Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding

Praise

This is the second Archie book in which the protagonist Archana (aka Archie) teaches readers about an Indian tradition. The story finds Archie excited about her Poppy Uncle’s wedding; it is,after all, an “Indian wedding . . . a lot of things happen. You’re supposed to have fun and behappy.” The book reads like a primer for cultural outsiders, represented by the blonde bride andher white family. It falls to Archie to explain the traditions and rituals to young Emma and even toMiss Julie, the bride herself. If readers can suspend disbelief in the credibility of the plotline, theycan enjoy learning about, or recognizing, many of the ceremonies involved in and around the wedding. Meanwhile, Archie and Emma become friends and family. Detailed and colorful illustrations bring the wedding to life, and back matter reiterates the significance of the customs.This could be part of a text set about Indian weddings, along with Zain Bandali’s Mehndi Boy (2023), Meera Sriram’s A Garden in My Hands (2023), and Ameya Narvankar’s Ritu Weds Chandni (2020).

—Booklist