The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen

By Mitali Perkins

A teen grapples with her cultural identity when her grandparents visit from India.

3.6/5 Goodreads · 465 ratings

192 pages· 35,224 words· Est. 3.5 hour read

$12.99Save 4%

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Bookroo's summary

Thirteen-year-old Sunita faces a dilemma when her Indian grandparents visit her California home. As her friendship with a tennis star deepens, Sunita struggles with identity issues, torn between fitting in and embracing her heritage. Will she hide her roots or find a way to celebrate them? This heartfelt tale explores the challenges of balancing two worlds, offering surprises and self-discovery along the way.

From the publisher

As Indian culture continues to curry the movies, music, and literature of American culture, the time is perfect to re-introduce this Indian-themed novel about a young girl’s heart-felt attempt to straddle her two worlds. Like any other eighth grader, smart and spunky Sunita Sen just wants to fit in. She feels she’s doing pretty well, especially as her friendship with the school’s tennis star starts to blossom into something more. But when Sunita’s grandparents come from India to stay with her family, her lifestyle changes, and Sunita suddenly becomes aware of identity issues she’s never before faced. Should she hide her heritage and be like everyone else, or can she find a way to embrace it? Originally published in 1993 as The Sunita Experiment, this touching yet light-hearted tale is back in print in hard and soft cover with a snappy new title, a spectacular jacket design, and a reader’s guide.

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