Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps by Srividhya Venkat is a heartwarming picture book about Varun, who discovers his passion for Bharatanatyam, an Indian dance form, after joining his sister and grandfather at dance class. Through his journey, the book celebrates the joy of embracing cultural heritage and breaking gender stereotypes. A delightful and inspiring story, it beautifully captures the joy of discovering one’s passion and the importance of cultural connection, all while challenging traditional gender norms with grace and warmth.

A delightful book that breaks the stereotype that classical dance is for women. Loved the beautiful art and the story that's so full of heart.

This book is so incredibly sweet and wholesome. The best way I can describe this, is that is is the literary equivalent of a warm hug.

5☆ A Heart-warming Children's Picture Book

Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps is a Heart-warming and Endearing Story about breaking down barriers, following your dreams, and to never give up.

I had never heard of the dance bharatanatyam and reading this beautiful children's picture book opened my eyes to a new dance.

Varun had never been interested in dance, until he ventured in with his grandfather Thatha to take his sister Varsha to dance school.
As far as he was concerned Dance was for girls.
But once he stepped inside the magic of the music and dance took over and ignited a passion inside of him.

But it wasn't OK for Varun to dance and it made him sad.
That was until his Grandfather taught him a very special lesson.

I loved this book it touched my heart. No one should ever stop you doing the things you love because of Gender, Age, Ability, Race, etc.. you should never give up on your dreams and doing what makes you happy.

I really appreciated the little guide about the story and the pronunciations it was a beautiful touch. I also like learning about the history of the dance and how over the years more Men have been able to break down barriers and was able to Dance.

The illustrations are brilliant and bring the story to life, especially the Dancing.
It's a nice quick read, with an important message behind the story!
Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps would make a great story time read, I think children aged 4-7years will really enjoy reading this book.

Thank you to Yali Books and Netgalley for my copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review!

Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps by Srividhya Venkat is an amazing heartfelt read that really touches your hearts and reminds you of the importance of family and identity. The story follows Varun and his grandfather as Varun wishes to learn Bharatnatyam. While initially worried about learning to dance, Varun overcomes these gender stereotypes when he's inspired by his grandfather who also danced. It's a lovely story with amazing illustrations.

Highly recommend this heartwarming book! Wonderful book to have in your classroom.

Srividhya Venkat’s Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps, is a must have in all lower elementary classrooms. In this lovely intergenerational story about the relationship between a grandfather and grandson, the issue of gender stereotypes is also tackled when Varun decides to learn Bharatnatyam. He overcomes his worries about it being okay for him to dance after discovering that thatha (grandfather) also used to dance. Kavita Ramchandran's gorgeous illustrations brings this story to life and will capture young readers attention.

I highly recommend this inspirational and heartwarming book!

Every once in a while I read a picture book. Most take barely take half an hour to read but it’s astonishing how they pack so much in them!

Take Srividhya Venkat’s Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps, for example. Every Sunday, accompanied by their grandfather, Varun goes for karate classes while his sister Varsha goes to learn Bharatnatyam. But one Sunday everything changes when Varun happens to peek into Varsha’s class when they dance. He is immediately taken by their moves and wants to learn it too. But dancing is for girls, isn’t it?

Srividhya Venkat tackles the weighty issue of gender stereotypes through this simple, sweet story. Varun initially struggles to accept that it’s really ok for him to dance too. Then he discovers that his thatha (grandfather) was a dancer himself. Helped along by thatha’s expert instructions, Varun overcomes his reluctance and begins to enjoy his dancing lessons.

Although clearly written with an Indian-American audience in mind, I think anyone will enjoy reading this heartwarming book.

An inspirational story that encourages children to do what they truly love. We need more stories like this. And those beautiful illustrations by Kavita Ramchandran.

Big thanks to Yali Books for my ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

This is an illustrative book made for kids. It is a story of an Indian Origin boy in the United States. This book majorly focuses on teaching kids about gender neutrality.

So basically the protagonist likes to dance Bharatanatyam but then he feels it is too girly for him and keeps himself from persuing it. That is when his Thatha (grandfather) tells him the story of his life and how he is too a dancer and how dancing has nothing to do with one's gender. And also this will help children understand how they should follow their heart and do whatever they like without falling for stereotypes and prejudice.

It is a must-read book for kids, not only in the US or India but also kids everywhere. I liked it so much. And I also loved the illustration.

It was a short and very impactful book.

This was a very cute book about a little boy who learns how to dance bharatnatyam like his sister and Thatha (grandfather). I really appreciate how this book refutes modern gender roles that have been imposed onto Indian culture and makes it clear that both girls and boys should be welcome to learn traditional Indian dance. The end part explaining the Tamil terms and more about bharatnatyam was very helpful too. I only wish the book was longer!

Dancing In Thatha's Footsteps is a relatable and moving story about a young boy who wants to learn Bharatanatyam but is nearly scared off of it because it isn't for boys, it's a girl thing, and ultimately only does it because he is encouraged by his Thatha, who also used to do it. It's a beautiful exploration of culture and gender roles. The illustrations are soft and lovely. The notes at the end were interesting and helpful, especially as someone from a different culture than the characters in the book and the creators who made it. The guide to the Tamil words was also helpful, and I'm not sure I've ever seen Tamil featured in a picture book before.

This was a beautiful story that was beautifully executed and I'm so incredibly grateful to have had the chance to read it. I would highly recommend it for sure, especially for children who love dance or who are passionate about something that others don't think they should be.

4.5 stars!

What a beautiful little book this is! The author talks about gender identity through dance and it's one of the most beautiful things I've seen today. Breaking gender stereotypes is a must and Varun's Thatha helps him along as Varun navigates the path between wanting to dance and being afraid of what his peers and society would say if he did. Because society has led him to believe that 'dance isn't for boys'. But the author puts everything so simply, so beautifully, it puts a big grin on your face.

