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28th out of 146 books
—
121 voters
Keeping Corner
Ba slipped the gold bangles from my wrists. The gold ones were plain so I didn’t mind taking them off, but I loved wearing my milk-glass bangles and the lakkh bracelets.
"A widow can't wear bangles,” she said. "They are signs of a woman's good fortune. When your husband dies it's over."
"What if my good fortune comes back?"
“It doesn’t.”
Pretty as a peacock, twelve-year-old
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
October 30th 2007
by Disney-Hyperion
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I picked this book up looking for a glimpse into the Indian caste system. It was in the YA section of my library which I believe is incorrect. If this is a YA book, it is a young YA book as it reads more like an older child's book. However, none of that really matters because it was an excellent choice for my first learn-about-the-caste-system book. There is an nice look at the Brahmin caste. The story starts with Leela as a pre-teen engaged to be married to Ramanlal a boy she likes very much. A...more
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"Keeping Corner" tells the story of a child widow in India in Ghandis' time.
Kashmira Sheth is brilliant in writing the point of view of a rather young person - her protagonist and storyteller Leela is not even 13, and yet the story feels real. No difficult words, no overlong sentences, and as a bonus for non-Indian readers short explanations of customs and traditions that go naturally with the text.
The story itself is about Leela's year of mourning - called keeping corner - after the death of...more
Kashmira Sheth is brilliant in writing the point of view of a rather young person - her protagonist and storyteller Leela is not even 13, and yet the story feels real. No difficult words, no overlong sentences, and as a bonus for non-Indian readers short explanations of customs and traditions that go naturally with the text.
The story itself is about Leela's year of mourning - called keeping corner - after the death of...more
2 likes · like · see review
This book is about a girl named Leela who is living in Ghandi-era India. When Leela's husband dies, she is subjected to live the life of a widow, having to shave her head and "keep corner" in her house for a full year, even though she only is 12. Leela learns to appreciate the world around her and find the good in bad situations during her year of keeping corner, and she finds that sometimes tradtion needs to be broken so that new ideas can improve life.
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I loved this book!! Leela is a 11-year-old widow living in India during the colonial period. In traditional Indian cultures, widows are shunned and have to stay inside for an entire year after their husband's death. After that year, widow's are treated unfairly, ignored, and are symbols of bad luck. In Leela's case, she was lucky enough to have an older brother to look after her, encouraging her to keep up with her studies while she stays inside for a year in the keeping corner. Her mentor and g...more
I wanted to like this more than I did. It deals with the same basic issue of Homeless Bird--the plight of the young widow in early 20th century India--except this one is written by an Indian-American. As a result (based on my recollection of the latter), the period and cultural details are much more plentiful. This is one of the problems, though. While all of the Hindi words for foods, objects, relationships, festivals, flora, etc. etc. were interesting, they were also overwhelming. I am a skill...more
Child widows of the Brahmin caste suffered miserably in India. Leela was not yet married to her betrothed when he was bitten by a poisonous snake and died. She was still considered a widow. The glass bangles around her wrist and arms were smashed, her head was shaved, she was not allowed outside for one year, and she was shunned by the town she lived in. A happy, joyous family was no more. Leela could not understand her fate.
A teacher came to tutor Leela at home. She encouraged Leela to keep a n...more
A teacher came to tutor Leela at home. She encouraged Leela to keep a n...more
A few weeks ago I read Keeping Corner by Rashmira Sheth. It's the story of Leela, a widow, who has to shave her head and give up her bangles according to Indian custom. She must stay in her house for one year and mourn. She is encouraged to learn all she can and is taught by Saviben. She is also helped by her brother and cousin, Jaya, and Shani. Leela struggles to break free from her life as a widow forever, but accepts it for the year. It is a year where she learns much about herself and what s...more
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Leela is 13 years old. She is the darling of her high social class (Brahmin) family. She was engaged at the age of two and married at nine. She will soon be moving in with her husband and his family to begin her married life. But fate takes a hand when Ramanlal, her husband, is bitten by a snake and dies. Leela must now adhere to strict Brahmin traditions and "keep corner" for an entire calendar year. She must keep her head shaved, is only allowed to wear one particular outfit in brown, cannot w...more
The year is 1918 and Leela is 11 years old. She got engaged to Ramanlal when she was 2 years old, and her parents married her when she was 9. She still lives with her mother and father, but the following year, she will have an anu (a special ceremony where she will move into her husband's house). This is common for girls Leela's age to marry young. She is one of the few female students left at her school, as most other girls have already moved in with their husband's family. Leela's parents love...more
Keeping Corner is the story of a young girl in India who is betrothed at age 2, married at age 9, and before she goes to live with her husband (after her "anu") her husband is killed by a snake bite and she becomes a 12 year old widow. Widows in her caste are never allowed to marry again and are forced to live in the shadows of society. It is based on the life of the author's aunt and takes place in 1918. Keeping Corner is the ritual where a widow does not leave her home for a year after her hus...more
Keeping Corners was very well written and potrayed how she struggled with her family and her cultures traditions after she was widowed.The main charecter Leela has it all going for her she is promised to a man named ramanlal but has not had her anu (ceremony) yet. When ramanlal died Leela seemed upset but more to the fact that she would have to live the life of a widow not about him dying for she didnt really get to know him to well before he died. Her familys part of the Brahman caste the clos...more
In 1918 India, 12 year-old Leela is a young woman about to join her husband as the ceremony of Anu dictates when she goes to live with her husband. Unexpectedly, though, her husband Ramanlal dies from a snake bite. At this tender young age, Leela is a widow and is Keeping Corner. She must stay indoors for one year, shave her head, remove her gold bangles, and wear drab clothing. Her world has forever changed.
