by Suma Subramaniam, Illustrated by Shreya Gupta
5 stars
A stunning picture book following the life of M.S. Subbulakshmi. Subbulakshmi loves to sing and wants to share her magnificent voice with others, but girls are barred from singing at public performances in India. That doesn’t stop her. With the support of her mother, she keeps singing, making new connections, and honing her craft.
This is a wonderful story about persistent, hope, strength, and using your voice to help others. Historic events touched on are the Indian Independence Movement in the 1940s and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The story highlights the ways Subbulakshmi broke down barriers through her love of singing and her country.
The artwork is absolutely stunning. A perfect compliment to the straightforward text. There is a magical element to each page. Great use of movement that really captures the essence of Subbulakshmi’s voice.
The backmatter contains a little information about Carnatic music, a short glossary of terms, a timeline of Subbulakshmi’s life, and a selected bibliography.
A wonderful nonfiction read that is informational and inspirational.