From the Publisher
"Bold and evocative, Jasmin Kaur's sophomore novel proves she is an unflinching writer. Tackling several tough topics, If I Tell You the Truth is a book that invites much-needed conversation." — Jasmine Warga, New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor-winning author of Other Words for Home
“Timely and rare, this bold, pull-no-punches book deftly tackles immigration, rape culture and what it means to be undocumented in today’s society. You’ll smile, you’ll cry, you’ll want to burn down the patriarchy.” — Sona Charaipotra, author of Symptoms of a Heartbreak and co-author of Tiny Pretty Things
"Weaving prose, poetry, and art, Jasmin Kaur’s original voice gives us a searing insight into the lives of a mother and daughter and the secrets we keep and how they shape our lives." — Aisha Saeed, New York Times bestselling co-author of Yes No Maybe So
"Deftly layered with prose and poetry, Kaur tells a story of culture, courage, and heart. I was moved beyond words." — Nisha Sharma, award winning author of YA and contemporary romance
"This is a stunning and breathtaking multigenerational Punjabi story told as only Jasmin Kaur can tell it. Such expert storytelling in multilingual cadence with deep cultural nuance is incredibly rare. This complex story gripped my heart, stunned me page after page and lingered in my imagination long after I closed the book. I became so invested in the characters as if they were my relatives. Not all books can give us this gift. In fact, I can not think of many that do." — Dr. Gayatri Sethi, author of Un/belonging
"This powerful sophomore novel explores womanhood over the span of two decades through the eyes of a mother-daughter pairing. The strength, resilience, and compassion Kaur seamlessly weaves between prose, poetry, and illustration allows readers to connect with and recognize themselves in Kiran and Sahaara. The journey they embark upon will spark much-needed conversations about being silenced, reconciling the past, and basic human rights. A story that beautifully touches a multitude of tough topics." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Kaur fills in details of both women’s stories and personalities with care and grace. The plot is tightly woven and action packed, and readers will quickly become invested in their complex journeys. Sahaara's voice, in particular, is fresh, honest, and a pleasure to read. A fast-paced story that will keep readers engaged and a thoughtful, loving examination of immigration, sexual assault, and chosen family." — Kirkus Reviews
"Readers watch Kiran blossom from a timid teenager to a fiercely protective mother silently grappling with past demons. [Sahaara’s] gradual growth into a woman capable of the strength her mother has always exuded is genuinely cheerworthy. Kaur's tighter prose, hard-hitting verse, and spare illustrations in this follow-up are sure to instill empathy and compassion in readers." — ALA Booklist
"The narration speaks feelingly of Kiran’s desperation and Sahaara’s rage and offers a lacerating exploration of the way Kiran’s undocumented status limits her recourse on many fronts. A useful look at undocumented immigration that goes beyond narratives focused on the U.S. southern border. The global discussion of violence against women may fire up some young activists." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"The clear messages about the intersection of power, class, gender, race, and ethnicity—as well as how these factors are used to oppress and silence — are both timely and necessary. And Kaur also instills hope: that single voices can make a difference IF we take the time to listen, and that the world at large can then change as a result of these voices IF we take the time to act. Kaur’s one-of-a-kind style is captivating and the story she tells here is critically important on so many levels." — The Nerd Daily
"A bold and heartrending story unflinchingly told in poetry and prose." — Ms. Magazine
“This impactful, relevant, powerful work is part novel in verse, part prose, and Kaur narrates her own work, shifting musically between poetry and prose... Kaur's narration is evocative, culturally illuminating, and emotionally incisive, enhancing this moving work.” — Booklist (starred review of audio edition)
PRAISE FOR When You Ask Me Where I'm Going: “Kaur’s debut collection explores what it means to be a young woman in a world that not only fails to hear her but that often refuses to see her. The novel begins with poems that are more than pretty words; they carry weight and breathe fire. Power is reclaimed through self-acceptance and love.” — ALA Booklist
“Kaur’s elegant and informative poetry and prose packs a powerful punch. The gentle words empathize with and encourage readers, uplifting the soul, and praising every woman’s spirit.” — School Library Journal
“Kaur’s poetry delivers moments of startling clarity and light, lyrically describing the experience of a population rarely visible in Western literature.” — Kirkus Reviews
"Kaur draws on her experience of being a Sikh woman in Canada to express feelings of anger, grief, and tentative hopefulness that will resonate deeply with young women who feel unheard and unseen because of their ethnicity, their immigration status, and/or their experience of domestic abuse." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring, all in the same breath. That’s how I feel about When You Ask Me Where I’m Going. Jasmin Kaur writes the type of poetry that you never want to stop reading. The type of poetry that makes you want to cry, laugh, stop and think, scream, and then use your own voice to tell your stories and speak your truth without apology. This book will change you.” — Layla Saad, author of Me and White Supremacy
