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Bindi Babes by Narinder Dhami — book cover
Children - Fiction & Literature, Fiction - People, Places & Cultures

Bindi Babes

by Narinder Dhami
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Overview

Meet Amber, Jazz, and Geena Dhillon—a.k.a. the Bindi Babes. They’re three fabulous sisters with a reputation for being the coolest, best-dressed girls at their school. But their classmates don’t know that the Dhillon sisters work extra hard to look perfect and together to all of their friends . . . while privately trying not to think how much they miss their mom, who died a year ago. What these struggling sisters certainly don’t need is an interfering auntie from India inviting herself into their household to cramp their style. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what their dad allows to happen.

Soon the sisters’ pushover dad is saying no to designer clothes and expensive sneakers, and Auntie is butting into every area of their lives. What are the Bindi babes to do? There’s only one way to be rid of Auntie: marry her off to some unsuspecting guy. Will Amber, Jazz, and Geena find a man who can put up with Auntie before she completely ruins their lives? Or are Auntie’s new rules doomed to make the fabulous Dhillon sisters just . . . average?

Three Indian-British sisters team up to marry off their traditional, nosy aunt and get her out of the house.

About the Author, Narinder Dhami

Narinder Dhami began teaching in London. She is best known for the novelization of the hit British movie Bend It Like Beckham. Check out her Web site at www.narinderdhami.com.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

"Dhami's comedic sense of timing and endearing cast of characters will have readers alternately giggling and commiserating with the three sisters of the title," said PW's starred review. Ages 8-12. (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Geena, Amber and Jazz are three beautiful sisters who excel in school, are fawned over by their teachers and yet somehow manage to be the coolest, most popular girls in the neighborhood. In short, their lives seem enviable. At least this is the image they work very hard to project, but they have all been wounded by the death of their mother; wounded so deeply, they cannot mention it and work to avoid any offer of sympathy. The approach to this story of the three girls is lighthearted and funny and the author has done a wonderful job of showing their underlying emotions while maintaining the tone, which is not an easy task. The Dhillon sisters have been taking advantage of their father who spoils them, buying them expensive clothes, shoes, and just about anything they ask for. Their lives change when their father's sister, the dreaded Auntie, arrives from India to care for them. They plot to get her out of their house, but she outwits them at every turn. There are many subplots, involving school plans and the girls' friends, but all is resolved and the three sisters come to terms with the loss they have suffered and learn a lot about human nature in this well-rounded story. 2003, Delacorte/Random House, Ages 8 to 12.
—Carolyn Mott Ford

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Amber (10), Jazz (11), and Geena (13), three Indian sisters, live with their father in England. On the surface, they are perfect students who dress in perfect clothes and get along perfectly with each other. In reality, the girls are missing one big element in their lives, their mom. Ever since her death the year before, their father has indulged his daughters' every material wish, but is rarely at home. That suddenly changes when he invites his sister from India to live with them. The girls immediately plot how to get rid of her, including a plan to marry her off. Auntie is a delightful character who consistently manages to turn their plans around with hilarious results. The story has a nice blend of traditional culture, including a cousin's big fat Indian wedding and more modern discussions of boys and school. With solid writing and a sense of humor, Dhami weaves a tale of three material girls who discover the priceless value of family, friends, and neighbors. They also learn the importance of grieving for their mother and of not having to be perfect.-Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Amber, Geena, and Jazz have it all. The three tremendously popular Indian-British sisters are beautiful, brainy, and blessed with a closet full of cool designer labels, thanks to an indulgent, workaholic dad. Privately, the girls grieve their recently deceased mother and refuse to talk about her, instead diving into shopping and their envied reputation as the school's best and brightest. Until, that is, an interfering aunt from India comes to take over the household. Auntie sticks her nose into every part of the girl's lives, so they conspire to get rid of her the Indian way: by marrying her off. But how far are the polite girls willing to go, and will Auntie beat them at every turn? When they risk their sterling reputations, the plan has hilarious-and unexpectedly poignant-consequences. Told vibrantly from the middle sister's point of view, this light-hearted, fast-paced teen drama is instantly adorable, funny, warm, and genuine, with a delicious helping of multi-cultural spice. As with Bend It Like Beckham, which Dhami novelized so well, this features charmingly spunky every-girl characters to love and good storytelling to cheer. (Fiction. 10-14)

Book Details

Published
November 1, 2005
Publisher
New York : Yearling, 2005.
Pages
192
Format
Audio Cassette
ISBN
9780440420194

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