Her older brother, Kanubhai, comes to her defense insighting the wise man Gandhi's messa...more
Her older brother, Kanubhai, comes to her defense insighting the wise man Gandhi's messa...more
Subjects: child widows, women’s rights, Gandhi-era India. Historical fiction set in Gujart, India, 1918. Keeping Corner tells the story of 12-year-old Leela, engaged at age two, married at age nine, and widowed shortly before her “anu”, a ceremony performed for a bride before she goes to live with her husband and his family. During the entire year following her husband’s death, Leela will “keep corner”, a custom that will prepare Leela for her life as a widow. She is prohibited from leaving her...more
Set in rural India in 1918, The Keeping Corner tells the story of Leela’s twelfth year. As part of the privileged Brahmin caste, Leela’s life is filled with jewelry, celebrations, and pampering. This all changes when the boy she is promised to in an arranged marriage dies. Ramanlal’s death makes Leela a widow; despite her young age, Leela must adhere to Brahmin traditions for widows. Leela must “keep corner” to honor Ramanlal’s memory which includes not wearing jewelry, replacing her colorful cl...more
"Keeping Corner" is about a spoiled young girl in 1917 India who is abruptly left a widow when her little known about fiancee dies. Forced to comply with age old Indian tradition, Leela must shave her head, give away all her valuables, and "keep corner" inside for a year, also enduring the shame and scorn of everyone in her small town. However, during her period of senseless confinement, Leela pursues knowledge and becomes a bright, talented student. The book is set in the time of Ghandi, whose...more
Jan 14, 2013
Danielle
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Young Adults
Recommended to Danielle by:
College Literacy Class
Shelves:
fiction
Summary Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth (2009)
Twelve-year-old Leela has always led a charmed life. A member of a high caste in India in 1918, she barely notices the unrest brewing between her countrymen and the British. When her husband dies from a snake bite, Leela’s life is completely turned upside down. Now a widow, she is forced to “keep corner” for a year and mourn her husband, even though they had not even shared a home yet. Her isolation is bearable only due to visits from her tutor and...more
Twelve-year-old Leela has always led a charmed life. A member of a high caste in India in 1918, she barely notices the unrest brewing between her countrymen and the British. When her husband dies from a snake bite, Leela’s life is completely turned upside down. Now a widow, she is forced to “keep corner” for a year and mourn her husband, even though they had not even shared a home yet. Her isolation is bearable only due to visits from her tutor and...more
I loved "Keeping Corner" by Kashmira Sheth. The only thing that kept it from getting a 5 rating was that it was a little flat emotionally. But the author really gets the voice of a twelve year old girl down pat. This is a fictional story that was inspired by the aunt’s life as a widow.
There are contrasts between Leela's life before and after she had to keep corner. Her mother, Ba loved her so much and indulged her in buying bangles and sweets more than her other relatives thought were necessary....more
There are contrasts between Leela's life before and after she had to keep corner. Her mother, Ba loved her so much and indulged her in buying bangles and sweets more than her other relatives thought were necessary....more
Crystal Hansen LS 583. Sheth, K. (2007). Keeping corner. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. Genre: Multicultural. Format: print book. Selected from: Cooperative Children's Book Center 30 Multicultural Books Every Teen Should Know. Highly Recommend
Keeping Corner is set in India in the early twentieth century. It is the story of a twelve-year-old girl named Leelah, who is already married per the customs of the day. She still lives with her doting parents, but is anticipating a time in the nea...more
Keeping Corner is set in India in the early twentieth century. It is the story of a twelve-year-old girl named Leelah, who is already married per the customs of the day. She still lives with her doting parents, but is anticipating a time in the nea...more
It has been a long time since I read a chapter book designated for young girls to help inform of a different culture. I have mentioned in some of my other reviews that I loved the Dear America and Royal Diaries collections growing up and I felt a familiarity when reading this story. Setting aside the similarities I find when reading this type of genre, I loved how informative this book was without feeling informative. There was so much new vocabulary in this story but it always included the Engl...more
I think this book is excellent both for enjoyment and for educational purposes. It is a great combination of historical, realistic, and multi-cultural fiction.
