Raakhee Mirchandani
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Diversity + Inclusion @DowJones. Author: Super Satya Saves the Day, Hair Twins. Mrs @AganSingh. Mama. Hufflepuff.
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Articles by Raakhee Mirchandani
Journey to the Stars: Kalpana Chawla, Astronaut
(Author) (Author) (Illustrator) & 1 more FORMAT Hardcover$18.99$17.66(English) Pre-Order Ships Feb 13, 2024 Buy new or used from an indie through our partner Biblio: Price Condition Seller A powerful story of hope about a woman who fought against all odds to become the first Indian American female astronaut. Kalpana Chawla set her sights on flight from an early age. She was told "no" many times in life: No, girls don't study aerospace. No, women don't become astronauts.
Books Celebrating Diwali
Shubh Diwali!, Written by Chitra Soundar, Illustrated by Charlene Chua Diwali has arrived! Rangoli art decorates the floor, and strings of flowers hang around the doors. Now it's time to ring the bells, light the lamps, and welcome the New Year with family and friends. Shubh Diwali is a sweet introduction to the Hindu festival of lights.
Opinion: This TV mom changed everything
Editor’s Note: Raakhee Mirchandani is a journalist and author of the children’s books “She Persisted: Kalpana Chawla,” “My Diwali Light” and “Hair Twins.” The views expressed here are her own. Read more opinion on CNN. CNN — Note: The following contains spoilers for the final season of “Never Have I Ever.” Growing up, there were a lot of mothers on TV — Mrs. Brady, Roseanne, Angela Bower, Clair Huxtable, Aunt Viv and a host of other 1990s sitcom moms who all felt interchangeable to me.
I used to hide my culture. Now I'm sharing Diwali with everyone I know
When it comes to Diwali — and most things, let’s be honest — I’m from a bigger-is-better kind of place. Maybe it’s the New Jersey in me; maybe it’s the Indian. Maybe it’s the perfect storm of the two. To celebrate my favorite holiday — the Festival of Lights and the start of the new year — there’s not an inch of my apartment that doesn’t scream festive.
How Do You Celebrate: Diwali
Diwali is the holiday that feels like it belongs to me. “My Diwali Light” tells the story of Devi, named after my grandmother, as she gets ready to celebrate Diwali her way. Like so many major holidays, different families and communities have their own way of marking the season. Growing up in an immigrant Sindhi household in New Jersey, our celebration looked different than many of our friends.
My Diwali Light by Raakhee Mirchandani, Supriya Kelkar, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®
Raakhee Mirchandani is an award-winning writer and editor and the author of Hair Twins and Super Satya Saves the Day. When she isn't writing, Raakhee is either organizing her book shelves, running races to raise money for kids with cancer, or admiring her many Diwali decorations, many of which she leaves up all year round. She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, with her husband and daughter.
8 picture books to help kids to learn about each other and foster respect
By Rabia KhokharSpecial to the Star Thu., June 24, 2021timer3 min. read Books have a special way of helping us learn about each other and foster respect. They can also help us collectively work to dismantle hate and injustice by centring stories that show people of all identities in universal experiences. I hope these picture books can help us pave a way toward justice for all. Hair Twins By Raakhee Mirchandani, illus.
8 picture books to help kids to learn about each other and foster respect
WhatsOn Toronto Star Thursday, June 24, 2021 Books have a special way of helping us learn about each other and foster respect. They can also help us collectively work to dismantle hate and injustice by centring stories that show people of all identities in universal experiences. I hope these picture books can help us pave a way toward justice for all. Hair Twins By Raakhee Mirchandani, illus. by Holly Hatam Little, Brown, 40 pages, $22.99 This book celebrates the bond between a father and daughter.
Hair Twins By Raakhee Mirchandani & Illustrated By Holly Hatam
Back of Book: Every morning Papa combs through his daughter’s waves like he does his own—parting it down the middle, using coconut oil to get all the tangles out. Some days he braids her hair in two twists down the side of her face. Other days he weaves it into one long braid hanging down her back, just like a unicorn tail. But her favorite style is when he combs her hair in a tight bun on the top of her head, just like the joora he wears every day under his turban.
