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V. Malar
V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time
V. Malar can’t wait to celebrate the harvest festival Pongal with her cousins from Seattle. But will they have enough in common to make it enjoyable? An illustrated chapter book about extended family and holiday traditions, kicking off a charming new series.
V. Malar loves living on a farm with her parents in a small town in India. And Malar’s absolute favorite time of year, the harvest festival known as Pongal, is finally here! This year’s festival will be different because her aunt, uncle, and cousins from Seattle will be visiting and celebrating with them. Feeling both excited and nervous, Malar promises to be a great host to her cousins. But when Priya and Kamal talk about all the things they have back home, or when they’re not interested in the animals on the farm, Malar finds it hard to keep her patience and be the gracious host she promised she’d be. The cousins clearly don’t start off on the right foot, but after a few clashes, there are some laughs, and Malar realizes that her cousins might just become friends after all. Family and celebrations big and small await in Suma Subramaniam’s sweet story, brought to life by Archana’s Sreenivasan’s friendly illustrations. A glossary of Indian terms and an author’s note about Pongal can be found in the back matter.
V. Malar loves living on a farm with her parents in a small town in India. And Malar’s absolute favorite time of year, the harvest festival known as Pongal, is finally here! This year’s festival will be different because her aunt, uncle, and cousins from Seattle will be visiting and celebrating with them. Feeling both excited and nervous, Malar promises to be a great host to her cousins. But when Priya and Kamal talk about all the things they have back home, or when they’re not interested in the animals on the farm, Malar finds it hard to keep her patience and be the gracious host she promised she’d be. The cousins clearly don’t start off on the right foot, but after a few clashes, there are some laughs, and Malar realizes that her cousins might just become friends after all. Family and celebrations big and small await in Suma Subramaniam’s sweet story, brought to life by Archana’s Sreenivasan’s friendly illustrations. A glossary of Indian terms and an author’s note about Pongal can be found in the back matter.
128 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2024
1 person is currently reading
2383 people want to read
About the author
Suma Subramaniam
12 books41 followersSuma Subramaniam earned her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a certificate in popular fiction from the University of Washington. Suma Subramaniam lives in Washington State.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 18, 2024
Blog Tour - 11/18
I had a wonderful time learning about Thai Pongal, a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of V. Malar, an Indian girl, coming into contrast with her Indian American cousins, Priya and Kamal. Some hurtful things are said and done. It's hard being a diaspora kid, but judgment comes from both sides. In the end, family is family, and things work out.
Book Recommendations Based on Book
🤍 Children's : Ameya's Two Worlds ; Mehndi Boy
; Once Upon a Sari ; The Secret of the Jade Bangle
🤍 Middle Grade : The Crossbow of Destiny
📖 Thank you to Hear Our Voices and Candlewick Press
📱 Thank you to Edelweiss, Hear Our Voices, and Candlewick Press
I had a wonderful time learning about Thai Pongal, a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of V. Malar, an Indian girl, coming into contrast with her Indian American cousins, Priya and Kamal. Some hurtful things are said and done. It's hard being a diaspora kid, but judgment comes from both sides. In the end, family is family, and things work out.
Book Recommendations Based on Book
🤍 Children's : Ameya's Two Worlds ; Mehndi Boy
; Once Upon a Sari ; The Secret of the Jade Bangle
🤍 Middle Grade : The Crossbow of Destiny
📖 Thank you to Hear Our Voices and Candlewick Press
📱 Thank you to Edelweiss, Hear Our Voices, and Candlewick Press
December 30, 2024
Ya'll know I'm always looking for alternatives to Ms. Junie B. Jones...
I would say it isn't personal between me and that little girl, but it is.
Suma Subramaniam provides a fun and interesting read a like for younger readers who are starting to read chapter books independently.
