I truly adore this picture book.
A heartwarming tale about acceptance, about tolerance, about family and above all, love.
It shows how simple love is when you truly love.
Wonderful book for all of the kids out there :)

Also, LOVE LOVE LOVE the culture showcase in this book! So vibrant!

Ritu Weds Chandni is a very sweet children's book, filled with beautiful drawings and even more beautiful sentiments. I'm sure young readers will have lots of questions to ask their parents, relatives or friends when they read this.

A young girl is excited to see her favourite cousin marry her girlfriend and can't understand why a lot of the family are not going to the wedding, or why the neighbours seem so angry that the two brides will be riding to their wedding on horses with a procession of musicians and dancers.

Of course, the book is still fantasy for India where homosexuality has only been decriminalised quite recently. I wonder if parents, aunts and uncles are ready to have these discussions with their children. I hope they are, and I'm sure this book will help a lot. It may well sell better among the Hindu diaspora living in countries where same-sex marriage is legal.

I wish the author and publishers all the best with this beautiful little book. Only by letting children decide how they want to define 'normal' can we hope for them to grow up and change their worlds.

Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy.

As a kid (that would be the late 90s and early 2000s) I never once read a book representing same-sex couples and I'm so happy that stories like this one are out there now.

This book starts a much needed discussion and does so through the eyes of a child. All Ayesha wants is for her cousin Ritu to be happy on her wedding day and doesn't understand why others wouldn't. As children, we don't care if our cousin is marring a man or a woman, all we want is for her to marry someone who loves her and makes her happy. Culture, traditions and overall expectations then turn that around as we grow up and it's somehow more important for a woman to marry a man than for her to marry the person she loves.

Let's try to not to grow up in that regard and continue viewing the world the way a child does, without the influence of what society deems right or wrong.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

LGBTQIA, India, Hinduism, wedding, intolerance, family, family-dynamics*****

What a wonderful book! The story is meaningful anywhere, but the beauty of the illustrations is a joy to behold! Cousin Ritu weds her girlfriend amid opposition by intolerant people and those people are totally routed by young Ayesha who knows that the brides deserve to have the wonderful ceremony they want.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Yali Books and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!

I cried while reading this book. The illustrations are gorgeous and this story captures the bittersweet experiences that many queer couples have with milestones like weddings or children. I am so grateful every time I see representation of queer individuals in the cultures and communities that are meaningful to them.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very sweet children's book with lovely, beautiful art and an even more beautiful message. If I had children, I would definitely want to buy this for them to teach them that love is love.

It's honestly the first time I've read a children's book addressing gay marriage, and there should definitely be more efforts to talk to children and explain how there are people out there who want nothing more than to hate on what they don't understand. Highly recommended for parents/family looking for a way to talk to kids about queer love.

This is a really sweet book with a powerful message geared towards young children. The art is beautiful and I can't wait to be able to share with more people.

It was a beautiful children's book showcasing same-sex marriage. Growing up I never came across such books but its great that now-a-days authors are writing such beautiful stories of love and acceptance for children as well. They are the future of our country and deserve to know that love has no barrier. You can love anyone you want to.
In this book the relationship between Ayesha and her Didi was so pure and beautiful. Inspite of being a child the way she supported her didi against all the odds speaks volume. Children are innocent and understand but its the society which fills them up with stereotypical thoughts. I want all the parents out their to make their children read this book once. Its lively and colourful with lots of pictures and children are surely gonna love it.

This is the best children’s book I’ve read in a Long Long Time. It’s beautiful and meaningful and also so fun. I highly recommend it for all families to open up conversations about queer couples and also different cultures.

This is a gorgeous short story for kids. It highlights the pure honesty in a child's mindset, as all Ayesha wants is to see her cousin enjoy her wedding day. Not only does this give great representation to the LGBTQI+ community in a part of the world where this is still largely deemed unacceptable, it aims to normalise these practices and remove prejudice. Furthermore, the illustrations are beautiful and really help to highlight the bold beautifulness of an Indian wedding.

I can't wait to read this to the little kids in my life!

The Children's book that WE NEED.

We need more LGBTQIA children's books, because that is where we must start. Letting children know that its jot always the opposite sex that attracts and that it is always about love is one of the first lessons to be taught. In the current Indian culture, LGBT+ is a topic that parents shy away from, as if ignoring then will make it non-existent!


In this book, the all Ayesha wants is for her cousin to be happy, she doesn't understand why people are mad that she is marrying her girlfriend. All she sees is people standing against the enjoyment that her cousin deserves.

We need to teach children to embrace differences, otherwise we will be moving backwards in this worlds.

Such a cute little story and amazing desi artwork. Loved it!

Thank you, Netgalley for this. :)

Oh my gosh! This is such a beautiful little book with such an important message and so much more in its 35 pages! It shows that homophobia is instilled in people via society and that only love is natural. Children are the purest and the most non-judgmental of us and they understand the phrase 'love is love' way better than any adult ever could.

