Fitting Indian - by Jyoti Chand

Book Synopsis

This debut teen graphic novel from social media influencer Jyoti Chand and rising star illustrator Tara Anand follows one girl's journey navigating high school and her mental health within a traditional South Asian family. Perfect for fans of Netflix's Never Have I Ever and Tillie Walden's Spinning.

All Nitasha's parents want is for her to be the perfect Indian daughter--something she is decidedly not. Everything she does seems to disappoint them, especially her mom. They just don't get that she'll never be like her doctor older brother. To make matters worse, she's never quite felt like she belongs at school either, and lately, her best friend, Ava, and her crush, Henry, seem to be more interested in the rich new girl than in her.

Alcohol takes the edge off, but when that doesn't work, Nitasha turns to cutting. She can't stop asking herself: Will she ever be enough for her friends or her family? Or even for herself?

This authentic and powerful teen graphic novel shines a light on how harmful the stigma of mental illness is and how lifesaving a community that is honest about mental health can be.

Review Quotes

"Debut author Chand emphasizes how intergenerational and cultural expectations exacerbate Nitasha's mental health challenges, while unadorned panels by Anand (My Name Is Long as a River) highlight the supportive characters who help Nitasha, her parents, and their community at the temple reckon with these pressures' aftermath. "Inspired by my own life," as noted by Chand in back matter, this searing graphic novel directly and honestly confronts mature issues and suggests that healing is only possible if communities reject the societal stigma that prevents people from seeking life-saving support--a critical reminder for readers." -- Publishers Weekly

"This keenly observed graphic novel touches on rarely discussed themes of alcoholism, mental health, self-harm, and emotional avoidance in South Asian communities... the portrayal of overbearing immigrant parents and the pressures of high school feel true to life. The illustrations make interesting use of color, with sepia-tinted panels for scenes from the past and pinks, blues, and purples enhancing more dramatic situations. A candid... exploration of mental health challenges in South Asian families." -- Kirkus Reviews

Anand makes excellent use of the graphic novel format, using color shifts to illustrate memories versus the present and wordless panels to draw the reader into the quiet, dark moments where Nitasha feels entirely alone and unable to resist self-harm; body language makes clear Nitasha is not okay no matter how many times she insists she is. An unguarded author's note from influencer Chand identifies how much of this story is drawn from her own experiences, and a list of support resources for teens is a thoughtful addition. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Chand's raw, vulnerable writing builds upon her own mental health struggles and alcohol misuse to challenge those who have sought to control the lives of South Asian women and girls rather than uplift their autonomy... Recommend alongside YA books addressing culturally specific stigmas around mental health." -- Booklist