Written by Harshini Vankineni
Illustrated by Neha Rawat
Published by Candlewick Press
Mom's Review
What Color is the Baby? confronts colorism head-on, showing how difficult challenging one's family can be for adults and how willingly children confront injustice. When our narrator's little sister is born, the immediate family is filled with joy, but as the extended family hears of her birth, the relatives all want to know what color her skin is. Our narrator sees the hurt the question causes her parents and doesn't understand why skin tone matters. Eventually, she brings the relatives to her way of thinking. Vankineni tackles the topic of colorism in Indian families delicately, acknowledging long-standing beliefs while gently and firmly presenting an opposing viewpoint. Back matter includes a note outlining her childhood experiences with colorism. Vankineni's debut picture book is truly a celebration of skin tones and undoubtedly a book she would have loved as a child.
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