Starred review from October 16, 2023
Based on the life of drag performer Queen Harish (1979–2019), this powerful biographical picture book is both a celebration of art and a manifesto for living on one’s own terms. In the Thar Desert, where “there are lines in the sand/ that keep you in your place,” young Harish is enchanted by music, but taps his feet and sways his fingers “softly, so no one sees.” When he is orphaned soon after playing Lord Krishna at school, the youth begins performing to support himself and his sisters. On stage, the lines between genders blur—“SHE stands./ A goddess./ Shining, strong, proud.” Living two lives (“Jeers and insults in the day./ Acclaim and applause at night”), Harish devotes himself to the craft, enthralls international audiences, and comes to experience life not as “Boy OR girl./ Man OR woman./ But/ fluid/ flowing/ like a dance/ in between/ and all around.” Kohli’s vibrant, kaleidoscope-like illustrations duet in harmony with Rajan Gopal’s lyrical, rhythmic language. Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 4–8.