BOOK SYNOPSIS
Spending time with her dad makes Mandeep’s days shine. They have cha parties, perform Bhangra shows, and best of all, they write jokes together in her favorite unicorn journal. But when Dad starts a job as a truck driver, he starts being away from home most of the week. Without Dad, storm clouds start taking over Mandeep’s sunny days, casting a shadow on all the things she used to love doing. Can anything help Mandeep feel better?
KULJINDER KAUR BRAR
Kuljinder is passionate about diverse representation in books and education. She is currently an elementary school teacher in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Kuljinder has a BA in General Studies with a minor in English and business, a Bachelor of Education and a Master’s in Educational Technology from the University of British Columbia.
Kuljinder was born and raised in Surrey, British Columbia and currently lives on a farm in Abbotsford, British Columbia. She is the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab, India. Kuljinder is the middle child and grew up with two brothers. She enjoys going on nature walks, playing video/board games with loved ones and eating cheese pizza with extra pineapple topping.
Kuljinder grew up reading stories with protagonists that she couldn’t connect with. They didn’t look like her or her family. When she began teaching in 2011, she tried looking for books that would represent the diverse backgrounds of all of her students. As the years passed, she was not very successful on her book hunt.
Kuljinder always dreamed of writing children’s books, but somehow life always got in the way. After having her first child, Kuljinder was driven to change the lack of representation of Sikh protagonists in books. She wanted her children to grow up seeing themselves and their families in the stories they read. When the whole world shut down due to COVID-19, Kuljinder was finally able to focus on what she always dreamed of doing: writing children’s books.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: https://www.kuljinderwrites.com
Instagram: @kuljinderwrites
Twitter / X: @kuljinderwrites
Email: kuljinderkbrar@gmail.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
My Name Is Saajin Singh (Annick Press, 2022)
SAMRATH KAUR
SAMRATH KAUR is a queer, American-born Punjabi illustrator currently based in Boston, MA, USA. Mandeep’s Cloudy Days is his second picture book collaboration with Kuljinder Kaur Brar.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Social Media: @pinpoms
BIBLIOGRAPHY
My Name is Saajin Singh (Annick Press, 2022)