“A searing and gorgeous debut. This book made me feel seen, but it also educated me—it’s sure to provoke many necessary and meaningful conversations.” — Jasmine Warga, Newbery Honor-winning author of Other Words For Home and My Heart and Other Black Holes
“An emotional journey that will enlighten, inspire and empower readers everywhere.” — Amanda Lovelace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this one, the witch doesn’t burn in this one and the mermaid’s voice returns in this one
“Kaur weaves a captivating narrative that reminds us of what it means to be raw, to be powerful, to be beautifully unique—beautifully human. So many people need this book. I’m one of them.” — Kristin Cast, #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of the House of Night series, The Dysasters, and The Key
“Jasmin Kaur epitomizes a powerful, assertive, and unapologetic voice, speaking candidly about the deep, dark, and hidden while maintaining a tone of optimism and resilience. As she challenges expectations and brutal truths, Jasmin offers an insightful commentary on the world from her eyes that is bound to resonate.” — Madisen Kuhn, author of 18 Years, Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better, and Almost Home
“Jasmin Kaur’s work is divine and essential. She sees you and then hands you the mirror to see yourself. There is a sweet, fierce and true vulnerability in every piece. Cling to this book, it is honest and it will bring you home to yourself.” — Upile Chisala, author of soft magic, nectar, and A Fire Like You
“A fierce reminder of the irreplaceable and irrepressible nature of our own voices and the power they hold.” — Trista Mateer, author of Honeybee, The Dogs I Have Kissed, and Aphrodite Made Me Do It
“Raw and introspective, both painful and uplifting to read, When You Ask Me Where I’m Going seamlessly conveys a vast spectrum of emotions in a very real way that the reader can easily connect with.” — The Nerd Daily
The Nerd Daily
"The clear messages about the intersection of power, class, gender, race, and ethnicity—as well as how these factors are used to oppress and silence — are both timely and necessary. And Kaur also instills hope: that single voices can make a difference IF we take the time to listen, and that the world at large can then change as a result of these voices IF we take the time to act. Kaur’s one-of-a-kind style is captivating and the story she tells here is critically important on so many levels."
ALA Booklist
"Readers watch Kiran blossom from a timid teenager to a fiercely protective mother silently grappling with past demons. [Sahaara’s] gradual growth into a woman capable of the strength her mother has always exuded is genuinely cheerworthy. Kaur's tighter prose, hard-hitting verse, and spare illustrations in this follow-up are sure to instill empathy and compassion in readers."
Jasmine Warga
"Bold and evocative, Jasmin Kaur's sophomore novel proves she is an unflinching writer. Tackling several tough topics, If I Tell You the Truth is a book that invites much-needed conversation."
Aisha Saeed
"Weaving prose, poetry, and art, Jasmin Kaur’s original voice gives us a searing insight into the lives of a mother and daughter and the secrets we keep and how they shape our lives."
Dr. Gayatri Sethi
"This is a stunning and breathtaking multigenerational Punjabi story told as only Jasmin Kaur can tell it. Such expert storytelling in multilingual cadence with deep cultural nuance is incredibly rare. This complex story gripped my heart, stunned me page after page and lingered in my imagination long after I closed the book. I became so invested in the characters as if they were my relatives. Not all books can give us this gift. In fact, I can not think of many that do."
Nisha Sharma
"Deftly layered with prose and poetry, Kaur tells a story of culture, courage, and heart. I was moved beyond words."
Sona Charaipotra
Timely and rare, this bold, pull-no-punches book deftly tackles immigration, rape culture and what it means to be undocumented in today’s society. You’ll smile, you’ll cry, you’ll want to burn down the patriarchy.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"The narration speaks feelingly of Kiran’s desperation and Sahaara’s rage and offers a lacerating exploration of the way Kiran’s undocumented status limits her recourse on many fronts. A useful look at undocumented immigration that goes beyond narratives focused on the U.S. southern border. The global discussion of violence against women may fire up some young activists."
Upile Chisala
Jasmin Kaur’s work is divine and essential. She sees you and then hands you the mirror to see yourself. There is a sweet, fierce and true vulnerability in every piece. Cling to this book, it is honest and it will bring you home to yourself.
Booklist (starred review of audio edition)
This impactful, relevant, powerful work is part novel in verse, part prose, and Kaur narrates her own work, shifting musically between poetry and prose... Kaur's narration is evocative, culturally illuminating, and emotionally incisive, enhancing this moving work.
Ms. Magazine
"A bold and heartrending story unflinchingly told in poetry and prose."
Madisen Kuhn
Jasmin Kaur epitomizes a powerful, assertive, and unapologetic voice, speaking candidly about the deep, dark, and hidden while maintaining a tone of optimism and resilience. As she challenges expectations and brutal truths, Jasmin offers an insightful commentary on the world from her eyes that is bound to resonate.