V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time is fun, fast paced story that follows V. Malar who attempts to be a great host to her cousins who visit her small town in India. It serves as a great example of what happens of conflicts that exists between people of the same diaspora. V. Malar has experiences living in India that she doesn't necessarily share with her cousins who are also Indian but have mainly grown up in the United States. I also think it's a great lesson in patience and finding a balance in dealing with issues and letting them go. The illustrations by Archana’s Sreenivasan were great and I loved that Subramaniam provided a glossary in the back.
I would say it isn't personal between me and that little girl, but it is.
Suma Subramaniam provides a fun and interesting read a like for younger readers who are starting to read chapter books independently.
V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time is fun, fast paced story that follows V. Malar who attempts to be a great host to her cousins who visit her small town in India. It serves as a great example of what happens of conflicts that exists between people of the same diaspora. V. Malar has experiences living in India that she doesn't necessarily share with her cousins who are also Indian but have mainly grown up in the United States. I also think it's a great lesson in patience and finding a balance in dealing with issues and letting them go. The illustrations by Archana’s Sreenivasan were great and I loved that Subramaniam provided a glossary in the back.
November 13, 2024
I just finished reading V. Malar Greatest Host of All Time by Suma Subramaniam and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. This is a sweet family story that connects relatives who live long distance for special holidays. It also highlights the friendships that form among cousins who visit each other over long distances. Highly recommended. The author includes a friendly glossary which introduces commonly used words in India. She also includes a note about the India holiday Pongal which is highlighted in the book.
November 15, 2024
I read this book for Hear Our Voices tour and I can say, this was a cute story with the theme of Family throughout the novel! Also, one of the most important aspects of the theme, is within Family you have tradition and within tradition and that specific family you can have many different types of cultures/traditions! I really enjoy that aspect! With I said, this would be a great piece of literature to put into a classroom library to showcase diversity, inclusion, equity, and build community!!
August 14, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Malar and her family live in the town of Pori in India, and have a farm. The holiday of Pongal is approaching, and Malar is excited that her aunt and uncle, as well as her cousins, will be visiting from Seattle for the occasion. She's worried about how well she will get along with her cousins, but wants to be the best host to them. Her fears are well founded; Priya is a bit snotty, and complains about how small everything is. Kamal, who is younger than the girls, is fully of energy. The two would rather nap and play video games than go around the farm. They also are rather inflexible; Priya insists on calling the traditional dye used to create designs on the hands as "henna" even though Malar tells her that it is called "maruthaani". Still, Malar tries very hard to make her cousins happy and to help her mother and father prepare for the celebration. On the first day of Pongal, Bhogi, the family puts away all of the old, broken things and dances around the fire. Priya and Kamal aren't too interested in making patties out of dung, and Priya ends up spilling the dung water all over herself. On the second day, Thai Pongal, Malar is excited to get a new dress, and to draw a kolam outside the house. When Kamal messes it up, it's hard to forgive him. The third day is Maattu Pongal, and the cattle are honored, so the children help wash them and paint designs on them. By the time the final festival approaches, Malar has a new understanding of how her cousins might be missing home, and may have been tired from the flight, and misses them when they are gone. The book includes a helpful glossary of Tamil words as well as an author's note about the holiday.
Strengths: This was an interesting look at life in another country, and discusses a festival with lots of detail. Malar's desire to be welcoming is tested by her difficult US cousins, and it was nice to see in the end that they came to understand each other. The illustrations help with concepts like the kolam, which young readers who haven't spent much time with Indian culture might find hard to visualize. This is a nice length, and I'm hoping to see more books featuring Malar and her family.
Weaknesses: I would love to see more of these early reader books with boys as the main characters, or at least characters that are siblings of both genders. I know it shouldn't matter, but I think that boys would love these kinds of series, and a disproportionate number feature girls.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who are looking for culturally connected beginning chapter books series, like Lee's Mindy Kim (and the Mid-Autumn Festival), Fang's Ava Lin, or Brown's Lola Levine.
