it is truly a very beautiful book exploring the various nuances of sisterhood, familial love, and love that society sees as 'unnatural' or 'wrong'. I think that the author has done a particularly great job at delving into this topic especially in the middle-grade section. I feel like the younger that kids get to understand the naturalness and acceptance of same-sex love and couple, the more openminded and supportive our society will be for homosexuals. In a heteronormative society, it is better if we start young to educate our young and in this journey, we ourselves will undoubtedly learn a lot and overcome our hidden prejudices. The illustrations were superb and I loved the entirety of this book!
5/5 stars!

"To change society's mind, we need to appeal to people's hearts. To do this, we need more people to hear our stories. So, keep reading and sharing and educating those around you." - Ameya Narvankar

Society has a hard time changing its beliefs due to the huge number of people who grew up with these particular beliefs as their foundation. At the same time, they won't allow other people to pursue their beliefs, for fear of 'pollution' and 'bad influence'.

'Ritu weds Chandni' is a perfect example of the phrase 'We're not born hating others'. It is a child's take on same-sex marriages, which doesn't seem that wrong to her eyes, even when most of the family has boycotted the marriage. it throws into perspective only one thing, love is love.

I absolutely loved the way it was written, with illustrations and a jumpy narration that any child would love! A great read!

What a beautiful picture book 😍 Desi children need this book! The illustrations are so wonderful and in the times where same sex marriage is still a distant thing in Desi culture, this book brings a hope and a chance to educate our children on the topic.
Lovely book that will surely put a smile on your face. I wish I could get a copy of this someday.

This book was so joyful! So vibrant! Something I wish could have existed when I was a kid. This is gonna make a big difference to a lot of people. Beautiful, beautiful story.

There truly is something special about reading a book and seeing yourself represented through the characters. As someone who identifies as South Asian, I really enjoyed this picture book. I think it accurately portrays the experience of LGBTQ+ South Asian people and the struggle they face in being accepted, while also keeping it balanced with a happy ending. The illustrations are also gorgeous and I love the details in everyone’s clothes!

In Pakistan where I’m from it’s still illegal for LGBTQ+ people to get married or even just exist. I’m glad India has at least started to make some change and decriminalized same-sex marriage. I like what the author said at the end that "we need to appeal to people's hearts". I didn't need any convincing about LGBTQ+ rights, but books like this will make a difference in the new generation. Keep sharing your stories!

⭐4.5⭐
This is a kind of a book I want to see getting picked up in the stores by the parents for their children here in India!

Why I picked this: Name, Cover, Indian wedding, LGBT rep in a children’s book with Indian cultural backdrop (!!!)

It’s a real shame, though same-sex relationships now decriminalized, Supreme Court denied same-sex marriage acceptance in India 2 weeks ago.

This was such a short, sweet and adorable little book which is full of hope, joy and unbiased love.

Young Ayesha is excited for her cousin Ritu’s wedding with Chandni and is unable to understand why the society opposes it.

What I loved: Everything, pretty much!

The story is told from a kid’s POV and they are to be unwashed from the tides of opinions and judgements of the adults that surround them. Supposed to be, but they rarely, if ever, are spared with the constant and harsh lathering of muddy conjectures.

In this one, Ritu and Chandni’s love was, though opposed by some, was still accepted by their loved ones and it makes the biggest impact. As the author writes in a note it’s about time to let go of “log kya kahenge?” and have the same clear and unprejudiced take like young Ayesha on same-sex relationships who only want her favorite cousin to be happy and share her happiness.

I absolutely loved the art style and our Indian wedding grandness with a whole lot of ceremonies and extravaganza!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for arc!

Title - Ritu Weds Chandni

Author - Ameya Narvankar

Genre - Graphic Novel

This book comes at during the time when same sex marriages are still illegal in India and talks about Ayesha who is excited of her cousin Ritu's wedding to Chandni. A Novel which has its heart in right place is one I would recommend to everyone out there who are looking for a short and yet cute story. Pick it up, this is something that everyone must read.

TW : Mob mentality , Homophobia

Ritu weds Chandni is the perfect picture book I've read so far. I love picture books and they're always wholesome and gorgeous.

But Ritu weds Chandni takes the crown for introducing a child's perspective on sapphic weddings when she doesn't see why people didn't come to her favorite cousin's wedding like they did for another het wedding.

Gorgeous artwork, perspective of a kid who loves wedding , everything is perfect.

Definitely read this for some wholesomeness .

I received the -ARC from Netgalley and the publisher , all opinions are mine

What an absolutely beautiful and incredibly important little book!!