Layla Saad
Gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring, all in the same breath. That’s how I feel about When You Ask Me Where I’m Going. Jasmin Kaur writes the type of poetry that you never want to stop reading. The type of poetry that makes you want to cry, laugh, stop and think, scream, and then use your own voice to tell your stories and speak your truth without apology. This book will change you.”
Kristin Cast
Kaur weaves a captivating narrative that reminds us of what it means to be raw, to be powerful, to be beautifully unique—beautifully human. So many people need this book. I’m one of them.
Trista Mateer
A fierce reminder of the irreplaceable and irrepressible nature of our own voices and the power they hold.
Amanda Lovelace
An emotional journey that will enlighten, inspire and empower readers everywhere.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"The narration speaks feelingly of Kiran’s desperation and Sahaara’s rage and offers a lacerating exploration of the way Kiran’s undocumented status limits her recourse on many fronts. A useful look at undocumented immigration that goes beyond narratives focused on the U.S. southern border. The global discussion of violence against women may fire up some young activists."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Kaur draws on her experience of being a Sikh woman in Canada to express feelings of anger, grief, and tentative hopefulness that will resonate deeply with young women who feel unheard and unseen because of their ethnicity, their immigration status, and/or their experience of domestic abuse."
School Library Journal - Audio
07/01/2021
Gr 7 Up—Introduced in Kaur's debut, When You Ask Me Where I'm Going, mother Kiran and daughter Sahaara return in this timely hybrid prose/verse novel that deftly addresses the perils of being undocumented and surviving sexual assault. Kiran enters Canada from India on a student visa, already pregnant with Sahaara after being raped by her would-be brother-in-law. Kiran chooses motherhood after severing ties with a family more concerned with saving face, then lives in relentless fear of discovery and deportation. Yet Kiran manages to raise Sahaara, who becomes a strong young woman who will someday inspire her mother to tell her truth. Punjabi Canadian Kaur returns to voice her sophomore title, enhancing her text with affecting accents, rhythms, pauses, and emotions exactly as she intended. Kaur's Kiran is reserved yet determined, Sahaara confident and outspoken. Alternating perspectives, Kaur's sensitive narration further enhances the mother/daughter bond. VERDICT A resonating #OwnVoices addition to #MeToo titles.—Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC
School Library Journal
★ 12/01/2020
Gr 9 Up—Follow two women's stories through 20 years of life. Assaulted and pregnant, Kiran leaves Punjab, India, to begin college in Vancouver, Canada. Rejected by those she trusts most, Kiran braves living undocumented as a single mother. Fast forward 18 years and her daughter, Sahaara, struggles to follow her dreams while ensuring her mother gains Canadian citizenship. As both women grapple with security, Kiran begins unraveling truths about her past that haunt the very fabric of their beings. This powerful sophomore novel explores womanhood over the span of two decades through the eyes of a mother-daughter pairing. The strength, resilience, and compassion Kaur seamlessly weaves between prose, poetry, and illustration allows readers to connect with and recognize themselves in Kiran and Sahaara. The journey they embark upon will spark much-needed conversations about being silenced, reconciling the past, and basic human rights. As Sahaara is given more information about Kiran's past, she learns to respectfully listen to others' stories; for a person cannot grow if they are unwilling to accept another's reality. A list of trigger warnings precedes the novel, which includes endnotes about COVID-19, historical context, and the Canadian immigration process. VERDICT A story that beautifully touches a multitude of tough topics, this one is for readers of S.K. Ali's Saints and Misfits, Kekla Magoon's Light It Up, and Maika and Maritza Moulite's Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.—Emily Walker, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL
Kirkus Reviews
2020-09-10
Punjabi teen Kiran Kaur lands in Canada with a terrible secret: She is pregnant with the child of the man who raped her.
Although her mother tries to force her to get an abortion, Kiran decides to keep the baby. Abandoned by her family, Kiran moves in with her queer friend Joti and gives birth to a girl she names Sahaara. Unable to keep up with studying, raising a newborn, and paying rent, Kiran drops out of university, loses her student visa, and becomes undocumented. As Sahaara becomes a teen herself and discovers her family’s secrets, she must learn how to protect her mother—and survive in a body she now associates with her mother’s sexual assault. Following up on When You Ask Me Where I’m Going (2019), Kaur fills in details of both women’s stories and personalities with care and grace. The plot is tightly woven and action packed, and readers will quickly become invested in their complex journeys. The book alternates between poetry and prose as well as between Kiran’s and Sahaara’s perspectives, though the majority is told from Sahaara’s point of view. Sahaara's voice, in particular, is fresh, honest, and a pleasure to read. At times the prose feels overwritten, howeveroverall this is a fast-paced story that will keep readers engaged.
A thoughtful, loving examination of immigration, sexual assault, and chosen family. (Fiction. 14-18)
