Sugar in Milk

From New York Times bestselling author Thrity Umrigar and illustrator Khoa Le comes a story of a young girl who felt alone in her community after recently immigrating to America to live with her Auntie and Uncle—where she finds solace and joy through her Auntie’s retelling of a classic Persian myth of acceptance and compassion between strangers.

This timely and timeless story about immigration, refugees, and tolerance is now in paperback for the first time!

When I first came to this country, I felt so alone.

A young immigrant girl joins her aunt and uncle in a new country that is unfamiliar to her. She struggles with loneliness, with a fierce longing for the culture and familiarity of home, until one day, her aunt takes her on a walk. As the duo strolls through their city park, the girl’s aunt begins to tell her an old myth, and a story within the story begins.

A long time ago, a group of refugees arrived on a foreign shore. The local king met them, determined to refuse their request for refuge. But there was a language barrier, so the king filled a glass with milk and pointed to it as a way of saying that the land was full and couldn’t accommodate the strangers. Then, the leader of the refugees dissolved sugar in the glass of milk. His message was clear: Like sugar in milk, our presence in your country will sweeten your lives. The king embraced the refugee, welcoming him and his people. The folktale depicted in this book was a part of author Thrity Umrigar’s Zoroastrian upbringing as a Parsi child in India, but resonates for children of all backgrounds, especially those coming to a new homeland.

An ALSC Notable Children’s Book
A Kirkus Best Books
A School Library Journal Best Books
Winner of the 2021 Ohioana Book Award
An Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award, 2022

“Lush illustrations and a strong message of hope and perseverance make this a standout title.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review

“An engaging, beautiful, and memorable book.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

• "Lush illustrations and a strong message of hope and perseverance make this a standout title for all collections."
  School Library Journal, starred review
• "An engaging, beautiful, and memorable book."
  Kirkus Reviews, starred review
• "Sugar in Milk powerfully demonstrates how a simple story can radically alter one's perspective for the better. It's a timely exploration of timeless themes of acceptance and what it means to call a place home."
  BookPage, starred review
• "Umrigar’s book consistently manages to give you heart palpitations with the shortest possible sentences. You are reading an artist at work when you read this book."
  Elizabeth Bird, Fuse8
• This story of new beginnings, lushly illustrated, celebrates the threads of kindness and humanity that bind us together.
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  The Horn Book Magazine