Hair How-To’s
When I was younger, I loved to do my hair in different styles. It was fun to try new things and wear my hair different ways. It was even better when my siblings had the same hairstyles as me. Our book Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani, illustrated by Holly Hatam celebrates family, tradition, fun and hair. In honor of Hair Twins I will give you a few fun cute hairstyles to do with your hair twin! Fun Buns! What you’ll need: Comb Hair ties Comb hair down the middle, splitting into two sections.
What kids should be reading for AAPI Heritage Month and why representation matters
It's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and one great way to mark the month is by educating yourself — and your children — about the community through reading. Given the proliferation of violence against the community, knowledge is power. © Courtesy of Mango & Marigold Press "Finding Om," written by Rashmi Bismark and illustrated by Morgan Huff.
'Hair Twins' author: My daughter doesn't have two worlds, like I did
My 7-year-old daughter Satya takes up a lot of space in the world. Literally. Her stuff is everywhere. Every surface of the apartment is covered in the things that fill her life: notebooks, my vintage copies of "The Baby-Sitters Club," squishies, scrunchies and parandis. Bindis share space with slime and graphic novels, side by side, all of them equal parts of what this little girl is made of.
Children's Book Review: Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani, illus. by Holly Hatam. Little, Brown, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-49530-1
Raakhee Mirchandani, illus. by Holly Hatam. Little, Brown, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-49530-1 A brown-skinned girl relays the hair routines of her long-haired Sikh father and herself in this bouncy picture book by Mirchandani, inspired by her husband and daughter.
'Why don't any of the signs say Kamala?' my 6-year-old daughter asked me
"Why don't any of the signs say Kamala?" Satya, my 6-year-old daughter, asked me. She recently learned how to read, and these days there is no sign nor cereal box left unread. Names are a connection point for Satya and the Democratic vice presidential hopeful, Sen. Kamala Harris. Besides sharing Indian first names, the duo share the same middle name, Devi, something my kid finds endlessly fascinating. I get it. I've watched others struggle with my name my whole life. "Do you have a nickname," they ask.
Hair Twins
Get recommended reads, deals, and more from Hachette Get recommended reads, deals, and more from Hachette By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use “A feel-good picture book about diversity, family relationships, and self-love.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred “Digitally collaged illustrations in a colorful cartoon style by Hatam spotlight a cast with a range of abilities, hair textures, religions, and skin tones. A...
‘In this environment, laundry is my love language.’ What I want this Mother’s Day
Dispatches from a Pandemic Published: May 8, 2020 at 8:34 p.m. ET ‘I’m a Kindergarten teacher, a chef, a cleaner, a caretaker, a concession-stand operator, barista and employee’ Raakhee Mirchandani: 'I’ve laughed off Mother’s Day in the past as a retail cash grab, but this year, I need this day. Hell, I need it to be a month.' Raakhee Mirchandani What I really want for Mother’s Day is to spend a day with a handle of Tito’s and the stack of books teetering on the edge of my nightstand.
Thanks to the coronavirus, my daughter now has America’s worst teacher
Circle time is not for the weak. Turns out, you can’t really make a circle with three people, but that’s the size of my family. Plus, we already know what the other people in our circle/triangle have been doing for the past two weeks because, well, we’ve been self-quarantined and spending nearly every minute of every day together. Sharing? That’s all we do: share snacks, hopes, dreams and art supplies for the 17 crafts my daughter, Satya, and I make, usually before lunch.
Nominations Open: Barron’s Celebrates Financial Empowerment
Barron’s is looking to recognize people and organizations whose products, services or education programs are making an impact to improve the financial health and security of people and communities across America. Individuals and institutions are welcome to nominate eligible participants to the inaugural Barron’s Celebrates: Financial Empowerment competition. Nominations may be submitted using this form, which also provides more information on the judging methodology.
I Cry When I Run—and If You Don't, You're Honestly Missing Out
There are a lot of things that make me cry: The lyrics to Beyonce's "Brown Skin Girl," listening to my 6-year-old daughter sound out words as she learns to read, and that damn Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commercial.