Malar and her family live in the town of Pori in India, and have a farm. The holiday of Pongal is approaching, and Malar is excited that her aunt and uncle, as well as her cousins, will be visiting from Seattle for the occasion. She's worried about how well she will get along with her cousins, but wants to be the best host to them. Her fears are well founded; Priya is a bit snotty, and complains about how small everything is. Kamal, who is younger than the girls, is fully of energy. The two would rather nap and play video games than go around the farm. They also are rather inflexible; Priya insists on calling the traditional dye used to create designs on the hands as "henna" even though Malar tells her that it is called "maruthaani". Still, Malar tries very hard to make her cousins happy and to help her mother and father prepare for the celebration. On the first day of Pongal, Bhogi, the family puts away all of the old, broken things and dances around the fire. Priya and Kamal aren't too interested in making patties out of dung, and Priya ends up spilling the dung water all over herself. On the second day, Thai Pongal, Malar is excited to get a new dress, and to draw a kolam outside the house. When Kamal messes it up, it's hard to forgive him. The third day is Maattu Pongal, and the cattle are honored, so the children help wash them and paint designs on them. By the time the final festival approaches, Malar has a new understanding of how her cousins might be missing home, and may have been tired from the flight, and misses them when they are gone. The book includes a helpful glossary of Tamil words as well as an author's note about the holiday.
Strengths: This was an interesting look at life in another country, and discusses a festival with lots of detail. Malar's desire to be welcoming is tested by her difficult US cousins, and it was nice to see in the end that they came to understand each other. The illustrations help with concepts like the kolam, which young readers who haven't spent much time with Indian culture might find hard to visualize. This is a nice length, and I'm hoping to see more books featuring Malar and her family.
Weaknesses: I would love to see more of these early reader books with boys as the main characters, or at least characters that are siblings of both genders. I know it shouldn't matter, but I think that boys would love these kinds of series, and a disproportionate number feature girls.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who are looking for culturally connected beginning chapter books series, like Lee's Mindy Kim (and the Mid-Autumn Festival), Fang's Ava Lin, or Brown's Lola Levine.
November 14, 2024
Malar is excited to celebrate the Harvest Festival of Pongal with her family, and it’s extra special because her cousins from Seattle are coming to celebrate with them. The festival occurs over several days, which gives Malar time to connect with her cousins Priya and Kamal. Will they discover they have much in common, or will their geographical differences be too much?
Culturally, this book is phenomenal. Each chapter gives you so much information about the Harvest Festival of Pongal. Malar tries hard to connect with her cousins every step of the way, but it isn’t easy. Priya and Kamal are used to having certain comforts, which they aren’t afforded at Malar’s family home. But no matter what, Malar is determined to be the greatest of hosts, even when Priya is being difficult and Kamal is being himself. He is five years old, after all.
It was interesting to see the cultural differences between the cousins. Everything seems bigger in America (and for the most part, that’s true), so it looks like Priya is judgmental and downright picky about everything. In truth, she just missed home and didn’t know how to express that.
I appreciated seeing the cultural differences between Malar and Priya and how, eventually, the two became a team. It was nice to see Priya show appreciation for the celebration. This was a beautiful story of acceptance and showing grace. I wasn’t familiar with Pongal before this story, but learning about something that’s not a part of my culture is lovely and nice. There is a glossary at the back of the book, which is extremely helpful. The illustrations were beautiful and helped tell the story.
Quite enjoyable!
Culturally, this book is phenomenal. Each chapter gives you so much information about the Harvest Festival of Pongal. Malar tries hard to connect with her cousins every step of the way, but it isn’t easy. Priya and Kamal are used to having certain comforts, which they aren’t afforded at Malar’s family home. But no matter what, Malar is determined to be the greatest of hosts, even when Priya is being difficult and Kamal is being himself. He is five years old, after all.
It was interesting to see the cultural differences between the cousins. Everything seems bigger in America (and for the most part, that’s true), so it looks like Priya is judgmental and downright picky about everything. In truth, she just missed home and didn’t know how to express that.
