ORDER THE SPICE BOX
Release Date: April 16, 2024
Alfred A. Knopf, Penguin Random House
“A warm tale of family bursting with color and love.” —Kirkus Reviews
Featured in American Library Association’s ALSC 2024 Día Reading List
“An intimate, lyrical story about an ancient artistic tradition.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Prabhat’s art juxtaposes fantasy, memory, and reality as Sriram details how “The sweet smell of henna,/ and stories we carry,/ fill us with pride/ of a faraway home.””
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The direct and clear narration by Indian-born Sriram is enlivened by gorgeous, jewel-toned, and culturally specific artwork by Bangalore-based artist Neethi.” —The Horn Book
“Within this one board book, children will have a sense of the clothing, jewelry, sights, and sounds of another country, vividly evoked by paintings and in language, and stamped with the love of the families shown.” – School Library Journal
American Library Association’s 2022 RISE: A FEMINIST BOOK PROJECT selection
Featured in Kirkus Reviews: 7 STELLAR MIDDLE GRADE READS FOR YOUNG FEMINISTS
“A book like this reminds us that there really is nothing that cannot be learned about through children’s books. . . . A powerful biography that will inspire readers who can relate to being biracial and bicultural, artistic, motivated, determined, and curious.” – Booklist
“This lyrical picture-book biography not only celebrates Sher-Gil’s rebellious brilliance, it also frankly examines the challenges and opportunities presented by having a mixed heritage. While much of Sher-Gil’s life and work involved highly adult themes, this book addresses these issues in a child-friendly manner without hiding the truth.” – Kirkus Reviews
In THE NEW YORK TIMES : 8 Picture Books About Food and Fellowship
2022 SKIPPING STONES HONOR AWARD WINNER
“Sriram’s simple rhyming story celebrating the unifying magic of food pairs well with the childlike naïveté of de Antuñano’s inclusive and diverse gouache illustrations. . . .Without skipping a beat, she folds words for both dumplings and family members and their respective languages into her couplets.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Peppy, rhyming text; cheerful illustrations; and a counting element combine for an enjoyable introduction to 10 types of dumpling from around the world, spanning Nigeria to Russia to Japan.” – Booklist
2021 SOUTH ASIA BOOK AWARD Winner
2020 Foreword Reviews Indies BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR, SILVER AWARD Winner
A 2021 Bank Street BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR
A 2020 School Library Journal BEST PICTURE BOOK
A 2020 NERDY BOOK AWARD Winner
“An excellent story for young readers to enhance their understanding of color and an aspect of traditional Indian culture.” – Starred review, School Library Journal
“a must-have for primary libraries seeking fresh material for required curricula.” – Starred review, Foreword Reviews
“A thoughtful story that artfully addresses the loss of a grandparent from an immigrant perspective.” – Kirkus
“This thoughtful picture book provides a rare and necessary perspective, free of tropes and clichés…” – ALA Booklist
“beautifully bittersweet expression of love and loss” – Starred review, Foreword Reviews
Official Author Bio:
Meera Sriram is an Indian American children’s writer who draws from her life straddling the East and West to tell stories. She is the author of several picture books including the multi-award winner, A GIFT FOR AMMA, DUMPLING DAY, featured in The New York Times, and A GARDEN IN MY HANDS, which received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Her work has been selected as Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal and Bank Street College, and as American Library Association’s Rise: A Feminist Book Project. Her forthcoming title, THE SPICE BOX, releases in Spring 2024. Meera loves woodsy hikes and urban murals, and lives with her family in Berkeley, California. For more information, please visit: http://www.meerasriram.com
Official Headshot:
Meera Sriram 