With the advent of various social media reading groups, readers of young-adult fiction in Bangladesh have grouped together to create a world of their own. The YA Anglophone readers have mostly been exposed to western authors, such as John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Sarah J Mass, who are widely celebrated among YA readers in this part of the world.
DLF 2018 has truly diversified its scope by inviting literary talents who delve into a plethora of genres. This year, young readers will discover novels that are closer to home, speak the language of the subcontinent and provide a refreshing detour from the voices of the west. Himanjali Sankar and Mitali Perkins are two authors who have been writing for a young audience, serving a fantastic blend of South Asian culture and addressing sensitive issues in their prose.
Himanjali Sankar
Having worked with publishers such as Scholastic India, Bloomsbury India and Pan Macmillan, Himanjali Sankar is a YA novelist at the peak of her writing career. However, for her latest work of fiction, “Talking of Muskaan”, she has made the radical decision of choosing an independent publishing house—Duckbill Books.
Sankar has a unique place in the literary and editing scene in India. Her debut, “The Magical Adventures of Skinny Scribbles”, is her delightful novel for children, which she published with Scholastic India. However, she resorted to Duckbill for her next three creations—the two books of her Superdog series and “Talking of Muskaan”. In her successful literary career, she has also been an editor with Bloomsbury India.
Himanjali Sankar and Mitali Perkins | Courtesy
“Talking of Muskaan” opens with a momentous ‘first’ for four young girls—Aaliya, Divya, Srinjini and Muskaan. On their way to buy their first tin of wax and strips, the novel follows the foursome on their journey of self-discovery, sexuality and coming of age. Throughout the novel, Sankar’s understanding of young adult voices and their worldview remains inspiringly strong. Besides, Talking of Muskaan breaks the silence that is usually associated with homosexuality, becoming the very first YA Indian novel to address the issue head on.
Mitali Perkins: A safe place for young people
As a child, a young Mitali had found her safe place in the fire escape, where she would often crawl out on to read and write. The adventurous, colourful and insightful prose of Mitali Perkins combines issues of diaspora, body image, identity and self-worth among young adults of varied roots.
In no way does Perkins, author of “Monsoon Summer” and “Secret Keeper”, limit herself to her Indian roots, nor does she keep her worldview limited to diasporic realities. Rather, she explores the rest of South Asia through her novels, including Bangladesh. While Sameera from her “First Daughter” series is a Pakistani-born adopted daughter of an American diplomat, Naima from “Rickshaw Girl” is a talented artist from Bangladesh. “Rickshaw Girl” deserves a special mention because in it Perkins has taken on the challenging task of portraying the changing face of a Bangladeshi village—its people’s struggle for gender equality and social justice and also, how they cope with the growth of microfinance.
Mitali Perkins strives to create a safe place for young people in her stories.
