Today we’re thrilled to reveal the cover for Our World: India by Meera Sriram, illustrated by Neethi! The editing and art direction are by Kate DePalma, and the graphic design is by Sarah Soldano. The book will be published in Spring 2023 by Barefoot Books. Preorder it here.
Come along for a day in India! Wake to a myna bird’s song, dine on dal, play peek-a-boo in Ma’s sari, count mango trees and more. Author Meera Sriram and illustrator Neethi draw on their personal experience of life in India to create this appealing board book as part of the Our World Series for very young readers.
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As an Indian American, Meera has lived equal parts of her life in both countries. Previously an electrical engineer, she now writes for children and advocates for diversifying bookshelves. Meera is the author of several picture books including A Gift for Amma, a South Asia Book Award winner, and Between Two Worlds, an American Library Association’s 2022 RISE: A Feminist Book Project selection. Meera has also co-authored several kids’ books published in India. Her forthcoming titles include Our World: India and A Garden in My Hands, both releasing in Spring 2023. She believes in the power of stories and likes to write about people, places, and experiences less visible in children’s literature. For more information, please visit: http://www.meerasriram.com
Neethi is an illustrator, muralist and surface pattern designer based out of Bangalore, India. She has illustrated for companies like Google, Instagram, WeWork, NPR, Whatsapp and Mahindra, amongst others, and is currently a Creative Partner at studio How About That! Bright, fantastical, pattern-infused still life and exaggerated interior scenes are a recurring theme in her work. She aims to captivate and transport her audience into these worlds. Neethi proudly carries a mononymous name, given by her father as a symbol of equality in representation as well as independence from gender norms.
