Varsha Varghese’s Dear Author, You Are Wrong is another book I had the chance to read as a manuscript a few years ago when it was submitted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award 2023. It won the award—and deservedly so! It is a deceptively simple read, one that addresses a range of social issues with quite a light touch.When eleven-year-old Avisha reads a book that makes her upset and angry, she hunts out the author’s email and writes to her. The author writes back, and this sets Avisha off on an unexpected investigation. As Avisha turns detective, she realises there are more questions than answers--uncomfortable questions, at that. Why must delivery people use a separate lift in her apartment complex? Do families have clear gender roles? Is a gender role wrong in itself?With Avisha, we discover how easily inconvenient questions are dusted under the carpet. Issues of caste and … [Read more...]