Climbing the Stairs

"Amma," I said tentatively. "I don't want to get married." "What, Vidya kanna?" Amma said anxiously. "I mean, I don't want to get married until I finish school," I said nervously. Amma's expression cleared a little. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure we can wait a little longer. After all, girls are ge......more

(Genre:Young Adult literature/historical fiction) This is an interesting novel about a 15 year old girl named Vidya living in World War ll India. She and her family are HIndu and belong to the Brahmin caste (scholars and others who sought for wisdom and learning rather than wealth and riches) which......more

While this is a very ambitious book, tackling the British rule of India, Gandhiji's efforts to a non-violent revolution, the role of women in India during World War II, a young girl's sense of guilt over her father's life altering injury and her ambition which flies in the face of tradition and some......more

Rep: Indian cast. Jewish side character. A great story taking place in World War 2 that doesn’t center the U.S, England, or France, but India instead. The main character is a fifteen year old girl and her perspective is one I enjoyed to follow. There’s a lot she is going through in this story and I......more

It is 1941 and 15 year old Vidya is a lucky girl. Though she was born into India’s upper Brahman caste, her parents are very liberal; she is able to attend a private girls’ school; and she can dream about the possibility of going to college, a rare privilege for Indian women, who are expected to mar......more