I loved the illustrations in this and the way the author has lifted up this subject in a simple and innocent manner that is even more hard-hitting than usual. Publication houses in India ready to publish propaganda but not this important book, and it makes me so angry! But the point of this book is to spread love and that's exactly what I feel as I read this! So much warmth and tears and happiness!

Highly recommend!

*Ritu Weds Chandi* is a lovely book about a sapphic wedding, the consequences it may have for some people, and a feisty little kid who just wants everyone to be happy, especially her cousin Ritu.

Ayesha is super excited about her cousin's wedding, but she soon discovers a new situation that she doesn't yet understand. And this situation isn't two women getting married, as some people would expect - she doesn't understand why she doesn't see her whole family having fun, like she has in past family weddings she has attended.

I think this type of children's book is super important, as you see this kid not even questioning same-sex marriage, even if it's something that she isn't used to seeing, and fighting to make it happen. Obviously, it is a simplified version of real-life homophobia, and things get solved pretty easily. But that can easily open up a conversation between the reader and the adults in their life, and ease them into the bigger issues of the world.

Aside from that, the use of Hindi words immerses you in the world and the culture a little bit, and we all need a little bit of that to get to know and understand other people and cultures. Finally, the art was gorgeous, and I loved the details on the clothing, as well as the panels with the big horses.

"It means the world to me that you are here today."

Ritu Weds Chandni is an LGBTQ+ children's illustrated book by Ameya Narveankar which was such a joy to read. As the author pointed out, growing up we didn't get to read books on same sex marriage and do they took it upon themselves to write their own book explaining to children that even though society does not approve, love is love is love is love.
I love the way the illustrations were done and how the story was put forth to show that yes people who do not approve will always try to stop something they don't agree with, but love and happiness do not depend on what society thinks, it depends on a person's own happiness.
Because this is an Indian (Hindu) wedding, there are done words that may not make sense to a non-Hindi speaker do the author has provided a glossary to all the Hindi words. The author has also written a little piece at the end explaining why they felt this book was a necessity for today's kids.

Ritu Weds Chandi is a beautiful children's book about a same-sex couples wedding day told from the perspective of a child, Ayesha. Ayesha is attending her cousins' wedding but she doesn't understand why most of her family doesn't come, she also doesn't understand why the neighbors are being so mean to them. This book is a lovely story about a child's compassion and loves no matter the circumstance. The illustrations are beautiful. I liked how the first page there is a spot to put your child's name in the form of the wedding invitation. I also really liked the last few pages of the story that just included illustrations that really represented the culture. At the end of the book, there is a pronunciation guide with definitions of the Hindu terms used in the book. There is a scene where the neighbors are "saying hurtful words" to the brides as well as spraying them with hoses, depending on the age you are reading this to this may cause questions. As of this review, same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in India and have only recently been decriminalized so it's important for books like this to be published. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I feel like it's so important for books with representation to be published for younger children. This a great multicultural book with LGBTQ+ representation that I would definitely recommend. As the author said, "let's inspire our children to stand up for what is compassionate and just."

The book is about of Ritu & Chandni, two girls getting married against the prevalent societal norms. The story has been told from the perspective of Ayesha, who is keen to make the wedding happy for her favourite cousin Ritu. She isn't able to wrap her head around the idea of public being upset and angry with the Wedding taking place. In India, where Same-sex relationships have been legalized just a couple years back, same-sex marriages are still considered a taboo. Therefore, such a representation in a conservative society is definitely a welcome change. Also, the story being told by a child gives it a fresh perspective thus making it a great read, irrespective of the reader's age. The illustrations add to the story making it a quick and breezy read.

Realistic but a little bit of a downer. I'd definitely buy this one and put it on display, but I don't think I would choose it for a read aloud; the part about homophobic neighbors hosing down the brides was a lot for a book for kids, even if it is true to life; probably better for a parent conversation than with the librarian, I think. The illustrations of the actual wedding were very beautiful and a good message for children about standing up for their loved ones no matter what.

This book was so wonderful!!! The illustrations were vibrant and encompassed hindu culture so well. The spreads looks beautiful digitally so I can’t wait to see the final prints. The story has so much heart and I loved that the author combined romantic love with familial. Ayesha’s love for her cousin Ritu powered through the conflict so clearly highlighting that bigotry can be fought by support from family and a greater community. I thoroughly loved this and can’t wait to give this to all my little cousins!

What a beautiful, multicultural book. I adore the art style in this book, and I believe this would be an excellent resource for speaking to children about encountering homophobia.

This book aimed at kids 5-7 years old and coming December 2020, is a great, sweet read. As well as a beautifully illustrated work. Not only does it handles topics of acceptance, homophobia, traditions, but also gives kids a clear acceptance and love message.

When I saw this gorgeous book was available for review at NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. I'ven been a voracious reader since I was 4 years old. I would go to the library every day since I started school, even though people didn't believe me when I said I could actually read. That's why I kind of have a soft spot for kids' books.

To find diverse children's books, like this one, fills me with happiness. I can see myself giving this book away as a gift to my friends and family with small kids. It's a good book on its own, but as a way of opening a kid, or serving as a tool for parents to show their kids different cultures, and types of loves it also stands out. </p>