Saumiya Balasubramaniam has a masters degree in computer science and works as a software analyst. She was born in Mumbai but now calls Scarborough home. She has written essays for newspapers in India and Canada and received the prestigious Bram and Bluma Appel Scholarship from the Humber School for Writers. When I Found Grandma is her debut children’s book.
Fiction (Juvenile, Picture book)
Two Drops of Brown in a Cloud of White
Illustrated by Eva Campbell.
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2020.
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
Ma misses the sun, warmth and colors of their faraway homeland, but her daughter sees magic in everything — the clouds in the winter sky, the “firework” display when she throws an armful of snow into the air, making snow angels, tasting snowflakes. And in the end, her joy is contagious. Home is where family is, after all.
Fiction (Juvenile, Picture book)
When I Found Grandma
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2019.
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
Ma misses the sun, warmth and colors of their faraway homeland, but her daughter sees magic in everything — the clouds in the winter sky, the “firework” display when she throws an armful of snow into the air, making snow angels, tasting snowflakes. And in the end, her joy is contagious. Home is where family is, after all.
When Maya’s grandma makes a surprise visit from thousands of miles away, Maya is delighted. But her excitement doesn’t last long. When Grandma picks her up from school, she wears fancy clothes and talks too loudly. Grandma’s morning prayer bells wake Maya up, and she cooks with ingredients Maya doesn’t usually eat. Plus, Maya thinks cupcakes taste better than Grandma’s homemade sweets.
Maya and Grandma try to compromise, and on a special trip to the island Grandma even wears an “all-American” baseball cap. But when Maya rushes off to find the carousel, she loses sight of her mother, father and grandmother. She is alone in a sea of people — until she spots something bobbing above the crowd, and right away she knows how to find her way.
Fiction (Juvenile, Picture book)
When I Visited Grandma
Illustrated by Kavita Ramchandran.
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2024.
forthcoming April 2024
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
It’s Maya’s first morning in India, but Grandma is already rushing her — it’s market day and they must make the most of Maya’s visit. When Maya comes out of her room wearing her favorite ripped jeans, Grandma wants to sew them! Maya finds the market too hot, too loud, and it’s full of Grandma’s nosy neighbors. Even back at home, Grandma’s friends keep dropping by. Maya just longs to be left alone. But the next morning the house is unusually quiet. Dad explains that Grandma has had to go to the hospital. And suddenly Maya begins to see things differently …
Links
Saumiya Balasubramaniam’s essay about her first book from the Groundwood blog posted Feb. 27, 2019
Publisher Groundwood Books, an imprint of House of Anansi Press