Genre: Middle Grade Short Stories
Publishing date: April 24th, 2024

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Rep: Desi, South Asian, South Asian American

Synopsis:

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center.

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won’t make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji– he just can’t eat it).

These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.

Review

9.57/10 or 5/5

Characters-10

I loved the characters in this. I don’t read many stories in the anthology genre, but I am so glad I read this one. The kids in this story each had their personality and backstories, which I loved. The sense of community was strong with the characters in this book, and I loved how all the kids supported each other.

Writing-10

With anthologies, there are usually one or two stories that I call my favorites because of the writing, and how the writing fits in with the theme of the anthology. The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi had great authors, and I loved each story. The writing styles were different, but they all made sense. The writing had a flow, so the reader could easily read from one story to another.

Plot-9

I loved the plots of all these stories. They were all so fun, and I loved how they all connected. The kids in one story interacted with other stories which I enjoyed. Each character in the story had a passion and something they were trying to do to make a change for the better. These were also stories of family, and I loved seeing the families in the community.

Enjoyment-10

I had so much fun reading this. I enjoyed the characters a lot, and I loved the sense of community this book had. I will read more from the authors.

Hena Khan writes books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences and culture. Hena’s novels include AMINA’S VOICE, MORE TO THE STORY, and DRAWING DEENA. She is the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s picture books include GOLDEN DOMES AND SILVER LANTERNS, UNDER MY HIJAB, and IT’S RAMADAN, CURIOUS GEORGE, among others.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

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