This is Who I Am
Published on 11. September 2025
Book
Hardback
32 pages
978-1-83913-577-4 (ISBN)
Description
Discover that we are so much more than where we are from in this beautiful, poetic celebration of children with shared heritage, from a Diverse Book Award-winning team.
When people ask her where she is from, this little girl says she has a foot in two worlds: one in India, the country of her heritage, and one in the land her parents came to on a plane. But she is so much more than that - she is the memories, the music, the tastes, sights and sounds of both of those worlds, she is their shared history, and the people who fought for their freedom . . . but most of all, she is proud to be herself.
A poetic story about a little girl with Indian heritage who discovers all of the amazing things that make her who she is.
When people ask her where she is from, this little girl says she has a foot in two worlds: one in India, the country of her heritage, and one in the land her parents came to on a plane. But she is so much more than that - she is the memories, the music, the tastes, sights and sounds of both of those worlds, she is their shared history, and the people who fought for their freedom . . . but most of all, she is proud to be herself.
A poetic story about a little girl with Indian heritage who discovers all of the amazing things that make her who she is.
Reviews / Votes
A moving celebration of heritage and identity, this softly coloured picture book follows a little girl with "a foot in two worlds", who is both "the richness of all the worlds she belongs to" and uniquely, proudly herself -- Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian * A moving celebration of identity, at once softly gorgeous and fierce -- Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian * A little girl celebrates her dual heritage and the two countries from where she is from... and reminds herself - and us - that she is proud to be herself * The Bookseller Children's Previews * A joyful book celebrating children with shared heritage...soft images and a warm colour palette deliver this gentle message -- Darcy White * Sheffield Telegraph * A joyful celebration of identity, family and heritage * LoveReading4Kids *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 3 to 5 years
Dimensions
Height: 284 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight
382 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83913-577-4 (9781839135774)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Rashmi Sirdeshpande (Author)
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is a lawyer-turned-storyteller, who was part of the Penguin Random House WriteNow mentoring programme in 2018. As a British Indian child, she didn't get to see many children like her in the books she read, so she is now passionate about writing stories that children from all backgrounds can relate to.
Ruchi Mhasane (Illustrator)
Ruchi Mhasane has an MA in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. Her ambition is to develop the form of the picture book; in India, children's books usually have few pictures, and her aim in joining the MA was to change this. Ruchi especially enjoys drawing people and children, and her work has a dreamy quality to it. She currently lives in India, where she grew up.
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is a lawyer-turned-storyteller, who was part of the Penguin Random House WriteNow mentoring programme in 2018. As a British Indian child, she didn't get to see many children like her in the books she read, so she is now passionate about writing stories that children from all backgrounds can relate to.
Ruchi Mhasane (Illustrator)
Ruchi Mhasane has an MA in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. Her ambition is to develop the form of the picture book; in India, children's books usually have few pictures, and her aim in joining the MA was to change this. Ruchi especially enjoys drawing people and children, and her work has a dreamy quality to it. She currently lives in India, where she grew up.