A very wonderful collection of stories about South Asian community in America. I believe we need more stories of them more than ever.

5/5or 9.57/10

Characters-10

I loved the characters in this. I don’t read many stories in the anthology genre, but I am so glad I read this one. The kids in this story each had their personality and backstories, which I loved. The sense of community was strong with the characters in this book, and I loved how all the kids supported each other.

Writing-10

With anthologies, there are usually one or two stories that I call my favorites because of the writing, and how the writing fits in with the theme of the anthology. The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi had great authors, and I loved each story. The writing styles were different, but they all made sense. The writing had a flow, so the reader could easily read from one story to another.

Plot-9

I loved the plots of all these stories. They were all so fun, and I loved how they all connected. The kids in one story interacted with other stories which I enjoyed. Each character in the story had a passion and something they were trying to do to make a change for the better. These were also stories of family, and I loved seeing the families in the community.

Enjoyment-10

I had so much fun reading this. I enjoyed the characters a lot, and I loved the sense of community this book had. I will read more from the authors.

The 328 page middle grade book is a collection of 11 Desi voices, four of which are Muslim (Hena Khan, Reem Faruqi, Aisha Saeed, and N.H. Senzai). All 11 are threaded together by a fictional community center that houses badminton games, ameens, cooking classes, dancing for Navratri, chess tournaments, spelling bees, celebrating an aqiqah, and everything in between. The majority of the stories are joyful with threads of overcoming stereotypes being a frequent mention in a book filled with different cultures, religions, and perspectives. Potential flags and triggers: there is mention in one story of domestic violence, there are a few hetero crushes and one same sex identifying boy who isn't ready to discuss his attractions, there is ostracizing of a single woman choosing to adopt, and a few mentions of divorce. As with all anthologies some are better written than others, but as a whole the book is pretty consistent in spotlighting something specific to religion or Desi culture, and having a hobby or family conflict push the character to problem solve, find their voice, and then be supported in a happy ending.

My favorite story is N.H. Senzai's piece, I might be bias seeing as I check her Instagram numerous times a day for Palestine updates, but her story, with the domestic violence mom and daughter surviving and flourishing, is powerful, on level, and memorable. Framed around a mom's prayers, duaas, she named her daughter Duaa. Duaa is a gamer that tries to make her mom happy by helping with her catering business. When she helps set up for a domestic abuse banquet at the community center she faces what her and her mom overcame by leaving in the middle of the night, and starting over.

I'm not going to review each story, but I will highlight the remaining Muslim authored ones. Aisha Saeed's story doesn't have any Islam specific mentions, her story is set during a mehndi at the community center. Her khala is getting married to Brian and moving to Kenya, and she is not happy, throw in cousins who are still mad at her for ruining their furniture with chocolate last year, and Maha just wants to hide in the back and pout.

Reem Faruqi brings her characters together through old fashioned letter writing. Orchestrated by Rahma's nani, second cousins who will be meeting for the first time at an aqiqah at the community center, start corresponding to get to know one another, and gripe about siblings. When they finally do meet, in matching outfits no less, the girls decide their siblings, like their favorite candy, can be both sweet and sour.

Hena Khan's story brings everyone together for an ameen six years in the making. Halima has finally finished the Quran and the family is throwing a party. Halima wanted a carnival type party, mom wants a formal affair, but when the community center is on the brink of being closed down, the family decides to invite everyone to show what the center offers the community.

I love story compilations by a group of great authors, and this one does not disappoint! I was so excited to read authentic Desi stories and The Door is Open is fantastic!

Chicken Soup For The Modern Tween’s Soul

Quotes📖
This is just the ending of today's story. Tomorrow, in the future, all the parts of me that make me who I am will start a new one.

During that time, the queen chess piece started to change into what she is now. My queen is not like Isabella. My queen protects all her people.

Thoughts 💡
This book reminded me of Chicken Soup For The Soul but focused specifically on Desi, South Asian, and South Asian American voices.
It sucked me in from the beginning with a story about chess and the rampant prejudice and misogynistic ideas in the community. It had Check & Mate vibes but was age appropriate for a 10 year old (i.e. no romance, cursing, etc. just some kids hopped up on Mountain Dew).
That story transitioned to another with a different MC with different struggles but was set in the same community center. Each story had a different theme and different struggles but each of them were well written and compelling. There’s something for every kid in this book.

✨Note✨Each story was written by a different author but they were all edited and compiled into this anthology by Hana Khan.

⚠️Content Warning⚠️
Confronts difficult topics like racism, prejudices, and misogyny

Stats📊
Ages 8 & Up
Middle Grade Short Stories
Out Now (April 24, 2024)
Each chapter is a different story by a different author

This book was simply amazing, and right on time with AANHPI month starting next week. It is a great read and resource for children and everyone with many lessons in each story. I enjoyed all of the stories, and some of my favorites include Check yourself, Alok at the Dance, The Map of Home, Answered Prayers, and Out In The Open. It has South Asian American representation and was written so beautifully, I could imagine each and every story. It is a must read.

Explore the tales of young Desi teenagers through this novel.

Welcome to the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the locals of all cultures, most notably the South Asian cultures, gather at the Community Center to celebrate, live, laugh, and love. Read this brilliant array of talented desi authors' beautifully crafted stories that tackle the themes of triumph and fighting for what's right.

This book was truly an enjoyable and heartwarming experience. As I read the pages, I immersed myself in the fascinating stories of the desi authors I knew. Their writing reminded me of the fantastic stories I had read before, and it was an absolute pleasure to relive them again.

Each of the book's characters has unique personalities and goals, making them relatable and interesting. I rooted for them throughout the book, and their stories left a lasting impression on me.

