Uma Krishnaswami is an Indian author of picture books and novels for children and is a writing teacher. She is "recognized as a major voice in the expanding of international and multicultural young adult fiction and children's literature."[1]

Uma Krishnaswami
Reading at the 2014 Gaithersburg Book Festival
Reading at the 2014 Gaithersburg Book Festival
Born1956
OccupationWriter, writing teacher
Period1990s–present
GenreChildren's literature, picture books, non-fiction
Website
umakrishnaswami.com

Biography

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Krishnaswami was born in 1956 in New Delhi, India. She received a degree in political science, and a master's degree in social work from the University of Delhi. [2] In 1979, she moved to the United States where she received an additional graduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.[3] [4] She then moved to Aztec, New Mexico where she lived for many years.[5] She now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and she is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada and an Overseas Citizen of India. [6]

Her first published story appeared in Children's World, a magazine published in India, when she was thirteen.[7] Her stories and poems have been published in Cricket, Highlights and Cicada.[1] Her award-winning books, which include middle grade novels, picture books, early readers, and non-fiction are published in English, Hindi, Tamil and twelve other languages.[8][9]

In 2011 Krishnaswami appeared at the National Book Festival which is organized by the Library of Congress. [10]

Chachaji's Cup, one of Krishnaswami's picture books, was adapted into a musical and performed in several theaters in both New York City and California.[11] [12] [13]

Krishnaswami has taught writing to adults and children for years, and for over ten years she was the writer in residence at the Aztec Ruins National Monument.[14][15] She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and CANSCAIP.[16] She also taught writing classes online through Writers on the Net.[17] She currently teaches in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.[18]

Awards

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Bibliography

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Middle Grade and Chapter Books

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  • Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World (2021)
  • Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh (2017)
  • Book Uncle and Me (2012, 2016)
  • The Problem with Being Slightly Heroic (2013)
  • The Grand Plan to Fix Everything (2011)
  • Naming Maya (2004)

Picture books

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  • Two at the Top: A Shared Dream of Everest (2021)
  • Bright Sky, Starry City (2015)
  • The Girl of the Wish Garden: A Thumbelina Story (2013)
  • Out of the Way! Out of the Way! (2010)
  • Remembering Grandpa (2007)
  • Bringing Asha Home (2006)
  • The Closet Ghosts (2006)
  • The Happiest Tree (2005)
  • Monsoon (2003)
  • Chachaji's Cup (2003)

Early readers

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  • Holi (2003)
  • Hello Flower (2002)
  • Yoga Class (2001)

Retold story collections

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  • The Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha (2006, 1996)
  • Shower of Gold: Girls and Women in the Stories of India (1999)
  • Stories of the Flood (1994)

Short fiction

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  • "Chandra," in The Poetry of US published by National Geographic Kids (2018)
  • "The Gift," in Period Pieces (2003)
  • "Going to Kashi," in Soul Searching (2002)

Nonfiction

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  • Beyond the Field Trip : Teaching and Learning in Public Places (2002)
  • No Joke! Humor and Culture in Middle-Grade Books in The Horn Book Magazine Family Reading (May/June 2012 issue)
  • Why Stop at Windows and Mirrors? Diverse Books Act as Prisms for Readers in The Horn Book Magazine (Jan/Feb 2019 issue)

Co-authored

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  • Many Windows : Six Kids, Five Faiths, One Community. Written with Rukhsana Khan and Elisa Lynn Carbone (2008)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Uma Krishnaswami and International Imaginings." Journal of Children's Literature. Fall 2006. p 60-65. Frederick Luis Aldama.
  2. ^ "Encyclopedia.com 'Something About the Author: Uma Krishnaswami'".
  3. ^ "Interview with Uma Krishnaswami". www.papertigers.org. May 2006. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006.
  4. ^ "Encyclopedia.com Something About the Author: Uma Krishnaswami".
  5. ^ Acknowledgements in The Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha Broken Tusk, 2006
  6. ^ "Vermont College of Fine Arts 'VCFA faculty Uma Krishaswami'".
  7. ^ "Uma Krishnaswami: 2011 National Book Festival". Library of Congress.
  8. ^ "WorldCat Identities Uma Krishaswami".
  9. ^ "Picture Books - Out of the Way! Out of the Way!: Tulika Books Publishers India". www.tulikabooks.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Uma Krishnaswami: 2011 National Book Festival". Library of Congress.
  11. ^ "New York City Children's Theater 'About Tea with Chachaji' 2012".
  12. ^ "Backstage Magazine 'Tea with Chachaji' Aug 15, 2012".
  13. ^ "Denver Casado Composer & Lyricist website 'Tea with Chachaji'".
  14. ^ "Writers.com/Writers on the Net". www.writers.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2004.
  15. ^ "Aztec Ruins National Monument Teacher Resources". Archived from the original on 28 December 2006.
  16. ^ "Uma Krishnawami". CANSCAIP members. Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers (canscaip.org). Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  17. ^ "Uma Krishnaswami | Vermont College of Fine Arts". www.vermontcollege.edu. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009.
  18. ^ "Vermont College of Fine Arts 'VCFA faculty Uma Krishaswami'".
  19. ^ "The Children's Book Guild of Washington D.C." www.childrensbookguild.org. Archived from the original on 21 August 2003.
  20. ^ "IRA Children's Literature and Reading SIG Projects - NBGS 2005 List - Multicultural Literature".
  21. ^ "'Popular choice' ruled at book awards". Times of India. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  22. ^ "Grand Prize Winner".
  23. ^ "2017-2018 Awards Winners".
  24. ^ "School Library Journal Presenting the 2017 USBBY Outstanding International Books List".
  25. ^ "Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year".
  26. ^ Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2022 https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BBL-2022-Five-to-Nine-for-web.pdf
  27. ^ "Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2022".
  28. ^ Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2022 https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BBL-2022-Five-to-Nine-for-web.pdf
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