Full – Raakhee Mirchandani – Medium
FULL My pants are tight. They were tight when I walked my daughter in to her first day of preschool, her braid bouncing with the promise a new year brings; pencils to sharpen, friends to make and books to decode. They were tight in Europe, on a sun and wine soaked summer vacation, the warm Mediterranean blues still washing over us, months after we’ve returned. I am hopeful that our adventures are just beginning.
I've Missed Countless of My Kid's 'Firsts' Because of Work. I Love My Job and I Love My Kid.
Design by Mariel TylerInstagram It’s the mother of all scheduling conflicts. You head to work and while you're out hustling, your kid does something amazing. For the first time. Literally something they will never do again, in that same way, and you've missed it. It happened to me. It’s probably happened to you. This weekend, it happened to Serena Williams. The G.O.A.T. The one and only.
Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford toast to 10 years on the air
Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford have been on the air together for 10 years. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images For CMT) The beloved “Today” hosts talk to Moneyish about mentorship, knowing your worth and the secrets to their success This story is part of “Uninterrupted,” a series where female leaders — who also happen to be friends — talk to Moneyish about the issues that matter to them.
Apple’s first scripted TV show will star Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston (The Verge)
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My Daughter Took a Picture of Me and All I Could See Was My Back Fat
Last week, my husband, daughter, and I were at our weekly family holiday, French Fryday, when my preschooler Satya asked for my phone. I've been known to be a little militant when it comes to screens, so I was reluctant to offer it up and annoyed she'd asked at all. "Why do you need it?" I asked. She knew the rules! "I want to take a picture of your hair," she replied. "It's beautiful." Swipe, snap, cry. I did my best not to sob into the ketchup, but that little lady stuck a nerve, as she often does.
Why we want to watch supermodel Karlie Kloss watch movies with her squad
Karlie Kloss will be hosting her own talk show this December (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) ‘Movie Night with Karlie Kloss’ follows the winning business model of showing stars like Jerry Seinfeld and James Corden doing normal things. The only thing more fun than watching movies starring famous people might be watching famous people watch movies, themselves. That’s the meta selling point behind Karlie Kloss’s upcoming TV show, “Movie Night with Karlie Kloss.�
A word of caution on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
My daughter Satya and I were part of a video ad campaign also featuring Hilaria Baldwin and Daphne Oz. She told everyone I wore leopard underwear. My daughter Satya plays office a lot. I’m sure it means that I work too much or that I should get off the damn phone, but, hey, at least she knows that mama has to work so she can have all the Wonder Woman toys she needs to survive.
My Daughter Took a Picture of Me and All I Could See Was My Back Fat
Last week, my husband, daughter, and I were at our weekly family holiday, French Fryday, when my preschooler Satya asked for my phone. I've been known to be a little militant when it comes to screens, so I was reluctant to offer it up and annoyed she'd asked at all. "Why do you need it?" I asked. She knew the rules! "I want to take a picture of your hair," she replied. "It's beautiful." Swipe, snap, cry. I did my best not to sob into the ketchup, but that little lady stuck a nerve, as she often does.
Family Sticks Together
My daughter came in to this world in a hurry – a little too early, a little too tiny. But she was something to behold, right from the start. Calm and cool, small but mighty. And just as we were getting comfortable – and I was getting back to work after six months of maternity leave – it happened. It started with an infection, some fevers and before we knew it, my husband and I were meeting with infectious disease specialists, oncologists and pediatric surgeons.
Why I'll Keep Giving My Daughter "Poopie" for Lunch
Another school lunch to pack, another day I fill my daughter's tiffin with poopie. I don't set out to send her to school with a sack full of shit — I spend time making the daal, chopping the veggies and simmering and sautéing everything in just the right amount of herbs and spices. But any way I slice it, my daughter's friends think her lunch looks like crap.
Why I'll Keep Giving My Daughter "Poopie" for Lunch
Another school lunch to pack, another day I fill my daughter's tiffin with poopie. I don't set out to send her to school with a sack full of shit-I spend time making the daal, chopping the veggies and simmering and sautéing everything in just the right amount of herbs and spices. But any way I slice it, my daughter's friends think her lunch looks like crap.