If you're looking for a book that will inspire you and celebrate our uniqueness, I highly recommend this one. It can touch the hearts of anyone who loves a good story filled with hope and inspiration.

Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚

Thank you, @tbrbeyondtours & @littlebrownforyoungreaders, for sending me a copy of your book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Door is Open is a collection of interconnected short stories that celebrate the diversity among South Asian Americans. The book features eleven different Desi voices, each sharing a standalone tale from the perspective of middle school characters. However, the stories are tied together by a common thread in the community center setting. The stories cover many topics, such as life lessons, coming of age, and middle school struggles, while showcasing how kids can come together for a common goal. Some of the stories are downright hilarious, such as the story of Jeevan, an Indian middle schooler who despises Indian food but is forced to take an Indian cooking class. Overall, the book offers a sense of celebration and triumph - a genuine, heartwarming story.

The physical book includes charming illustrations at the start of each chapter and some mixed media with the short stories. I combined it with the audiobook, wonderfully narrated by Anjali Kunapaneni and Vikas Adam. Like other books showcasing diverse voices, languages, and cultures, I appreciated hearing the proper pronunciation of names, dishes, and expressions.

This is a wonderful collection of amazing authors and voices that comes together as a wonderful read. For those who relate to having dreams come true. I love that all stories are individual but part of a community.

An uplifting collection of short stories by South Asian American writers featuring South Asian American characters and themes.

"The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices" was conceived and edited by Hena Khan and is a wonderfully uplifting collection of short stories by and about South Asian Americans. The stories capture vibrant slices of community life and precious family moments, all connected through the social hub of the local community center.

While each story comes from a different author, common threads run throughout and tie the parts into a wonderful whole. Each story is a gem in its own right and self-contained, and there is a much-appreciated section about the contributors at the end of the book that includes each one’s previous works for readers to seek out and binge. The main characters are middle-grade students, for the most part, with younger and older siblings, parents, uncles, and aunties in supporting roles, and the diversity of the cultures and religions of South Asia are represented. There are stories of joy and sadness, coming-of-age moments, personal triumphs, and many emotional moments to absorb. Readers not part of the represented groups can also enjoy all the stories, relate to many of the depicted situations, or learn something new and interesting. There are several very teachable moments to share.

I recommend THE DOOR IS OPEN to middle-grade and chapter book readers, especially those interested in South Asian American culture, community, and experiences.

The community center in Maple Grove, New Jersey is the centerpiece of the town. It's where everyone goes for celebrations, get togethers, sports, classes, and events. It's important to everyone but for especially the local kids. When there's talk about closing the center, the South Asian community rallies together to save it. Stories are shared about much of an impact it has made on everyone's lives and why places like it are much needed in today's environment.

This is a fantastic short story collection about South Asian Amerifan experiences. Too often people tend to group everyone together and ignore that there are different cultures, ethnicities, languages, and voices within the umbrella term of South Asian. This book highlights all those stories and allows those voices to be heard.

While this book does tackle hard and relevant issues, the main focus of this book is joy and community. This stories do a great job of blending realistic situations but also showing that there is hope and celebration as well. It's super important to have that combination in children's literature because I feel that they need that balance. I would love to see more stories about what's next for the community center.

Oh this book was so wonderful to read. Some of these authors are long time favorites of mine, and some were new to me authors. That's why I love short story collections like these because it gives a taste of writing and makes you want to read more.

Hena Khan is a profound author who possesses a real talent to speak to her readers, across generations and cultures, and create a connection. She once again harnesses this power for the greater good of literature to edit eleven short stories from the Desi community to share with the world. The Door is Open is an exquisite collection of short stories that are at once simple and relatable to middle grade readers, yet profound and moving. Readers of all ages will delight in the beautiful stories, relating to so many aspects while also accumulating a wealth of new knowledge of cultures and unique experiences.
Review will be posted on Instagram on 4/24 for scheduled book tour date with TBR!

This book has given me a new perspective on the lives of immigrants who live distant from their hometowns; while the stories are lighthearted, they teach you a lot about culture, festivals, and overcoming obstacles. It also raises numerous societal challenges that we face on a daily basis.

I truly enjoyed it; each story is unique, and the authors' writing style varies with each read. My favorites are Out In The Open by Rajani LaRocca and Together At The Center by Hena Khan. I feel these two stories are quite related to mine.

In this book, there are many short stories that celebrate South Asian Americans and all of them all point back to the Maple Grove Community Center in NJ.

I enjoyed this book very much and I loved learning more about the South Asian culture. Each story is different, but the take away from all the stories is to be open and accepting or something/anything that's different than the norm. When you are able to do that, you are able to open you heart up to many more lovely things that life has to offer.

It has been awhile since I've read any short stories and this was a delightful experience! Each story is unique with rich characters and diverse backgrounds! It's a great addition to any library and one the kids will enjoy! Thank you Tbr and Beyond Tours, Hana Khan and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for sharing this book with me!

This collection of short stories with rich characters from Indian and Pakistani background beautifully captures the diverse and complex experiences of a middle school community.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the e-Arc.

As usual, anthologies are a mixed bag. I requested this mostly for the Muslim authors I'm familiar with, Reem Faruqi and Hena Khan, and enjoyed those stories most, but there were a few others I liked.
I loved the interwoven characters and storylines, positive family portrayals and the inclusion of religion in some of stories. On the negative side, was the overexplaining, "wokeness", lack of interesting voices (the only fun one that stood out to me was in Singh's story!) and the trend I've noticed in newer MG of on-the-nose-ness, as is middle graders are incapable of understanding subtlety.
Overall, it was okay, but I can't really identify what would make this enjoyable to a kid besides relating to the South Asian-ness?