- Hardcover: 328 pages
- Publisher: New Press (April 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 156584372X
- ISBN-13: 978-1565843721
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 14.7 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 485 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,189,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Library Journal
Syal's debut paints a humorous and quirky portrait of a 1960s British mining town and a young girl stuck between her Punjabi family and her white, working-class neighbors. Meena Kumar, one of four nonwhite kids in her school, spends her time eavesdropping on the Yard Ladies, lying to her parents, perfecting her accent, and chasing after Anita Rutter and her gang. Even the arrival of a new brother and a visit from her grandmother do not manage to keep Meena out of trouble. It is only when Meena stands up to Anita's racist boyfriend, Sam, that things begin to change. Syal gives the reader a real feel for the neighborhood and its residents. At times you can almost smell the fish fingers and hear the Yard Ladies yelling back and forth over their fences. Syal has a gift of comedy that she uses to weave this delightful story. Recommended.?Editha Ann Wilberton, Kansas City P.L., Kan.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
Nine-year-old Meena Kumar's cheeky narrative of her life as the only Punjabi girl in a small English village unfolds through wonderfully evocative description. Tollington, a once-thriving Midlands mining village, is, in the early '70s, on the decline. When the mines shut down, the men are idled while the town's suddenly assertive women form the Ballbearings Committee, a name to designate their employment at the local factory (among other things). A highway threatens to take away part of the village, the grammar school is closing down, skinheads are beginning to loiter in the kiddie park, and suburban sprawl is inching closer. These ominous changes form the background of the inventive Meena's life. She is alternately amused and embarrassed by her family and idolizes the roughest, brassiest girl in town, Anita Rutter. Meena is, much to her parents' chagrin, no angel: She lies, commits minor thefts, and has the bad habit of making vulgar remarks when her prim and proper aunties are around. Each small incident that Meena tells about leads to an arsenal of vividly described related anecdotes before the linear narrative is finally regained, a process that forms an endearing, richly three- dimensional picture of Meena and her family. Meanwhile, the story of the girl's relationship with Anita nicely illuminates the difficult, unspoken politics of childhood friendship. The two girls lead a gang, bully others, and engage in exuberant antics even though, in an increasingly poor and tense England, there is always an ominous undercurrent to events. Anita's black poodle is named ``Nigger,'' a local Indian bank manager is the victim of a racial attack, and Meena's secret love becomes a boot-stomping skinhead. Meena's loss of innocence, and her recognition of her heritage, coincides with her realization that her seemingly harmonious village also harbors violence, hatred, and fear. Syal handles all of this with an expert hand. Far from just another coming-of-age saga, Syal's impressive debut offers a charming yet troubling evocation of recent times. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful,
By
This review is from: Anita and Me (Paperback)
Meera has captured the character of Meena in a way that gives a wonderful account of an Indian girl growing up in England. Many works have been written on the same theme, this one however stands apart. You can feel that the author herself has had or has been a witness to many similar experiences, which she describes in the book. Overall this was a fun read. I will also recommend the reader to see a movie called "Bhaji on the beach" for which Syal is the scriptwriter.I really thought hard and could not think of anything other than five stars.
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great portrayal of a 9-y-o girl,
By
This review is from: Anita and Me (Paperback)
Meena is the 9-year-old child of immigrants from India to a small English town called Tollington. She has decided to befriend a local tough schoolfriend named Anita, not that her parents like her very much. She wants to break away from her folks and make her own friends, yet is still proud of her Indian family and culture. Her town is a bit in disagreeance --- as long as they aren't "too Indian" and try to assimilate, then they are all right.Anita has Indian friends separate from her "British" friend, including a girl gang led by Anita. It's a great snapshot of one girl's year in the life, and it was both sad and mirthful. All girls of any age and culture will identify and appreciate this work.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Different, Yet the Same,
By "paleokt" (MI, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Anita and Me (Paperback)
I recommend that everyone should read "Anita and Me" by Meera Syal. This story, that of a young Indian girl growing up in a British town, is really a universal tale. Feeling the temptation to rebel against your parents, needing to be one of the "cool" kids, and struggling between what is right and wrong are all important things every child must go through. Meena, the main character of "Anita and Me", is no exception. Although she is Indian, she has many childhood experiences anyone could relate to. That is what makes this story so great. It points out that underneath our skin color, everyone is human. Unfortunately for Meena, not everyone in her town always feels that way. Meena's family is accepted by their British neighbors, but only when they act "British". Whenever they showed even the smallest aspects of their Indian culture, they were ignored, or even shunned. "Anita and Me" reminds us not to fall into a trap of prejudice as so many in Meena's town did. Meera Syal, the author of the story, challenges every reader to reassess what we consider "civilized" and to look beyond the color of someone's skin to find their worth, but to look at their character.
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