It is the story of a young widow, Leela, who is ‘keeping corner’ or mourning her late husband by not stepping foot outside of her house for one year. Told through Leela’s eyes, the book presents the peaceful protests (satyagraha) of Gandhi against both colonization and the caste system. As teachings of Gandhi trickle through the town and...more
It is the story of a young widow, Leela, who is ‘keeping corner’ or mourning her late husband by not stepping foot outside of her house for one year. Told through Leela’s eyes, the book presents the peaceful protests (satyagraha) of Gandhi against both colonization and the caste system. As teachings of Gandhi trickle through the town and...more
Keeping Corner
This book was a very compelling book! It portrays how a 13 year old Indian girl copes with being a widow. Leela got engaged at 2 and married at 9. At age 13 she was supposed to move to her husband’s house. Unexpectedly a cobra kills him. Leela’s family takes away her colorful clothes and jewelry replacing it with a plain brown sari. She has to shave her head for life and can’t let any hair grow on it and can’t marry another man. To make things worse she can’t go outside for a year...more
This book was a very compelling book! It portrays how a 13 year old Indian girl copes with being a widow. Leela got engaged at 2 and married at 9. At age 13 she was supposed to move to her husband’s house. Unexpectedly a cobra kills him. Leela’s family takes away her colorful clothes and jewelry replacing it with a plain brown sari. She has to shave her head for life and can’t let any hair grow on it and can’t marry another man. To make things worse she can’t go outside for a year...more
It's only February and I have discovered several outstanding children's books this year, I feel very lucky. This is a wonderful introduction to Indian culture (the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly), the teachings of Gandhi, and women's rights. Really an inspiration to girls to better themselves. Another one up there with Stargirl.
I really liked this book. It is about a young girl in India during some revolutionary times, with Ghandi and the war. It is a story about the struggle between tradition and change. Even though it is fiction, it really helped me learn more about Indian people and culture, a thing I know very little about. I recommend this book!
To start off Kashmira Sheth is a wonderful, and cultural writer. This book is full of choices, sadness, women's role in India, and judging. This book is mainly about what would happen to a woman if her husband was to die, and how you cope and go through moarning. But this girl is morphed from her experiences into a new person. She has more of a grown tolerance, and knows more about people and how they cope with life as it is.This girl has to give up everything she has ever had at her finger tips...more
I waffled back & forth between 4 stars or 5...this was a very thought provoking book. I find myself thinking about it often, days after finishing it. I was touched with the struggle and the character development of this story. The main character is a 11-12 year old child widow in India, about the time of Ghandi. She is forced to shave her hair, wear a drab widow's clothing and "keep corner" (stay indoors at home) for a whole year, and never marry again, shunned from all society for the rest...more
Leela, born in Indian during the colonial rule of the British, was married when she was nine years old. At thirteen years old, she has not yet gone to live with her husband when he is killed. As a widow of the Brahmin caste, she is never allowed to remarry and is expected to live a life of sorrow. Besides being considered unlucky by all who see her, she is expected to "keep corner" for a full year. Pretty much she is not allowed to leave the house and has her hair shaved off. Yikes.
The good new...more
The good new...more
Finally, a book that had some substance for me to read and I'm so happy I found it!
Keeping Corner is about and Indian girl whose husband dies very young. She herself is only 13 at the time and she must live the rest of her life as a widow. That means she must keep her head shaven and never wear jewelry and only on type of sari. It also means that for one year she's not allowed to leave her house because she is "grieving".
However, through education and the changing government (as this is taking...more
Keeping Corner is about and Indian girl whose husband dies very young. She herself is only 13 at the time and she must live the rest of her life as a widow. That means she must keep her head shaven and never wear jewelry and only on type of sari. It also means that for one year she's not allowed to leave her house because she is "grieving".
However, through education and the changing government (as this is taking...more
Anna and I met this author when Anna was in Summit Middle School. I was subbing for the librarian, and I took a small group to the IPTV studio to meet the author, who lives in Wisconsin. I think she just had one book out at that time - Blue Jasmine. This book is the story of a 13 year old widow in India in the early 1900s. "Keeping corner" is the term for what a widow has to do - she has to spend an entire year at home, never going out, and her head has to be kept shaved. The book, which is base...more
12 year old Leela is married but still lives with her parents in relative comfort in early Gandhi-era India. Before she is to move in with her husband and his family, her betrothed dies leaving Leela with the unfortunate burden of being a widow in India. Instead of wearing gold and colorful clothes, Leela is forced to stay inside for a year to mourn, give up all her jewelry and shave her head. Instead of being the precious daughter, Leela is now the bad omen. On her side though are her brother a...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fascinating Story | 2 | 22 | Feb 25, 2009 03:43pm |
Kashmira Sheth grew up in Bhavangar, Gujarat, for eight years, when she was three she joined Montessori school. She lived with her grandparents, because her parents lived in Mumbai three hundred miles away from Bhavangar.
At eight years Sheth, left Bhavangar, for Mumbai.
She did her studying there until she was seventeen. She left Mumbai, to go to college, in Ames Iowa to do her BS at Iowa State Un...more
More about Kashmira Sheth...
At eight years Sheth, left Bhavangar, for Mumbai.
She did her studying there until she was seventeen. She left Mumbai, to go to college, in Ames Iowa to do her BS at Iowa State Un...more
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