Q&A with Suma Subramaniam

 

 

 

Suma Subramaniam is the author of the new middle grade novel V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time. Her other books include Namaste Is a Greeting. She lives in Bothell, Washington.

 

Q: What inspired you to write V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time, and how did you create your character Malar?

 

A: The inspiration for this story came from my childhood. When I was a child, my parents were committed to making seasonal festivals a family tradition.

 

Pongal is a four-day celebration in South India when crops are harvested in mid-January. It is celebrated every year in many Indian households during the Tamil month called Thai, in honor of the work farmers do.

 

The harvest festival symbolizes a season of hope and renewal. It marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of the sun’s six-month journey up to Earth’s Northern Hemisphere.

 

Q: What do you think Archana Sreenivasan’s illustrations add to the story?

 

A: Archana’s illustrations are bright and bold. They bring Malar and her world to life in the most authentic way possible because Archana has the lived experience of celebrating the harvest festival in India.

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “heartening tale of cultural clashes, family drama, and, ultimately, forged bonds.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Kirkus has captured the heart of the story well and I’m grateful. Holidays and festivals are the times to gather with our families and friends, and strengthen our relationships. There is so much love underneath the traditions, celebrations, and growing up in an Indian household.

 

Although Malar and her cousins live in different parts of the hemisphere and they don’t get along, they find their way to acceptance and celebrations through the course of the story.  I’m glad it came through for the reviewer.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: V. Malar—Greatest Host of All Time is filled with moments of togetherness, joy, and empathy that begin in the family. I hope that through her eyes, all readers will access the experience of those relationships, take them to heart, and pass it on with love.

 

In addition, I wanted to highlight the impact of rising global temperatures and climate change on the planet and how people in different parts of the world are responding to it, which is a valuable STEM lesson.

 

In the story, Malar’s family adopts a holistic rehabilitation plan to tackle their challenges. Her family chooses resilience over despair, and they live sustainably while combatting climate change.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on the edits for V. Malar # 3 and dabbling with revisions on a couple of exciting middle-grade projects.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I’m incredibly honored to write for children and young adults, and I don’t take this life for granted. So very grateful to publishers, educators, librarians, bloggers, podcasters like yourself and parents, who work tirelessly to amplify diverse voices like mine and get books in the hands of young readers. Thank you!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Suma Subramaniam.