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A Group of One
A girl of mixed heritage discovers that both cultures are important parts of who she is.
Mr. Toller grins. "I guess we plain old regular Canadians need to know the history of other places to get a real and balanced view."
Plain old regular.
As in white.
It jolts through me like lightning. I almost bought his idea of regular--that's why I was afraid to read my grandmother's story.
My heart pounds, but I have to say it.
"Mr. Toller, I AM a regular Canadian."
Hey, Tara, what's your mother tongue?
It's questions like these that make fourteen-year-old Tara Mehta boil, especially when they're asked by teachers who ought to know better. Yes, her parents were raised in India, but Tara has lived in Ottawa her whole life -- she's as Canadian as everybody else. There are much more important things than where her family came from. Jeff, for instance. He's the new guy with the blue eyes and a brain that actually works.
But then she meets her grandmother for the first time. Naniji fought with Gandhi in the Indian Indepence movement, and she's horrified to learn that her grandchildren know almost nothing about their heritage. Tara resents her grandmother's attitude until she learns how Naniji came to join the fight for indepence. Shocked and angered by the history that she's never been taught in school, Tara decides to tell Naniji's story to her class. In the wake of the violently mixed reactions that follow, Tara comes to realize that most people need to expand their definition of what it means to be a "regular" Canadian -- including herself.
Mr. Toller grins. "I guess we plain old regular Canadians need to know the history of other places to get a real and balanced view."
Plain old regular.
As in white.
It jolts through me like lightning. I almost bought his idea of regular--that's why I was afraid to read my grandmother's story.
My heart pounds, but I have to say it.
"Mr. Toller, I AM a regular Canadian."
Hey, Tara, what's your mother tongue?
It's questions like these that make fourteen-year-old Tara Mehta boil, especially when they're asked by teachers who ought to know better. Yes, her parents were raised in India, but Tara has lived in Ottawa her whole life -- she's as Canadian as everybody else. There are much more important things than where her family came from. Jeff, for instance. He's the new guy with the blue eyes and a brain that actually works.
But then she meets her grandmother for the first time. Naniji fought with Gandhi in the Indian Indepence movement, and she's horrified to learn that her grandchildren know almost nothing about their heritage. Tara resents her grandmother's attitude until she learns how Naniji came to join the fight for indepence. Shocked and angered by the history that she's never been taught in school, Tara decides to tell Naniji's story to her class. In the wake of the violently mixed reactions that follow, Tara comes to realize that most people need to expand their definition of what it means to be a "regular" Canadian -- including herself.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Rachna Gilmore
25 books18 followersRachna Gilmore is the best-selling, critically acclaimed Governor General’s Award winning author of numerous books with multiple honours and awards. Her publications include picture books, early readers, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as adult fiction.
Rachna’s books are sold internationally with translations in French, Danish, German, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, Chinese as well as several other languages. A skilled and experienced presenter, Rachna gives inumerable readings and workshops in schools, libraries and conferences across the country as well as internationally.
Born in India, Rachna has lived in London, England and Prince Edward Island. She now lives in Ottawa where she continues to plark (play, work, lark) at dreaming up weird and wonder-filled tales.
http://www.rachnagilmore.ca/bio.html
Rachna’s books are sold internationally with translations in French, Danish, German, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, Chinese as well as several other languages. A skilled and experienced presenter, Rachna gives inumerable readings and workshops in schools, libraries and conferences across the country as well as internationally.
Born in India, Rachna has lived in London, England and Prince Edward Island. She now lives in Ottawa where she continues to plark (play, work, lark) at dreaming up weird and wonder-filled tales.
http://www.rachnagilmore.ca/bio.html
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 14, 2023
3.5 stars
When Tara’s grandmother arrives from India, the entire family has to make adjustments. Fourteen-year-old Tara finds it especially difficult; at school she feels too “brown” among her white peers. At home, she feels too Canadian to relate to her grandmother. Will a school assignment to interview an older person about a historical event be the solution to easing the tension? Or will discussing, and then revealing her grandmother’s past make things more complicated?…
When Tara’s grandmother arrives from India, the entire family has to make adjustments. Fourteen-year-old Tara finds it especially difficult; at school she feels too “brown” among her white peers. At home, she feels too Canadian to relate to her grandmother. Will a school assignment to interview an older person about a historical event be the solution to easing the tension? Or will discussing, and then revealing her grandmother’s past make things more complicated?…
January 1, 2023
read alongside ds for his history studies. a girl discovers her deeper roots in India when her grandmother - an activist in Gandhi's time - visits the family for the first time. very Canadian in it's approach, it does a pretty good job of demonstrating the minefield that is the reaction to second generation immigrants - too right leaning cause an us-versus-them attitude, and too left leaning causes overcompensation via white liberal guilt. how's a gal supposed to belong when either side keeps emphasizing their 'other' nature?
August 21, 2017
Read summary for info. Includes issues surrounding best friends, dating, school, and sibling relationships. I really enjoyed it.
October 18, 2017
Good underlying ideas, stupid premise.
April 6, 2016
Although this book had a slow start, it really made me feel connected to the characters. It also made me think. At first, I felt like the author tried to hard to sound like a teenager. However, the book was so good that I soon could overlook that tendency.
October 25, 2007
An amazing book! I just couldn't get it out of my hands. I love this book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews