when, following her parents announcement that they are going to try a trial separation, she wakes up in a world where everyone has their own Bollywood-style soundtrack and burst into song during moments of heightened emotion. Suddenly Sonali's thoughts about her parents fighting, their seemingly inevitable divorce, and her best friend's evident preference for a new friend are public knowledge (& fully curated). Personally I preferred the book before the Bollywood music started, as Sonali's distress about her new world swiftly overtook the more interesting & nuanced issues of changing friends and family structure, but other readers may feel otherwise.