Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps

Words By: Srividhya Venkat | Art By: Kavita Ramchandran

Dance is for all genders and all ages…dance is for everyone!

One Sunday, Varun reluctantly accompanies his sister Varsha to her dance lesson. Bored of waiting, he peeks into the classroom. Almost immediately, he is fascinated by the rhythm and grace of bharatanatyam, a classical dance from India that Varsha is learning to perfect. Varun tries a few moves at home in secret because…well, boys don’t dance, do they? His grandfather is not so sure. Varun’s thatha encourages him to sign up for dance school, and when Varun is disheartened by the comments he hears, his grandfather leads by example. Varun then becomes the first boy in his sister’s class, following in his beloved thatha’s footsteps.

A heartwarming picture book featuring a multigenerational Indian-American family discovering a shared love for dance and challenging gender stereotypes.


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South Asia Book Award—Winner (2022) 

AGHE Book Award for Best Children's Literature on Aging: Primary Reader—Honorable Mention (2024)


"This book’s charming protagonist and believable plot provide a wonderful opening for conversations about the dangers of strict gender constructs."—Kirkus Reviews

“A general purchase for most libraries, this is a lyrical message in support of family relationships, resisting peer pressure, and following one’s inner call to art.”—School Library Journal


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Themes:
Realistic Fiction, Internal Struggle, Asian American, Family Stories, Family, Siblings, Social Issues, Social-Emotional Learning, The Arts, Include Back Matter, Include Phonetic Glossary, Include Teaching Resources