I appreciated seeing the cultural differences between Malar and Priya and how, eventually, the two became a team. It was nice to see Priya show appreciation for the celebration. This was a beautiful story of acceptance and showing grace. I wasn’t familiar with Pongal before this story, but learning about something that’s not a part of my culture is lovely and nice. There is a glossary at the back of the book, which is extremely helpful. The illustrations were beautiful and helped tell the story.
Quite enjoyable!
December 15, 2025
Malar's American cousins are coming to visit during the India harvest festival of Pongal. The cover asks the question "will they have enough in common to enjoy her favorite holiday?"
The realistic story examines cultural differences, family, an explanation of the Pongal four-day harvest festival, difficulties a farming community might face after a cyclone/hurricane arriving during a planting seasons, and the problems of jet lag. The illustrations are great, capturing family traits, making the children look related along their fathers line (the cousins' fathers are brothers).
I think Malar's parents did her a disservice not explaining what jet lag was and how it might impact her cousins. The cultural clash flares hard and a part of me wished it wasn't about the female child(ren) having to do all the peace-making, but coming at the story from the core plotline of host-duties, it is acceptable. Loved the on-going impact of the cyclone with "we can't have these normal holiday food because we couldn't plant, so these are the substitutes" and "the normal riverside festival is much smaller as people aren't able to travel because of the difficulties these past few months"; this made the story feel much more connected to the real world.
Overall an engaging story of family with an explanation of a holiday Americans might not be familiar with but is important in some parts of the world.
The realistic story examines cultural differences, family, an explanation of the Pongal four-day harvest festival, difficulties a farming community might face after a cyclone/hurricane arriving during a planting seasons, and the problems of jet lag. The illustrations are great, capturing family traits, making the children look related along their fathers line (the cousins' fathers are brothers).
I think Malar's parents did her a disservice not explaining what jet lag was and how it might impact her cousins. The cultural clash flares hard and a part of me wished it wasn't about the female child(ren) having to do all the peace-making, but coming at the story from the core plotline of host-duties, it is acceptable. Loved the on-going impact of the cyclone with "we can't have these normal holiday food because we couldn't plant, so these are the substitutes" and "the normal riverside festival is much smaller as people aren't able to travel because of the difficulties these past few months"; this made the story feel much more connected to the real world.
Overall an engaging story of family with an explanation of a holiday Americans might not be familiar with but is important in some parts of the world.
November 14, 2024
Happy Children’s Day to all of us!! It’s necessary to keep the inner child alive in today’s otherwise hectic life. Kids’ books remind us many crucial life lessons which we forget when we step into the adulthood. This is one such marvelous book to nudge us in that direction.
Malar is a lovely 10YO living in her village with her parents. The Pongal is soon arriving, so does her uncle’s family from US. They have two children almost same age as Malar. Join Malar on her journey to become the greatest host of all time while discovering family, relations and love on her way.
What a wonderful book it was!! The banter between Malar and Priya reminded me of my childhood banters with my cousins. The beautiful portrayal of the village was so breathtaking. The illustrations were equally amazing. A kid’s way of understanding the foundations of one’s life, family, in a joyful and in her own way. Loved this.
It was a short and crisp read. Never a dull moment. Finished it in one sitting while smiling all the way to the end. Overall I enjoyed it thoroughly. I read it during another festival, Diwali, so it became all the more dear to me.
Highly recommend!! It is a must read for all age groups. You are going to love Malar and her cousins and will be reminiscing your childhood in no time. Give it a go.
Malar is a lovely 10YO living in her village with her parents. The Pongal is soon arriving, so does her uncle’s family from US. They have two children almost same age as Malar. Join Malar on her journey to become the greatest host of all time while discovering family, relations and love on her way.
What a wonderful book it was!! The banter between Malar and Priya reminded me of my childhood banters with my cousins. The beautiful portrayal of the village was so breathtaking. The illustrations were equally amazing. A kid’s way of understanding the foundations of one’s life, family, in a joyful and in her own way. Loved this.
