KF LIBRARY
One of the easiest ways to introduce Sikhism into your classroom is by adding books about Sikhism or with Sikh characters to your classroom library. These books can be mirrors for Sikh students to see themselves reflected in literature and windows into the beliefs, practices, and experiences of Sikhs in the US and around the world.
Below are some additional resources about Sikhs and the Sikh identity that we have read and enjoyed. We hope you will read and enjoy them as well! |
Guidance on Diverse Books
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Kamal's Kes
Written and Illustrated by Baljinder Kaur Saffron Press, 2021 Publisher's Description: "Kamal’s Kes is a body-positive picture book, rooted in dismantling standards of beauty that harm the mental health of young persons. With such few representations of body hair in picture books, cultural conditioning sends the message of feeling ashamed of natural hair. This Own Voices story offers young girls an empowering choice when it comes to their developing body hair. Kamal will have to confront her deepest thoughts to reimagine what beautiful means to her.” See More |
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The Surfing Lesson
By Bhajneet Singh, Illustrated by Noor Alshalabi Brave Lion Books, 2022 Publisher's Description: "The Surfing Lesson is a story of a Sikh-American family who loves to surf. The kids get surfboards as a gift and are super excited to start riding the waves, but they wake up to an oil spill and the water is not safe. They learn about the devastating effect this has on the ocean and it inspires them to protest and rally with friends to make sure this does not happen again.” See More |
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The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh
By Supriya Kelkar, Illustrated by Alea Marley Sterling Children’s Books, 2019 Publisher's Description: "Harpreet Singh has a different color for every mood and occasion, from pink for dancing to bhangra beats to red for courage. He especially takes care with his patka--his turban—smoothing it out and making sure it always matches his outfit. But when Harpreet’s mom finds a new job in a snowy city and they have to move, all he wants is to be invisible. Will he ever feel a happy sunny yellow again?” See More Discussion Guide from Publisher |
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Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon
by Simran Jeet Singh, Illustrated by Baljinder Kaur. Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2020. Publisher’s Description: "Fauja Singh was born determined. He was also born with legs that wouldn't allow him to play cricket with his friends or carry him to school miles from his village in Punjab. But that didn't stop him. Working on his family's farm, Fauja grew stronger to meet his own full potential. He never stopped striving. At the age of 81, after a lifetime of making his body, mind, and heart stronger, Fauja decided to run his first marathon. He went on to break records all around the world and became the first person over 100 to complete the grueling long-distance race." Educator Resources from Publisher Interview with the Author, Simran Jeet Singh, from the School Library Journal See More |
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What is a Patka?
by Tajinder Kalia; Illustrated by Yuribelle 2019 Publisher’s Description: "Mohan wears a patka everyday...and he gets lots of questions! Parents, Educators and Caregivers can use this book as a resource to educate young children on the Sikh Patka. Topics covered include:- Who wears them, and why- Proper etiquette- General information. This beginner book is appropriate for children aged three to six." See More |
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Ajooni the Kaurageous: Ajooni Stands Up to the Dragon
By Amarpreet Kaur Dhami, Illustrated by Annie Wilkinson ascot Books, 2018 Publisher's Description: “Ajooni Kaur is the bravest girl in the whole neighborhood, but then a ferocious dragon appears in the forest. Will Ajooni be able to rediscover her courage and be the bravest girl in the neighborhood again? With bright, colorful illustrations, Ajooni the Kaurageous is a great way to teach children about confidence and strength!” See More |
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Super Satya Saves the Day
By Raakhee Mirchanandani, Illustrated by Tim Palin Bharat Babies, 2018 Publisher's Description: “Super Satya is ready to have a super day, including finally conquering the tallest slide in Hoboken. But things take a not-so-super turn when she realizes her superhero cape is stuck at the dry cleaner. Will she be able to face her fears, help her friends, and be the true hero everyone knows she is? Super Satya Saves the Day, introduces Satya, a precocious Indian-American superhero, who is ready to save the day, even if she doesn't always know it right away!” Q and A with author Raakhee Mirchanandani See More |
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The Boy with Long Hair
Written and illustrated by Pushpinder Kaur Singh TEJ Publishing, 2017 Publisher’s Description: "The Boy with Long Hair is a true story of a California-born Sikh boy. He was quite happy in San Jose. His family moved to a small town where they had not seen a boy with long hair. Here, no one wanted to play with him, or talk to him. His isolation saddened him and ignorance of kids around him angered him. This book tells the story of courage and triumph of this young boy, how he dealt with the situation and finally became happy as the boy with long hair. His unique identity was no longer a problem. Everyone in his school knew him as an intelligent fun-loving boy." See More |
