The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar and Alea Marley
Hello, Supriya Kelkar! Thank you for returning to Watch. Connect. Read. to celebrate The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh. Alea Marley’s cover illustration screams JOY and LOVE. I love everything about this important and necessary picture book, especially Harpreet Singh and his big heart.
Supriya Kelkar: Thank you for having me! It is so great to be back and it means so much to me that you enjoyed the book! And yes, Alea Marley’s cover illustration is stunning. I definitely gave my phone a little hug when I saw the finished art.
What inspired you to write The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh?
Supriya: I wrote THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH at a time when it felt like hate was really starting to be emboldened again. The story initially came to me from a place of worry that my children, and children everywhere, were going to be facing many of the things I experienced as a child, growing up in a place that didn’t value diversity. I wanted to add more joy and love and kindness to the world, and I hope readers feel all of that when they’re reading THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH.
How would you booktalk The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh in fewer than 280 characters?
Supriya: THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH is about a boy who expresses himself through colors. When he moves, he uses his colors to navigate his various emotions from feeling nervous to shy to finally feeling at home again. (Okay, that’s 213. I did it! Wait. Parentheses don’t count, do they?)
Well done!!!
Please finish these sentence starters:
Simran Jeet Singh is a scholar and professor of religion, culture, and history. He’s an activist whose work on racial justice is inspiring. And he’s a writer whose words always move me. Simran (@SikhProf on Twitter) is the author of books that span genres, including a picture book about 107-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh (Kokila, 2020). And he’s a friend who wrote the most beautiful afterword for THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH.
Story is a way to grow empathy, a way to discover how much we share, despite our differences.
Mr. Schu, you should have asked me about the most colorful place I’ve been to. That would be Bollywood of course! Okay, Bollywood isn’t a place but as a Bollywood screenwriter, I got to visit some of the most gorgeous, colorful sets that always brought a smile to my face. I am sure Alea Marley’s striking illustrations in THE MANY COLORS OF HARPEET SINGH will bring the same smile to many readers’ faces.
Harpreet Singh loves his colors—but when his family moves to a new city, everything just feels gray. Can he find a way to make life bright again?
Harpreet Singh has a different color for every mood and occasion, from pink for dancing to bhangra beats to red for courage. He especially takes care with his patka—his turban—smoothing it out and making sure it always matches his outfit. But when Harpreet’s mom finds a new job in a snowy city and they have to move, all he wants is to be invisible. Will he ever feel a happy sunny yellow again?
Supriya Kelkar: Thank you for having me! It is so great to be back and it means so much to me that you enjoyed the book! And yes, Alea Marley’s cover illustration is stunning. I definitely gave my phone a little hug when I saw the finished art.
Supriya: I wrote THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH at a time when it felt like hate was really starting to be emboldened again. The story initially came to me from a place of worry that my children, and children everywhere, were going to be facing many of the things I experienced as a child, growing up in a place that didn’t value diversity. I wanted to add more joy and love and kindness to the world, and I hope readers feel all of that when they’re reading THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH.
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Supriya: THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH is about a boy who expresses himself through colors. When he moves, he uses his colors to navigate his various emotions from feeling nervous to shy to finally feeling at home again. (Okay, that’s 213. I did it! Wait. Parentheses don’t count, do they?)
Well done!!!
Please finish these sentence starters:
Simran Jeet Singh is a scholar and professor of religion, culture, and history. He’s an activist whose work on racial justice is inspiring. And he’s a writer whose words always move me. Simran (@SikhProf on Twitter) is the author of books that span genres, including a picture book about 107-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh (Kokila, 2020). And he’s a friend who wrote the most beautiful afterword for THE MANY COLORS OF HARPREET SINGH.
Story is a way to grow empathy, a way to discover how much we share, despite our differences.
Mr. Schu, you should have asked me about the most colorful place I’ve been to. That would be Bollywood of course! Okay, Bollywood isn’t a place but as a Bollywood screenwriter, I got to visit some of the most gorgeous, colorful sets that always brought a smile to my face. I am sure Alea Marley’s striking illustrations in THE MANY COLORS OF HARPEET SINGH will bring the same smile to many readers’ faces.
Look for The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh on September 3, 2019.
Harpreet Singh has a different color for every mood and occasion, from pink for dancing to bhangra beats to red for courage. He especially takes care with his patka—his turban—smoothing it out and making sure it always matches his outfit. But when Harpreet’s mom finds a new job in a snowy city and they have to move, all he wants is to be invisible. Will he ever feel a happy sunny yellow again?
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