A Show of Hands: Kalika and the Goddess of Learning

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In this heartwarming picture book, young Kalika is preparing for her Hate Khori—a beloved Bengali Hindu ritual where children write their first letters before Saraswati, the goddess of learning. But Kalika has a quiet worry: how can she take part when her hands move on their own?

Set against the vibrant sights and sounds of a Saraswati Puja celebration, A Show of Hands honors both the beauty of tradition and the power of adaptation. With warmth and creativity, Kalika’s family finds a way to make her feel seen, supported, and central to the ritual—just as she is.

Rooted in the experiences of an Indian American family, this story is a celebration of multicultural identity, intergenerational love, and inclusive cultural practice. It reminds readers that when tradition meets support, every child can participate, thrive, and leave their mark.

A Show of Hands invites readers of all backgrounds to discover how cultural celebrations can adapt and flourish, even far from their homeland—and how disabilities and differences don’t limit us—they inspire creative new expressions of heritage and belonging.

From the Publisher

Sample Pages from “A Show of Hands: Kalika and the Goddess of Learning”

Sample Page 1 (Opening the Package)

This opening scene establishes the emotional warmth and cultural depth of the story. The excitement around receiving a sari from India highlights the family’s deep connection to their heritage, setting the stage for the special ritual ahead.

Sample Page 2 (Introduction to Saraswati Puja)

Here, the mother introduces the festival of Saraswati Puja and the significance of Basant Panchami. This page gently invites readers into a vibrant cultural world and signals the importance of the upcoming Hate Khori ceremony.

Sample Page 3 (Kalika’s Reflections on Identity)

This page centers Kalika—her joy, cultural pride, and sense of belonging—as she navigates life in America as a child with a disability. It conveys the story’s core theme: carrying ancestral traditions across time, geography, and embodied difference.

Sample Page 7 (Daadu’s Story and “Sky Writing”)

Through Daadu’s (grandpa’s) playful memory of “sky writing,” this page introduces the idea that creative participation is always possible. It plants the seeds of hope, adaptation, and resilience—essential messages for Kalika’s journey and for *all* children.

Usree Bhattacharya

Author, “A Show of Hands: Kalika and the Goddess of Learning”

Usree Bhattacharya is Associate Professor at the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. She earned her PhD in Education from UC Berkeley and holds graduate degrees from California State University, Chico, and Lakehead University, as well as a BA in English from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi. Her research explores how discourse, ideology, and practice shape educational access in multilingual contexts. Since her daughter Kalika’s diagnosis of Rett syndrome in 2018, her work has increasingly focused on language and literacy development in disability contexts. Her debut picture book, A Show of Hands: Kalika and the Goddess of Learning, celebrates ritual, inclusion, and the many ways children participate in literacy. Inspired by her daughter’s first Hate Khori ceremony, the book tenderly portrays a mother–daughter bond at the heart of tradition, inviting readers to imagine how rituals can evolve to embrace everybody.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F5QP3936
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 21, 2025)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 29 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8280807228
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 – 18 years
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.07 x 10 inches
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