Highly recommend! Plus, the sight of Varun and his Thatha dancing together is too cute to miss out! <3

"Everything about bharatanatyam filled his heart with joy."

Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps is an illustrated children's book about an American-Indian boy named Varun who learns to embrace his newfound love for bharatanatyam - an ancient classical dance form from India - even though his friends laugh and say "dance is not for boys!"

This charming picture book is about breaking stereotypes, embracing one's culture and pursuing your passion. It was so sweet to see the encouragement that Thatha (grandfather in Tamil) gives Varun to explore his newfound passion for dance. But most of all, it was endearing to see the love for dance being passed on from grandfather to grandchild. Venkat delightfully delivers the beautiful reminder that the love of dance spans generations, and that it is for all genders.

We often forget the struggles and mental hurdles of peer pressure that young children face, so it was lovely to see these addressed, inspiring young hearts to pursue their passions.

Thank you to Yali Books and NetGalley, for the arc of Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did you know my first dance Guru was a 50 year old MAN. He was the harshest and would make us practice till 8 in the night.
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Yes, genuine practice.no funny business sir. Practice means practice. He would tell my mother if you want them to be dancers you have to leave them here till 10 pm. I was just 3.5 years old.
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Then my mother was like no. Let's bring some routine in the kids life. So at 5.5 years old I started learning Kathak by Pandit Birju Maharaj's daughter-in-law Vaswati Mishra.
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Then came Daniel Sir. Daniel Freddy, a renowned Kathak dancer who was equivalent to a magician and Vaswati Mishra to make us dance. When Daniel Sir taught us I never questioned that oh he is a boy. How can he dance? My friend Avinav Mukherji is another spectacular Kathak dancer who is graceful and inspiration for many kids regardless of gender to learn Dance. Here Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps is such a short and colourful story of Varun grandfather who was a dancer in his time. I have seen male dancers more in my personal life but this book will show the young ones and their parents that boys can do Kathak too. Boys can learn Bharatanatyam too. To remove stereotypes from your brain and a child's brain this is such an important read. The book also gives the example of how adults are the ones who become the examples and young brains are so impressionable that we have to be careful of what we say and present in their world.

Srividhya Venkat’s Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps delivers the timeless message that the love of dance not only spans generations, but is for all genders.

Dancing is for girls… right? Well once Varun discovers how magical performing the Indian dance Bharatanatyam makes him feel, he craves more!

Fixed with the notion that dancing is fine for his sister, but boys should play sports, Varun struggles with how others react when they discover his secret. Trying to shrug off his attraction to dancing is useless, as everywhere he looks aspects of Bharatanatyam lure him back to the dance school. Varun must dig deep for the courage to ignore the teasing and embrace his love of dance.

Thankfully, granddad is on hand to show Varun that the joy of dance should be embraced by young and old, regardless of their gender.

I fell in love with Kavita Ramchandran’s illustrations, and they’re simply perfect for Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps. Colorful, and pixie-sweet, Kavita Ramchandran’s adorable beings float and fly, and freely embrace every corner of this book. In the background, whimsical images help carry the story along.

What a wonderful message to send home about embracing our heritages!

Title - Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps
Author - Srividhya Venkat
Genre - Children's Fiction

Plot:

A pretty short illustrated story about Varun, who slowly discovers his love for Bharatanatyam. He is being made fun by girls in the institution but what he does not know is the charming little secret that was kept hidden from him which would make him embrace the dance form again.

My Take on the book:

The book is pretty short and can be read within one sitting but what takes the cake is the way it is written. To inspire children to pursue their dream (in this case, learning Bharatanatyam which was seen as dance only for ladies), this book is pretty apt. With illustrations that are equally mesmerising, this will be my recommendation to anyone who wants a short and simple book to motivate their kids.

My Ratings - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5 out of 5 stars)

How beautiful was this story!

Dancing bodies, memories, and fun! Those are the words I'd used to describe this book. Varun and his grandpa spend their Sundays together while his sister goes to dance class. And Varun is struggling with gender norms and expectations and his love to dance. All he wants to do is dance the Bharatanatyam and get rid of the anxiety he feels when the dance students ask him to stay and join in the fun. With intergenerational friendships, cultural dance, and a journey to defy gender norms, this book tells a wonderful tale that will warm your heart and make you want to join the dance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Yali Books for providing me with an ARC.
I can't wait to buy this one for myself!!

Varun is a young boy who falls in love with Bharatnatyam when he visits the dance class with his sister and grandfather. He wishes to learn Bharatnatyam but is shamed for liking and wanting to dance because dancing is not for boys. But Varun's grandfather help him and those around him break the stereotype and be understanding.

The book was so short with just 34 pages yet holds a powerful message about how most of the people are left out to do things they want to just because of the stereotype and that breaking those stereotypes are very necessary.

The illustrations added more beauty to the story. Overall an amazing read

Wow! At first I thought it was a story about ethnic cultures that are getting erased in the life of the younger ones now. However, it is actually about gender equality, Dance is also for Boys! Singing could be for everyone. Skateboarding are not just for guys! Barbie dolls are not only for girls. A good book about the stopping of stereotyping.

Such a sweet story that highlights many important conversations for children today including gender roles & stereotypes, the value of culture, and pursuing what you love regardless of other’s opinions. I loved seeing an underrepresented culture get to shine through this story! Perfect addition to an early childhood or elementary classroom!

This book was really cute! I loved the focus on the fact that boys can dance! The Indian culture is full of dancing boys and I’m glad that could be seen through grandpa! I also loved the diversity in the drawings! The diversity among the people as well as Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQIA+ flag in the NYC Streets!