I don't normally read children's picture books - this is actually my first since I was a kid myself - but as a desi, seeing this book and its lovely cover, I just knew I had to read it.

I love the way the story was presented here - Ayesha can see absolutely nothing wrong with her didi marrying her girlfriend, clearly because her parents have raised her right - instead, in her eyes, it's the homophobes that are the strange and abnormal ones. Just goes to show how constructed and flimsy our societal values can be, especially when filtered through the eyes of an innocent child.

I really like how it wasn't all bright and happy, despite being a children's book - the sheer homophobia of desi communities cannot be denied after all. But I loved how it was countered by a shining message of hope.

The illustrations are so lovely and wonderfully done - they really capture all the colors, joy and vibrancy of a desi wedding. I like how it showed that two Indian women can indeed have a traditional wedding together with all the staple ceremonies like the baraat and all.

The only small pet peeve I had was the way some Hindi/Urdu words were italicized and some weren't. This'll likely get corrected in the final copy but I hope there isn't any italicization in the final version.

I'm so beyond happy for all the South Asian kids, particularly South Asian LGBTQ+ kids, who'll get to read this book and see their culture represented in a way that embraces all the ugly and wonderful things about it, but also with the firm message that LGBTQ+ people belong here, always have and always will. Like the author says in his note: "To my fellow desis, let us not pass on the fear of "log kya kahenge?" to future generations. Instead, let us inspire our children to stand up for what is compassionate and just."

I technically don’t read children’s books at all because I don’t have kids and I’m not that interested either. But as soon as I saw the premise of this one, I knew I couldn’t let it go. And it was so beautiful.

As the author mentions in his note, India just decriminalized same sex relationships last year, and there is no legal recourse for such couples to marry yet. And while there is activism and more awareness building day by day, there is still a large part of the country that is either homophobic or indifferent, nevertheless not supportive at all. So to see a desi lesbian wedding depicted in a children’s book is such a delight and a beacon of hope for the future, and I hope we see more such representation in various forms of media in India.

The beauty of this book is that it’s told through the POV of a young girl who is very very excited to be a part of her cousin’s wedding and she doesn’t find it odd at all that her sister is marrying another woman. She is actually flabbergasted about why some of her extended family is missing from the ceremony or why there are protestors on the streets. This just goes to show that children are not born with prejudices or bigoted ideas, and we can easily give them a progressive and accepting upbringing. I also loved how the little girl is innocently fearless and is determined to dance at the wedding baraat, despite anyone trying to dissuade them. It’s so joyful to watch her be so pure and happy.

I also loved how bright and vibrant the illustrations were. The little mehendi details, the tilak ceremony, the gorgeous red lehengas of the brides and everyone’s wonderful clothes and jewelry, and both the brides having their own baraat and coming on a ghodi to the ceremony - it had all the best parts of an Indian wedding, and I love the author’s message that we can have a beautiful ceremony with all the traditional trappings, even when it’s two women getting married.

To conclude, this is a very important, hopeful, and pretty children’s book and I think everyone should pick it up; also read it with your children and maybe you can have some nice discussions with them about different kinds of relationships so that they can have a prejudice free childhood as opposed to the one some of us must have had.

Never have I been told a story about LGBTQ+ people or their relationships and the problems they face in their society in my childhood. This is one children's book that introduces them to the people in our society we tend to ignore. I just loved the art and the love Ayesha had for her didi for children only see the love and not the differences. #RituWedsChandni #NetGalley

This book was absolutely gorgeous, both in terms of its message and the illustrations.

The illustrations were so colourful and captivating. They really captured the feeling in the story - I felt Ayesha's excitement on the way to the wedding, and I felt the fear when the baraat was threatened by homophobia.

I enjoyed this from start to finish - it's such a difficult topic to explain to children, of why some people are so hateful towards gay people, but I thought this did an excellent job of explaining it whilst foregrounding the importance of celebrating gay love.

The guide to phrases that many readers may not be familiar with was really helpful, and I liked that the phrases/words were incorporated into the story as this was just as much a celebration of Indian culture as it was LGBT+ identity.

An enchanting and eye-opening book. It was beautiful and i really recommend that you read it. I loved the indian representation and the pure innocence and joy of Ayesha. As beautiful as it was, it showcased important things, and how people are still so unaccepting towards someones happiness.

This. Is. Adorable.

