Review of the book Stories for South Asian super girls

As the festive season approaches, we begin to think of gifts to give our family and friends. The book, Stories for South Asian super girls by Raj Kaur Khaira is the perfect gift for any South Asian females you know.

Taking on the same format as similar books that have come before it like Bad girls throughout history: 100 women who changed the world, each double page spread features the story and illustration of one badass woman who in her own way was/is a trailblazer and made the world a better, fairer place.

But this book's focus on South Asian women is what makes it so special. A quick Google search will reveal the fiercely intelligent women who revolutionised science and technology, the confident female stars who made waves in the entertainment industry and the inspiring women who have made and are currently making history by fighting for basic human rights and protecting the most vulnerable all around the world.

But unfortunately, few of these searches chronicle the South Asian women who have done amazing things in all of these fields. And that's where this book changes that. For young girls looking for role models, seeing women who look like them with names like them changing the world, can have a tremendous impression and make them feel like they too can do it. And for adults, the book can be eye-opener into all these exceptional women and the work they have done, as well as be that dose of inspiration they need.

But the author, Khaira doesn't just focus on extremely successful women like Mindy Kaling, she also sheds a light on ordinary women who saw a problem or people who needed help and did the best they could. In the book kindness is just as important as success. A valuable lesson for everyone.

An example of this is Pritam Kaur Hayre, an 'unstoppable champion' who at the age of 50 emigrated from India to Canada and worked, alongside other immigrants, in local farms under long hours, terrible conditions and poor pay. Eventually, after being faced with a gun by her boss, her had enough and rallied thee other workers to protest. Despite being fired, she continued to campaign, ultimately forming a union and securing better wages and working conditions for everyone.

All of these stories are bought to life by Khaira’s simple, coherent and succinct writing style. It helps keep the reader's focus on the story so you remember the woman it's about and her accomplishments. But the icing on the cake is the exceptional illustrations of each woman in the book. Bright, bold and bursting with colour, they are created by a handful of exceptionally talented south asian female artists.

It's worth noting that Khaira, is the founder of the Pink Ladoo Project, the feminist initiative that aims to encourage equality for South Asian girls and 100% of the proceeds from the sales of the book will go to charities supporting women and children. The book is published by Kashi House, a social enterprise publisher dedicated to producing books that celebrate Sikhs and the region of Punjab.