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Joora
By Deep Kaur; Illustrated by Keerat Kaur Paaras Press, 2017 Publisher’s Description: "Haakam Singh is Daya Kaur's little brother. He is just starting kindergarten and feeling a little nervous. Follow Haakam Singh as he meets a new friend and explains why he has a joora (a knot of hair on his head) and how proud he is to have a joora that makes him feel unique and special." See More |
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Vaisakhi
by Deep Kaur, Illustrated by Keerat Kaur Paaras Press, 2017 Publisher's Description: "Daya Kaur is getting older and still has a thirst for discovering and learning about her Panjabi heritage, culture and language. Come join her, along with her family, as they celebrate Vaisakhi - the creation of Khalsa." See More |
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We Worship Here: Sikh Gurdwara
By Kanwaljit Kaur-Singh and Emma Trithart Franklin Watts Publishing, 2019 Publisher's Description: “What is a gurdwara for? Who is Guru Nanak? What is the Guru Granth Sahib? How do Sikhs worship? All these questions and more are explored in this first introduction to the religion of Sikhism. The We Worship Here series introduces children aged 6+ to the main religions of the world. Each book features information about beliefs, values and the ways people worship. The books are clearly and sensitively written and the text is supported with beautiful illustrations.” See More |
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Dear Takuya: Letters of a Sikh Boy
By Jessi Kaur; Illustrated by Brian Johnston IIGS, 2008 Description: "Told through the letters of eight-year-old Simar Singh to his Japanese pen pal, Takuya, this story shares Sikh core values, traditions, history, and culture. Simar attends a summer camp for Sikh youth, and as he learns more about Sikhism, he shares this new knowledge and his perspective with his pen pal. The story introduces a lot of information about Sikhism and the Sikh-American experience through an engaging narrative in the eyes of child." See More |
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The Enchanted Garden of Talwandi
By Jessi Kaur; Illustrated by Arshia Singh EthnicIsland, 2013 Publisher’s Description: "The Enchanted Garden of Talwandi is based on a janam saakhi (fable of childhood) of Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of the Sikh religion. The janam saakhies are part of the folklore that celebrates Guru Ji's divine presence and message. Parents often relate these stories to young children to foster love for Guru Ji, and teach morals and values. The garden is a metaphor for a world where pride, jealousy, and competitiveness make everyone unhappy. Guru Ji's message, related by a wise owl, teaches the inhabitants how to make their garden a harmonious and peaceful place where everyone thrives. The lessons are precious and timeless." See More |
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The Royal Falcon
By Jessi Kaur, Illustrated by Pammy Kapoor IGS, 2009 Publisher's Description: “Eight-year-old Arjan suspects his class mate of stealing his special pencil. In a magical moment, Guru Gobind Singh ji’s falcon comes alive to help him. Will Arjan get his pencil back? Why does the royal falcon take him back in time to 1705 to witness Guru ji’s court in session? Join Arjan and Khushi, the falcon, in an exciting tale of adventure and friendship.” See More |
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Sikh Stories: Traditional Religious Tales
By Anita Ganeri, Illustrated by Rachael Phillips Picture Window Books, 2006 Publisher's Description: “The collection of stories in this book comes from the Sikh religion. Sikhs believe in one God who sees and knows everything. He created the world and is everlasting and all-powerful. Sikhs follow the teachings of the Gurus who taught ordinary people how God wanted them to live. In this book, you can read some of the many stories about the Gurus’ lives.” See More |
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Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
By Uma Krishmaswami Tu Books, 2017 Publisher’s Description: "Nine-year-old Maria Singh longs to play softball in the first-ever girls' team forming in Yuba City, California. It's the spring of 1945, and World War II is dragging on. Miss Newman, Maria's teacher, is inspired by Babe Ruth and the All-American Girls' League to start a girls' softball team at their school. Meanwhile, Maria's parents--Papi from India and Mama from Mexico--can no longer protect their children from prejudice and from the discriminatory laws of the land. When the family is on the brink of losing their farm, Maria must decide if she has what it takes to step up and find her voice in an unfair world. In this fascinating middle grade novel, award-winning author Uma Krishnaswami sheds light on a little-known chapter of American history set in a community whose families made multicultural choices before the word had been invented." Coming soon: Reader's Guide for Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh See More |
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Stories for South Asian Supergirls