Why I'll Keep Giving My Daughter "Poopie" for Lunch
Another school lunch to pack, another day I fill my daughter's tiffin with poopie. I don't set out to send her to school with a sack full of shit—I spend time making the daal, chopping the veggies and simmering and sautéing everything in just the right amount of herbs and spices. But anyway I slice it, my daughter's friends think her lunch looks like crap.
Welcome to Moneyish
Money makes us do some weird stuff. We obsess about how we’re going to make it, save it and spend it. We’re constantly making sure we have enough and share enough. And while it can’t buy happiness, it can come pretty close: ever been unhappy with a pizza, a new pair of Converse or kicking in a few bucks for a cause you care about? Exactly. The thing is, we’ve gotten weird about talking about money.
11 Kids Books About Immigration and the Refugee Crisis - How to Talk to Your About Immigration and Refugees
Like so many of us, my American story is an immigrant one. My dad, came to this country eager to try his luck; my mom came as a brand new bride, unsure of a new land where she neither looked nor sounded like her neighbors. Their story has a happy ending: from Bombay to the 'burbs of New Jersey, kids, houses, Sunday temple trips followed by pizza nights. I'm textbook New Jersey: brassy, ballsy, and all about that Boss.
Screw New Years Resolutions
Most days I'm a fine mom: Satya, my 3-year-old is fed, mostly clean and laughs more than she cries. She has more veggies than cheese in her tummy, enough crayons on her easel and an unhealthy obsession with both Wonder Woman and FLOTUS. I love seeing the big wide world through her little eyes—kids have the crazy ability to find little bits of happiness in every situation and I'm naturally a more glass-is-half-empty-holy-shit-fill-the-fucking-glass kind of person.
Screw New Years Resolutions
Most days I'm a fine mom: Satya, my 3-year-old is fed, mostly clean and laughs more than she cries. She has more veggies than cheese in her tummy, enough crayons on her easel and an unhealthy obsession with both Wonder Woman and FLOTUS. I love seeing the big wide world through her little eyes-kids have the crazy ability to find little bits of happiness in every situation and I'm naturally a more glass-is-half-empty-holy-shit-fill-the-fucking-glass kind of person.
Why I Don't Give My Three-Year-Old Daughter Christmas Gifts
When my 3-year-old daughter wakes up on Christmas morning, there will be no presents to unwrap under the Christmas tree. There will no unboxing videos, no tears because we couldn't find a Hatchimal, and no chance that I wasted a minute of sleep or single breath on fulfilling a list of demands targeted to a portly stranger from the North Pole. There will neither be stockings stuffed with trinkets, nor an who can't seem to stay in one damn place.
How I'm Dressing My Daughter For a Feminist Future
She was inconsolable. The tears were streaming down her face, the stress was palpalable: "I don't want to President, I want to be me!" Satya shrieked, her tiny little face red with worry. This one was on me. I had laid out a sweet little " t-shirt, complete with a tutu and a pair of Doc Martens. It was #toddlerswag, #outfitgoals and whatever else moms much cooler than me would call it.
A Letter to My Three-Year-Old Daughter: The Future Is Still Female. It Is You.
I thought when you woke up this morning we would celebrate with ice cream for breakfast—a sweet treat to toast the new lady President we've been talking about for so many months. It was a joy to take you to the polls yesterday, in matching "The Future is Female" shirts, no less—a cheeky little girl-to-girl wink we giggled about all day.
Essay: A Toddler, A Turban, and a Little Lesson In Confidence
It’s the same sweet scene most morning: Agan stands over the sink, fabric in hand, stretching it and then wrapping it, carefully placing the thick black cotton in perfect folds on his head. Agan Singh with his three-year-old daughter, Satya. For Halloween 2016, Satya told her parents she wanted to be her "dada."Courtesy of Raakhee Mirchandani It’s methodical, deliberate, and badass. Next to him, our little daughter Satya is perched on a stool.
'Waris Ahluwalia Day' Celebrated in NYC!
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared Oct. 19, 2016, Waris Ahluwalia Day during a Diwali celebration at the Gracie Mansion in Manhattan. Ahluwalia — an Sikh-American designer and actor — made headlines in February this year, when he was denied boarding on an Aeroméxico flight from Mexico City to New York City for New York Fashion Week. The airline eventually apologized. "I'm a New Yorker.
