The young brown-skinned girl narrating this picture book starts by explaining she was once asked the question “What are you?” and didn’t know how to answer, but kept thinking about it. Across these pages the girl provides an answer that is as complex and multifaceted as she is. “I am a girl. I am human. I am a human animal,” she begins. She goes on to make additional statements about many other aspects of her identity, such as who she is in relation to others—daughter, granddaughter, “Amma to my guys [stuffed animals]”; dark-skinned in comparison to some, pale in comparison to others. She is someone who loves animals but is nervous around them; who might be an artist even if she doesn’t win an art competition; who can be selfish or generous, mean or kind, scared or brave depending on the situation. Eventually she also says, “I am an American. I am Indian.” An eloquent concept, simply stated, captures the complex and sometimes contradictory identities that are part of being any child, and part of being human. Illustrations created with pencil, watercolor, and Photoshop provide a cheery accompaniment to an upbeat story that concludes with an author’s note addressing what many readers will implicitly understand: The question “What are you?” is often asking about race, and is both rude and invasive. (Ages 5-9)

The creator of Little Owl's Night explores and celebrates the complexities of what makes us who we are in this comforting and thoughtful picture book.

A young narrator describes herself: a girl, a granddaughter, Indian, and American. Soon, we see the young girl as a plethora of things: selfish and generous, mean and kind, brave and mischievous. While many of these qualities oppose each other, the context and illustrations make it abundantly clear that she speaks the truth. She is a walking contradiction, and that is precisely what makes her both a unique individual and an essential piece of the greater world around her. Divya Srinivasan shows what makes us human and proud to be who we are.