by Raj Kaur Khaira Kashi House, 2019 Publisher's Description: "Through the inspirational stories of 50 famous and under-celebrated women from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, South Asian girls will have a chance to dream about lives for themselves that radically differ from the limited narratives and stereotypes written for them by their culture, wider society and the mainstream media. Bringing together illustrious entertainers (Meera Syal, Jameela Jamil, Mindy Kaling), pioneering business leaders (Indra Nooyi, Anjali Sud, Ruchi Sanghvi) and a host of other, equally remarkable yet less well known, figures (including the British Muslim spy, Noor Inayat Khan, and fearless activist, Jayaben Desai), Stories for South Asian Supergirls seeks to redress the imbalance for young girls of colour by empowering them to break new ground for themselves and to inspire others in the process. Illustrated with striking portraits by ten international South Asian female artists, this is a book for all ages – the perfect gift that will be treasured by parents as much as their children will enjoy reading them." See More |
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A Moment Comes
by Jennifer Bradbury Atheneum/Caithlyn Dlouhy Books, 2019 Publisher's Description: “Tariq. Anupreet. Margaret. As different as their Muslim, Sikh, and British names. But in one moment, their futures become entirely dependent on one another’s. While the rest of India anxiously awaits the upcoming partition that will divide the country into two separate religious states, eighteen-year-old Tariq focuses on his own goal: to study at Oxford. But for a Muslim born and raised in India, there is no obvious path to England—until Tariq is offered a job translating for one of the British cartographers stationed in India, tasked with establishing the new borders. Margaret, the cartographer’s daughter, has only just arrived in India. But already she has discovered it to be hot, loud, and dull. She can’t go anywhere alone for fear of the riots and violence. Eager for a distraction, she finds one in Tariq. But it’s Anupreet, another member of the staff, who has truly captured Tariq’s eye. She’s strikingly beautiful—but she’s a Sikh, so not someone Tariq should even be caught looking at. And yet he’s compelled to… Against the backdrop of the nearly forgotten history of the partition of India, Jennifer Bradbury, as if with strands of silk, weaves together the heart-pounding tale of three teenagers on wildly different paths, on the verge of changing each other’s lives forever.” See More |
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Super Sikh (Volume 1)
By Eileen Kaur Alden & Supreet Singh Manchanda, Illustrated by Amit Tayal Rosarium Publishing, 2019 Publisher's Description: “Meet Deep Singh. He loves Elvis and hates the Taliban. By day he works at a tech company and lives with his parents. But that's just a front. For Deep Singh is really a top secret agent for the United Nations, fighting terrorism all around the world. But right now, he really needs a vacation. And there's only one place to go...Graceland!” See More |
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Jazz in Love
By Neesha Meminger Independently Published, 2011 Publisher's Description: “Jasbir, a.k.a. Jazz, has always been a stellar student and an obedient, albeit wise-cracking, daughter. Everything has gone along just fine--she has good friends in the "genius" program she's been in since kindergarten, her teachers and principal adore her, and her parents dote on her. But now, in her junior year of high school, her mother hears that Jazz was seen hugging a boy on the street and goes ballistic. Mom immediately implements the Guided Dating Plan, which includes setting up blind dates with "suitable," pre-screened Indian candidates. The boy her mother sets her up with, however, is not at all what anyone expects; and the new boy at school, the very UNsuitable hottie, is the one who sets Jazz's blood boiling. When Jazz makes a few out-of-the-ordinary decisions, everything explodes, and she realizes she'll need a lot more than her genius education to get out of the huge mess she's in. Can Jazz find a way to follow her own heart, and still stay in the good graces of her parents?” See More |
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Shine, Coconut Moon
By Neesha Meminger Publisher’s Description: Sixteen-year-old Samar—aka Sam—is an Indian American teenager whose mom has kept her away from her old-fashioned family. It’s never bothered Sam, who is busy with school, friends, and a demanding boyfriend. But things change after 9/11. A guy in a turban shows up at Sam’s house—and turns out to be her uncle. He wants to reconcile the family and teach Sam about her Sikh heritage. She is eager to learn, but when boys attack her uncle, shouting "Go home Osama!" Sam realizes she could be in danger—and just how dangerous ignorance is. See More |
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When You Ask Me Where I’m Going
by Jasmin Kaur HarperCollins, 2019 Publisher's Description: The six sections of the book explore what it means to be a young woman living in a world that doesn’t always hear her and tell the story of Kiran as she flees a history of trauma and raises her daughter, Sahaara, while living undocumented in North America. Delving into current cultural conversations including sexual assault, mental health, feminism, and immigration, this narrative of resilience, healing, empowerment, and love will galvanize readers to fight for what is right in their world. See More |
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Dragon Hoops
by Gene Luen Yang First Second, 2020. Publisher's Description: “Gene understands stories―comic book stories, in particular. Big action. Bigger thrills. And the hero always wins. But Gene doesn’t get sports. As a kid, his friends called him “Stick” and every basketball game he played ended in pain. He lost interest in basketball long ago, but at the high school where he now teaches, it's all anyone can talk about. The men’s varsity team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that’s been decades in the making. Each victory brings them closer to their ultimate goal: the California State Championships. Once Gene gets to know these young all-stars, he realizes that their story is just as thrilling as anything he’s seen on a comic book page. He knows he has to follow this epic to its end. What he doesn’t know yet is that this season is not only going to change the Dragons’ lives, but his own life as well.” See More |