A Letter to My Three-Year-Old Daughter: The Future Is Still Female. It Is You.
I thought when you woke up this morning we would celebrate with ice cream for breakfast-a sweet treat to toast the new lady President we've been talking about for so many months. It was a joy to take you to the polls yesterday, in matching "The Future is Female" shirts, no less-a cheeky little girl-to-girl wink we giggled about all day.
How to Build a Feminist Library For Your Baby
It was bedtime and I was reading "The Story of Ruby Bridges" to my almost 3-year-old daughter Satya. She was wiggling and squirming, picking things out of places I would rather not mention. A little frustrated—like, hello, little toddler, don't you see me totally killing this parenting thing right now?—I let her have it, "Satya, if you don't want to listen to mama, I can just stop reading." She sat back down. The kid loves story time.
New York City Mayor Declares Waris Ahluwalia Day at Diwali Celebration
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared Oct. 19, 2016, Waris Ahluwalia Day during a Diwali celebration at the Gracie Mansion in Manhattan. Ahluwalia — an Sikh-American designer and actor — made headlines in February this year, when he was denied boarding on an Aeroméxico flight from Mexico City to New York City for New York Fashion Week. The airline eventually apologized. Waris Ahluwalia, a member of the Sikh community, gives an interview in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016.
‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ more good than evil
Tim Burton is on macabre message in his latest offering — “Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children” — an adaptation of Ransom Riggs' popular trilogy. The director flies his freak flag high and encourages everyone to do the same. Sadly, peculiarity, even after the full Burton treatment, that isn't enough to hold your full attention for the 2-plus hours of running time. Jake (Asa Butterfield) is a regular kid in suburban Florida stacking adult diapers at a local convenience store.
12-year-old's optimism during cancer battle will inspire you
Click here to read the latest on Briana's condition Briana Lopez doesn’t know what her favorite TV show is, but she knows how to spell petechiae. That’s what happens when you’re diagnosed with cancer at just 11-years-old. And it was the petechiae — little red spots caused by broken blood vessels and lack of platelets — along with a few weeks of exhaustion and bruising that sent Bri to the doctor earlier this year. Those days are a blur for the Lopez-Contreras family.
ULTIMATE FALL GUIDE: Your kids' guide to fall and Halloween fun
Take your pick — pumpkins, costumes or candy — for the family-friendly fall activity perfect for your little kids. There are parades in NYC or on Sesame Street, an Arts & Music festival for revelers of all ages, and plenty of chances to score some tasty treats. 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, PA; (866) 464-3566. Tickets are $45 when purchased in advance on sesameplace.com. More cute than spook, The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular is ideal for the littlest monsters. From Sept. 24 through Oct.
Animated flick ‘The Wild Life’ is a too wild for kids: Review
Poor cats, they can never catch a break. Felines, too often maligned as conniving and sly, get no love in "The Wild Life", a tale that's inspired by Robinson Crusoe and perpetuates dangerous kitty stereotypes. And that's the best part of the movie. The story itself is thin - a castaway finds himself on a tiny island with no other human inhabitants, after a rough start, he befriends the local animals and all hell breaks loose when the killer kittens enter the picture.
The Asbury is the Jersey Shore's coolest new hotel
Like your best friend’s living room, the lobby at The Asbury Hotel is comfy and familiar. There are books and board games, squishy sofas and inviting sunny spots to curl up in.
'Kubo and the Two Strings' pulls at parents & kids' heartstrings
For a kid who has just one eye, Kubo sure can see a lot of things. Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) is the afflicted hero at the center of Laika's "Kubo and the Two strings", a stop-motion animated, Japan-set tale of love, loss and the light we have inside. He's a storyteller extraordinaire — a skill he got from his mama, although she's depressed and her memory isn't what it used to be.
'Pete's Dragon' is creature comfort for kids: Review
There's never been a cuter dragon romping across a movie screen than Elliot, the sweet green giant at the center of "Pete's Dragon," a Disney remake of the studio's 1977 partly animated classic. More of a furry pal than a fire-breathing hellion (although he does that briefly in a pivotal scene), the adorably fuzzy CGI creature looks out for a young orphan named Pete (Oakes Fegley) whose parents die in a car crash at the opening of the film.
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