StoryWalk - Home Is In Between

Home Is In Between by Mitali Perkins

Shanti misses the warm monsoon rains in India. Now in America, she watches fall leaves fly past her feet. Still, her family's apartment feels like a village: Mama cooking luchi, funny stories in Bangla, and Baba's big laugh. But outside, everything is different - trick-or-treating, ballet class, and English books. Back and forth, Shanti trudges between her two worlds. She remembers her village and learns her new town. She watches Bollywood movies at home and Hollywood movies with her friends. She is Indian. She is also American. How should she define home?

What is StoryWalk®?

CONTINUE THE FUN

Find the Blue Elephant

Shantin’s blue elephant appears a lot in the illustrations.  How many times can you find it? (hint: it’s not on every page, but sometimes appears on the page more than once!)

Talk About It

Pick a question (or two) and have a conversation!

• Have you ever moved?  What was it like?  What did you miss about your old home? What did you like about your new one?
• What would you miss about Lexington if you moved away?
• If you could live anywhere – where would you move?

Dance Party

Shanti learns Kathak, an ancient form of dance, from her mom and attends ballet with her friend Tonya. What style of dance do you like? Have a dance party and show off your dance moves!

Learn About It: Holi

Holi is a Hindu festival, often called The Festival of Colors, that begins on the full moon of the month of Phalunga (around February/March in the western calendar). It is a two-day celebration of spring, goodness, love, and colors. Holi is celebrated around the world. The customs and rituals of Holi are different across regions but the spirit of this festival of colors makes it a joyous occasion.

How is it celebrated?

On the night of the full moon, people light bonfires to symbolize the victory of goodness and courage. They celebrate the end of winter which paves the way for new life in spring. The next day is Holi, and to celebrate the beauty associated with spring colors, people come out on the streets to play with colors and drench each other in colored water.

Some of the Legends of Holi:

• Prahlad and Hiranyakshyap: a legend of a powerful king who considered himself a god and his son
• Radha and Krishna: Krishna takes delight in a prank upon Radha and other Gopis
• Ogress Dhundhi: the legend celebrates the Ogress Dhundhi begin chased away by the pranks of children on Holi
• Lord Shiva and Kaamadeva: the legend of the sacrifice of the Lord of Passion Kaamadeva

The Colors of Holi: The colors have different meanings

• Blue: peace and calm
• Red: love, warmth and safety
• Yellow: happiness
• Green: health, new life and new beginnings