Ritu Weds Chandni is about a young girl named Ayesha who is confused about the controversy regarding her sister marrying her girlfriend. It shows how innocent children are when it comes to homophobia, and it's so sweet to see Ayesha's unconditional love for her sister, happiness for her wedding, and confusion about why anyone would object. As someone who has faced a lot of homophobia in my Indian culture, I really love the way this story handled, explained, and challenged it from a child's perspective. There's also a glossary of Hindi words in the back in case you get confused!

The art style is also so gorgeous and amazing. The color palette (and the fact that there are so many shades for the characters!!!) is beautiful and just adds to the heartwarming vibes of this book. I would 100% recommend this for a cute, sweet childrens' read about a girl just wanting to dance at a Desi f/f wedding.

Ritu weds Chandni, is told from a young girls perspective and her cousin is marrying another woman.
The young girl is called Ayesha, and it's refreshing that she doesn't even seem to notice that's it 2 women marrying - to her it's just a normal wedding that goes on all the time, and she can't understand why the town are not supportive or accepting of this love.
It's actually a really sad book, because it does have some homophobic behaviour in it, but the story of Ayesha is lovely.

Ritu Weds Chandni is a LGBTQ+ children’s story told from the perspective of a young girl named Ayesha as she attends her cousin’s wedding. It grapples with themes of family and homophobia in a way that balances the seriousness of an issue many LGBTQ+ people face today with the light heartedness required of a children’s story. Full of beautiful illustrations, it is wonderful representation for the Desi LGBTQ+ community that is sorely lacking today. I hope that it will help explain such issues in an easy to understand way for young children and that this author continues to make more stories like this in the future!

I loved this story of tradition, of family love, of marriage equality and the ways young children can combat prejudice and bigotry. Definitely something I'll be snagging for my home library.

I think that this is a book that is definitely needed and it does show that in some areas and countries where we are more open to LGBTQ partnerships and weddings, some countries and cultures still have a lot of work to do in recognising and even to some extent understanding these. I thought that the story was well written and I liked that no-one justified too to the little girl in the story why everyone was really upset as she sees no difference between a male/female relationship to a female/female one, she just wants them to be happy. I liked the Hindu glossary of terms too and the explanation that the author gave for writing the book. It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, reading children's books is something out of my comfort zone, but I was immediately interested in this after reading the description. Ameya Narvankar’s Ritu Weds Chandni is a story focused on a little girl named Ayesha as she attends her cousin Ritu’s wedding. However, things aren’t so easygoing as she finds out there are actually people who are against the marriage.

But, hey, is anything ever easy for members of the LGBTQ+ community? Even the simplest things like holding hands with your partner or riding public transportation can prove to be difficult—which is exactly why narratives like Ritu Weds Chandni are incredibly important! It teaches love and acceptance in a world ridden by antipathy.

This book definitely doesn’t shy away from the issue of homophobia, despite its intention to be a children’s book. I think it’s handled aptly, not too graphic and accessibly insightful. I imagine that girls and boys of all ages could easily empathize with it.

Aside from the queer themes, there is a cultural aspect to it as well. Hindi terms are used freely and a glossary is available at the end, which I really appreciated. I love being introduced to different cultures and learning about their traditions and customs.

Get this for your sons. Get this for your daughters. Your nieces, your nephews, your neighbors' kids even. I think it's a necessary read and I wish I had something like it as I was growing up.

I always wished that I could talk to my nieces and though don't have many younger cousins I have had a largely typical "DESI" FAMILY AKA WHERE THIS CONVERSATION NEVER HAPPENED. I have unfortunately lived in the fear of sexuality almost my entire childhood even though nobody in my house told me I am a girl but the relatives and school teachers were never behind so I was one mix. Even though when I saw my favourite actor did the movie Kal Ho Na Ho (on the peak of my puberty) & the movie was filled with sexual innuendos, I still couldn't grasp the actors comfort in making fun of a LGBTQ couple.
Having such a heteronomative atmosphere around me his antics made me laugh because of falling in the pit of peer pressure.
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Then I turned 15. I read some LGBTQ fiction and here I am compensating for all those years lost on educating my cousins and friends on LGBTQ relationships.
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Ritu Weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankar is a small graphic novella for kids full of photos and zeal for young children as early as six to make them understand how #loveislove🌈
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Ayesha is so glad her Ritu Didi is getting married. Ayesha is very happy her favourite cousin is getting married. Though she can't understand why people don't like that she is getting married to Chandni Didi.
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What does Ayesha do Next? I was really touched by the innocence captured by the author of the character Ayesha.
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There are not much words,there are pictures more and this picture book is a great start for small kids from 6 to 11 to grasp the concept of LGBTQ community and normalize the relationships and the concept in homes.