It was a short and crisp read. Never a dull moment. Finished it in one sitting while smiling all the way to the end. Overall I enjoyed it thoroughly. I read it during another festival, Diwali, so it became all the more dear to me.
Highly recommend!! It is a must read for all age groups. You are going to love Malar and her cousins and will be reminiscing your childhood in no time. Give it a go.
November 12, 2024
V. Malar, Greatest Host of All Time by Suma Subramaniam, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, is a really lovely new young middle grade/early chapter book!
This book takes place in a village in Southern India where Malar and her family are preparing to have family from Seattle visit for the harvest festival of Pongal. Malar’s parents have emphasized to her the importance of being a good host to her cousins. But when they arrive and aren’t always the most respectful guests, that becomes a lot more challenging.
It felt very realistic to see the emotional push and pull between Malar and her American cousins and to watch them show each other grace and understanding, even when they had been feeling hurt. There are some valuable SEL lessons to be learned here about seeing things from another person’s perspective.
I also loved learning more about Pongal and all of the Tamil words interspersed throughout the book. I had heard of Pongal before, but knew very little about it, so I learned a lot from this book.
The illustrations were really lovely and this is just a great book for a young middle grade reader or a reader just getting into chapter books.
This book takes place in a village in Southern India where Malar and her family are preparing to have family from Seattle visit for the harvest festival of Pongal. Malar’s parents have emphasized to her the importance of being a good host to her cousins. But when they arrive and aren’t always the most respectful guests, that becomes a lot more challenging.
It felt very realistic to see the emotional push and pull between Malar and her American cousins and to watch them show each other grace and understanding, even when they had been feeling hurt. There are some valuable SEL lessons to be learned here about seeing things from another person’s perspective.
I also loved learning more about Pongal and all of the Tamil words interspersed throughout the book. I had heard of Pongal before, but knew very little about it, so I learned a lot from this book.
The illustrations were really lovely and this is just a great book for a young middle grade reader or a reader just getting into chapter books.
October 23, 2024
V. Malar's American cousins are coming to visit her for Pongal, the harvest fesitval! Malar cannot wait especially since she has video chatted with them a few times and cannot wait to show them her world!
When her aunt, uncle, and two cousins visit, things do not go so smoothly. Nerves and the cultural differences create a barrier between the cousins. They definitely live very different lives, but will they be able to connect?
Malar is so determined to be the best host to her cousins even if she doesn't agree with everything that they do, want, and the way they behave. She wants to show them what an amazing time it is to celebrate Pongal and how special it is in their culture.
Will Malar be the best host to her cousins? Will things smooth over?
This was an absolutely great book to read for young children and up. There are some really adorable illustrations in this book and this book is a great way to learn about another culture! I learned so much and I loved that there was a glossary in the back of the book to better help explain certain words.
When her aunt, uncle, and two cousins visit, things do not go so smoothly. Nerves and the cultural differences create a barrier between the cousins. They definitely live very different lives, but will they be able to connect?
Malar is so determined to be the best host to her cousins even if she doesn't agree with everything that they do, want, and the way they behave. She wants to show them what an amazing time it is to celebrate Pongal and how special it is in their culture.
Will Malar be the best host to her cousins? Will things smooth over?
This was an absolutely great book to read for young children and up. There are some really adorable illustrations in this book and this book is a great way to learn about another culture! I learned so much and I loved that there was a glossary in the back of the book to better help explain certain words.
November 20, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. It's a very sweet story and what keeps it going is the ups and downs V. Malar experiences as she's trying to be a good host to her American cousins. You can tell there is a lot of love in this family and the author expresses it beautifully. V. Malar comes across as a very emotionally mature girl with a giving, kind, and expressive spirit. This story is relatable to anyone that has tried to build a relationship with someone that is vastly different than you. I love that the author included a glossary and an explanation of the Pongal festival at the back of the book. It's those touches that make it a welcome addition to any home or classroom.
