Kashmira Sheth’s eloquent verse novel follows an Indian American Sikh boy through a year of change, challenges, and growth

Anoop is many things: a brother, a son, a grandson, a friend, a middle school student, and a budding writer. He is also Indian American and Sikh.

When he joins a new class, separated from longtime friends, aspects of his identityespecially his long hair, covered with a patkadraw attention in new and uncomfortable ways. At the same time, his beloved grandfather in India is nearing death, leading Anoop to think about faith and identity and his place in the world, especially as attacks on American Sikhs accelerate and he is reminded of his grandfathers experiences during Partition.

Can the tenets of his faithequality, justice, service, honestyhelp Anoop navigate life? Can he even maintain them?