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Karma
by Cathy Ostlere. Razorbill, 2012. Publisher's Description: “It is 1984, and fifteen-year-old Maya is on her way to India with her father. She carries with her the ashes of her mother, who recently committed suicide, and arrives in Delhi on the eve of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Maya is separated from her father and must rely upon the mysterious, kindhearted Sandeep to safely reunite them. As her love for Sandeep begins to blossom, Maya must face the truth about her painful adolescence...if she's ever to imagine her future.” See More |
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What Girls Know
by Neesha Meminger See It Be It Books, 2019 Publisher's Description: “Anji is holding on to big secrets. When she begins to spiral into a scary depression, she realizes she will need to do something drastic to bring herself out of it. With the help of a guidance counselor at school, Anji starts working through what, exactly, led her to the desperate feelings she's now drowning in. She joins a group of other girls who've been through experiences of sexual assault and violence, and learns to face her secrets with the help of the girls and a caring group leader. Together, they help one another heal old wounds through art, creativity, mobilizing for social justice, and learning to trust again.” See More |
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We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape our Multicultural Future
by Deepa Iyer The New Press, 2017 Publisher's Description "In the lead-up to the recent presidential elections, Donald Trump called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States, surveillance of mosques, and a database for all Muslims living in the country, tapping into anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim hysteria to a degree little seen since the targeting of South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh people in the wake of 9/11. In the American Book Award–winning We Too Sing America, nationally renowned activist Deepa Iyer shows that this is the latest in a series of recent racial flash points, from the 2012 massacre at the Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, to the violent opposition to the Islamic Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and to the Park 51 Community Center in Lower Manhattan. Iyer asks whether hate crimes should be considered domestic terrorism and explores the role of the state in perpetuating racism through detentions, national registration programs, police profiling, and constant surveillance. Reframing the discussion of race in America, she “reaches into the complexities of the many cultures that make up South Asia” (Publishers Weekly) and provides ideas from the front lines of post-9/11 America." See More |
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Her Name is Kaur: Sikh American Women Write about Love, Courage, and Faith
by Meeta Kaur She Can Write Press, 2014 Publisher's Description "Sikh American women do the lion’s share of organizing and executing the business of the Sikh community, and they straddle multiple lives and worlds―cross-cultural, intergenerational, occupational, and domestic―yet their experiences of faith, family, and community are virtually invisible in the North American milieu and have yet to be understood, documented, or shared. Until now. In Her Name Is Kaur: Sikh American Women Write About Love, Courage, and Faith, Sikh American women explore the concept of love from many angles, offering rich, critical insight into the lives of Sikh women in America. Through a chorus of multi-generational voices―in essays ranging in tone from dramatic to humorous―they share stories of growing into and experiencing self-love, spiritual love, love within family, romantic love, the love they nurture for humanity and the world through their professional work, and more. Eye-opening and multifaaceted, this collection of stories encourages its readers to take the feeling of love and turn it into action―practical action that will make the world a better place to be for everyone, regardless of their faith or creed." See More |
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The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters
by Balli Kaur Jaswal HaperCollins Publishers India, 2019 Publisher's Description: "The Shergill sisters never needed each other-until they did. Rajni, Jezmeen and Shirina Shergill have never been close but when their mother dies she has only one request: that they take a pilgrimage across India to carry out her final rites. While an extended family holiday is the last thing they want, each sister has her own reasons to run away from her life. Rajni is the archetypal know-it-all eldest but her son dropped a bombshell before she left and, for the first time, she doesn't know what the future holds. Middle sister Jezmeen, always a loudmouth, has translated her need for attention into life as a struggling actress. But her career is on the skids after an incident went viral and now she's desperate to find her voice again. Shirina, the golden child, has confounded expectations by having an arranged marriage and moving to the other side of the world. But her perfect life isn't what it seems and time is running out to make the right choice. As the miles rack up on their jaunt across India, the secrets of the past and present are sure to spill out." See More |