November 18, 2024
Pongal is a celebration in India that is shared amongst family and friends. This year will be special, because Malar's family is coming from Seattle and she is charged with being a good hostess to her cousins Priya and Kamal. But, no one told her how difficult of a task that would be.
What started out as a rocky relationship, slowly became a beautiful friendship amongst the friends. I'm so happy I was chosen to be a part of this book tour, because I learned something new about the Indian culture.
What started out as a rocky relationship, slowly became a beautiful friendship amongst the friends. I'm so happy I was chosen to be a part of this book tour, because I learned something new about the Indian culture.
October 17, 2024
It is short and easy to read but filled with information. We felt like the Seatle cousin who visits Malar (flower) and learns so much. First, with differences, but then with respect and understanding for their culture, community, family, and heritage. The festival is divided into different days with different meanings. Wonderful way to learn about other cultures, traditions, and locations.
Love the many illustrations.
Love the many illustrations.
February 25, 2025
The South Indian setting and Pongal holiday are fresh and interesting, but the main character’s struggle to connect with her cousins and reign in her negative emotions is universal. A fast-paced read with lots of interesting details, real emotions, and descriptions of tasty tasty food. The lovely illustrations, useful glossary, and author’s note will help guide readers unfamiliar with the culture when reading this charming story.
January 30, 2025
On the whole, I loved the setting, and I loved V. Malar's struggle to host her relatives -- this is definitely something that many people can relate to. I understand also that there's a continuum as her jet lagged and nervous American cousins settle in, but wow, they are really obnoxious. Kindness wins the day, and things get better.
November 13, 2024
A lovingly written celebration of the festival of Pongal, with a very likeable and relatable protagonist. Best of all, set in in rural India. It was a feast for the senses. I'm delighted that this is a series, because I definitely want more of Malar!
November 21, 2024
This delightful chapter book is a heartwarming exploration of family, tradition, and cultural exchange, perfect for young readers. V. Malar’s story beautifully captures the charm of rural life in India, while introducing readers to the vibrant traditions of Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival. The author skillfully balances the joys and challenges of hosting extended family from a different cultural background, creating a relatable and authentic narrative for children navigating family dynamics or cultural differences.
December 9, 2024
Malar is relatable, the evolving relationship with her cousins feels spot-on, all set to the amazing backdrop of India's harvest festival Pongal.
Brilliant new series - can't wait for the next installment.
Brilliant new series - can't wait for the next installment.
October 16, 2024
Charming new illustrated chapter book series. Always fun to learn about holidays and life in other countries. I really enjoyed it.
January 13, 2025
This is a fun chapter book, full of cousin dynamics, culture, and tradition. Young Readers are bound to devour this one! Great addition to any bookshelf!
November 19, 2024
Books are a wonderful way to build empathy towards and understanding of others. If you’re looking for books to introduce your littles to cultures and traditions that differ from your own, add this one to your list!
With an authors note that goes further in-depth to The Harvest Festival of Pongal and a glossary of terms throughout the book, this is great for early readers through adults alike! I thoroughly enjoyed learning about a tradition I’d never heard of!
V. Malar’s time with her cousins took me back to my childhood and celebrating holidays with my siblings and cousins (complete with the bickering 🤣). It gave me all the nostalgic feels and put me even more in the holiday mood!
With an authors note that goes further in-depth to The Harvest Festival of Pongal and a glossary of terms throughout the book, this is great for early readers through adults alike! I thoroughly enjoyed learning about a tradition I’d never heard of!
V. Malar’s time with her cousins took me back to my childhood and celebrating holidays with my siblings and cousins (complete with the bickering 🤣). It gave me all the nostalgic feels and put me even more in the holiday mood!
April 9, 2025
Really enjoyed this relatable story of cousins navigating through their differences.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews