Acknowledgement:

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to our Prof. Binayak Sundas Sir, who
gave us the golden opportunity to do this wonderful assignment on the topic “Represent
South Asia through South Asian authors and Novels”, which also helped me in doing a lot of
Research and i came to know about so many new things. I am really thankful to them.

Secondly i would also like to thank my parents and brother who helped me a lot in finalizing
this assignment within the limited time frame…
About the Author(s)
Saadia Faruqi
Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American Author, essayist and interfaith activist, known notably
for her works in children books and series such as “Yasmin” and also including Novels like “A
Place At The Table” (co-written with Laura Shovan) and “A Thousand Questions”. Saadia is
also the editor in chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine making a difference in her community.
She resides in Houston, TX with her husband and children.

Laura Shovan
Laura Shovan is the author the award-winning middle grade novel, The Last fifth Grade of
Emerson Elementary. Her second book, Takedown, is a Junior Library Guild. “A Place At The
Table” is her third work, a beautiful collaboration with Saadia Faruqi.
 A PLACE AT THE TABLE
Plot:
The story is a narration by two sixth grade girls named Sara, a Pakistani Girl and her Jewish
friend, Elizabeth, studying at the Poplar Spring High School in America. It focuses on the how
these two girls lead their lives in America and how their friendship grows in spite of their
ethnical differences, as they become partners in an after-school cooking club and decide to
participate together for a cooking competition.
The story also reveals how their immigrant moms became friends over time and started to
study for the US citizenship test together. The plot revolves around these two middle class
families, showing the struggle they undergo to make a healthy livelihood in the unknown
avenues of America.
Being a Muslim immigrant, Sara initially used to study in an Islamic school named Iqra that
was being run by a mosque, but owing to some crisis she had to shift to a new school,
completely unlike her previous one. Being solely judged by her outward appearances and
religious practices, Sara initially develops a shy and introvert demeanour. But when her
mother starts teaching a South Asian cuisine class at Poplar Springs Middle School, she’s
forced not only to watch her mother cook, but also to watch her new, xenophobic classmate
balk at Sara. This was when she met with the Jewish girl Elizabeth who was herself very fond
of cooking, perhaps because her English immigrant mother, suffering from depression and
American born father, who is always traveling, never seem to find time to make proper
meals.
Previously best friends, Maddy and Elizabeth went to different summer camps where
Maddy immediately stroke a chord with a new girl, Stephanie and started spending more
time with her, whereby neglecting Elizabeth and their friendship promises of being cooking
partners in the after-school cooking club. Now feeling left alone, Elizabeth was paired with
Sara as her cooking partners, with the two of them forming a shaky alliance that gradually
deepens as they make plans to create the most amazing mouth-watering cross culture dish
together and win a spot in local tv show.
Things really started getting sour between Maddy and Elizabeth when at a mall, Maddy
made some racist comments regarding Sara, calling Elizabeth out on ditching her just to
roam around with an Arab immigrant and also insulting Sara with the racist slur “Go back
where you belong”.
Spending more time with Elizabeth, Sara develops a maturity in her attitude, becoming
more friendly with others, while also understanding the need to be more brave, strong and
responsible towards her family. As their friendship grew, both started participating in each
other’s cross-cultural festivities like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, with their families coming
close. Both Hina and Nicole, respectively mothers of Sara and Elizabeth, started taking
serious interest in passing the US citizenship test.
With the date of cooking competition looming in the near future, Sara and Elizabeth both
decided to start a new thing naming it as the “Operation Secret Award-Winning Recipe”
trying newer dishes that even lead to them taking several adventurous risks.
Come the date of the competition both Sara and Elizabeth were quite nervous and frigid
about their prospects of winning it, wondering whether the judges, especially the chief
guest Chef Morgan would be pleased with their efforts or not. Winning the competition was
of utmost importance in advertising Mrs. Hameed’s catering business in the locality. Sara
and Elizabeth were cooking Hulwa Cuppa Tea (Earl Grey Tea ice cream with chunks of
Doodh ka Halwa) and against them were pitted Maddy and Stephanie, with their
preparation being Raspberry Ginger Scones.
Although eventually Maddy’s Team were declared winners, Chef Morgan had some words
of praise for Sara and Elizabeth, calling their recipe the “most inventive one”, exclaiming
that their fusion ice-cream “really had the potential” in it to win the competition. After
winning this laurel, the participants congratulated each other. Even Maddy lauded Sara’s
efforts and realized her mistake of judging others based on their outer appearance, and at
last they became friends.
The following day was a celebratory one as both Hina and Nicole passed their US citizenship
test. Finally, Sara and Elizabeth could feel content with their efforts.

Evaluation
Writing in alternating voices, the authors elegantly interweave issues of racism, financial
insecurity, and mental illness into a familiar middle school narrative of identity formation.
Sara’s character is particularly well drawn: Her affectionate family, her insistence on
Elizabeth’s responsibility to stand up to her white, racist friends, and her love of her culture
and religion are refreshingly authentic. Elizabeth’s mostly secular Jewish family life will also
ring familiar to many readers. At times, however, the narration verges on preachy, and the
dialogue feels more mature than the average sixth grade banter.
Review: My Experience & Understanding
According to me this novel, written in a lucid language, reflects on and helps us appreciate
the South Asian cultures and cuisines, contrasting it with the rituals in the Western World
and providing for a beautiful concoction among two traditionally varying communities.
Although the book’s title “A Place At The Table” directs our thoughts at a table full of dishes,
but it has got a hidden inner meaning to it. The author here compares the table to America
and the phrase “Places at the Table” signifies how Sara as an outsider, carves out a niche for
herself and her family in this faraway unknown land. Also on focus are the virtues of respect
and dignity taught by South Asian parents to their children, a practice not so prevalent in
the West. Different facets of Human life such as friendship, camaraderie, team-work and
harboring a feeling of love and fraternity towards other cultures have been grazed upon.
After the 9/11 attacks, relations between American and Muslim immigrants had reached a
nadir, with even innocent Muslims subjected to domination and racial attacks from the
native US citizens. But the author shows us how love and friendship can help communities
overcome their ethnical differences and come together to create something special. Also
cuisines have been beautifully presented as a charming concept in the fusion of cultures of
land afar.
Thus, personally I feel that this is a beautiful novel with a feel-good factor about it that one
can enjoy at their leisure period, and develop certain virtues such as tolerance and
acceptance for people of other cultures and countries and also appreciate the power of
inculcating friendship and love among each other.