4 Stars

I missed the first book where Archie, aka Archana, celebrates Diwali, but got this well in time. This book has a mellowed version of Indian weddings for kiddos to have a glimpse into our culture. 

Archie’s Poppy Uncle is marrying Miss Julie (who looks adorable in Indian wear). So, he brings Julie’s niece, Emma, and asks Archie to ensure she has a good time at the wedding. Archie is already too busy helping everyone and babysitting her little brother, Krishna. But Emma is a darling, and the girls get on well very soon. 

The story is sweet and simple and gives a rough gist of different celebrations in a Hindu wedding. It’s also highly simplified to prevent readers from feeling overwhelmed. Our weddings have a lot going on and are too much fun! 

The illustrations are cute and vibrant. The color schemes are well done to create appealing artwork on every page. The Ganesha murti in Archie’s house is a lovely touch. Beautiful! I love the bindis, bangles, necklaces, and earrings they wear. Can’t have an Indian wedding without dressing up. ;) 

I’m not sure why no one explained to Julie how mehendi works. It seems odd that they’d leave her panicking about something like that (especially when she is all dressed up, which is hard with mehendi on both hands.) Someone helped her, so it makes sense they would have talked about the mehendi. Not to mention, it has to be rubbed off first, and coconut or clove oil is applied to the hands to deepen the color (which takes a few hours). 

It would have been better if Julie panicked about her wedding saree (which is bound to be heavy) or felt worried she might forget the rituals. Archie could assure her about it (most brides are jittery, anyway). 

Still, the book does a good job. There’s a note at the end mentioning the differences in Hindu wedding rituals based on region. I appreciate that. (Stealing the groom’s shoes is not a part of South Indian Hindu weddings). There’s a glossary, too, which is another plus. And finally, on the last page, we have a picture of the author on her wedding day. How cool is that? I totally love this! 

To summarize, Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding is a cute, sweet, and compact little book that gives a glimpse into Indian weddings. It’s a good place to start. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Charlesbridge, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#ArchieCelebratesanIndianWedding #NetGalley