Laxmi's Mooch by Anand, Shelly

A joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl's journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her mustache.

Laxmi never paid much attention to the tiny hairs above her lip. But one day while playing farm animals at recess, her friends point out that her whiskers would make her the perfect cat. She starts to notice body hair all over--on her arms, legs, and even between her eyebrows.

With her parents' help, Laxmi learns that hair isn't just for heads, but that it grows everywhere, regardless of gender. Featuring affirming text by Shelly Anand and exuberant, endearing illustrations by Nabi H. Ali, Laxmi's Mooch is a celebration of our bodies and our body hair, in whichever way they grow.

Author: Shelly Anand
Publisher: Kokila
Published: 03/02/2021
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.92lbs
Size: 8.70h x 11.20w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781984815651
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 2.6
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 513106 / Laxmi's Mooch


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2021
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2020
School Library Journal 01/01/2021 pg. 54
Publishers Weekly 02/01/2021
Booklist 03/15/2021 pg. 62
Shelf Awareness 03/09/2021

About the Author
A debut picture book author, Shelly Anand is a human and civil rights attorney in Atlanta fighting for immigrants and low income workers from marginalized communities. She received her BA from Wellesley College and her JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. She lives with her husband and two small children.

Nabi H. Ali is a Tamil American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people. He illustrates digitally, but he also has a secret love of inks, color pencil, and acrylic paints. His hobbies include drawing (of course), doll collecting, reading, learning about South Asian mythology and folklore, and researching history.