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"When the khamaicha thrums
and the dholak drums
and the boy's feet tap
and his fingers sway ...
it is softly ... softly, so no one sees."
Harish knows the line between what men and women should want, and he keeps it in sight.
But when Harish's family suffers loss, he finds himself in charge of two sisters, in charge of making money. And so he begins to dance publicly, in the bright colors and kohl rimmed eyes of the god Krishna ... and in the rhythm-making anklets and the swirling costumes of the female Rajasthani dancers he so admired.
A new persona is born.
The path of Queen Harish to stardom is not without trial, but it is one of bravery and fearlessness. A story of triumph and inspiration. Something to sing about out loudly, proudly, so everyone can hear.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
October 24, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9798890596109
- File size: 4670 KB
- Duration: 00:09:43
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from October 16, 2023
Based on the life of drag performer Queen Harish (1979–2019), this powerful biographical picture book is both a celebration of art and a manifesto for living on one’s own terms. In the Thar Desert, where “there are lines in the sand/ that keep you in your place,” young Harish is enchanted by music, but taps his feet and sways his fingers “softly, so no one sees.” When he is orphaned soon after playing Lord Krishna at school, the youth begins performing to support himself and his sisters. On stage, the lines between genders blur—“SHE stands./ A goddess./ Shining, strong, proud.” Living two lives (“Jeers and insults in the day./ Acclaim and applause at night”), Harish devotes himself to the craft, enthralls international audiences, and comes to experience life not as “Boy OR girl./ Man OR woman./ But/ fluid/ flowing/ like a dance/ in between/ and all around.” Kohli’s vibrant, kaleidoscope-like illustrations duet in harmony with Rajan Gopal’s lyrical, rhythmic language. Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 4–8.
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