Starred review from Booklist!⭐
“A gem not to be missed” – Booklist
“Kelkar’s lyrical telling makes clear the dire results of colonial oppression” – Booklist
“Digitally enhanced cut-paper collages dazzles the eye” – Booklist
Starred review from School Library Journal! ⭐
“Exquisite illustrations” – School Library Journal
“Whether moodily atmospheric, haunted by the actions of colonizers, or melancholy with loss, the scenes convey the emotions of Kelkar’s text, which returns to “And yet you shine” as both mantra and mandate—the diamond is still here, and history is no longer on the side of the thieves.” – School Library Journal
A Texas Topaz state list Nonfiction Gem of 2025!
Watch the trailer on The Conscious Kid
Read my chat with NYT Bestseller John Schu on Watch. Connect. Read.
on NPR
Listen to The Yarn episode on the book here!
On the Children’s Book Podcast
On John Schu and Colby Sharp’s Mock Caldecott list.
In Melissa Stewart’s Mock Sibert Activity
Watch the Tutu Teacher talk about the book!
Supriya Kelkar talks about her new picture book And Yet You Shine: The Kohinoor Diamond, Colonization, and Resistance on Teaching Books
In U of M’s LSA Magazine
Watch the video feature with U of M
Meet the Author of And Yet You Shine: The Kohinoor Diamond, Colonization, and Resistance
Watch part 1 of the behind-the-scenes look at the art for AND YET YOU SHINE on YouTube or on Instagram.
Watch part 2 of the behind-the-scenes look at the art for AND YET YOU SHINE on YouTube or on Instagram.
Watch part 3 of the behind-the-scenes look at the art for AND YET YOU SHINE on YouTube or on Instagram.
Watch part 4 of the behind-the-scenes look at the art for AND YET YOU SHINE on YouTube or on Instagram.
It’s another star for AND YET YOU SHINE, this time from School Library Journal!
Read more about this book in my Candlewick Author Spotlight!
The Hindu on And Yet You Shine
The New Indian Express interview
Download the AND YET YOU SHINE poster here!
Download the AND YET YOU SHINE Teacher’s Guide here!
The story of one of the world’s most famous diamonds—stolen from South Asia during colonization and now among the crown jewels in London—is a call to action for readers to decolonize and hold their heads high.
The Kohinoor diamond, one of the most famous diamonds in the world, was stolen from India and fought over throughout centuries of colonial conquest, eventually landing in the hands of British royals who tricked a ten-year-old South Asian monarch into relinquishing it. The diamond was ultimately cut to nearly half its size to suit British beauty standards for the crown jewels—and is displayed to this day in the Tower of London museum, a trophy of colonization. Probing, poetic, and shimmering with the colors and patterns of Indian textiles, And Yet You Shine is more than the true story of a precious gem passing hands. The urgent narrative and well-researched afterword invite readers to consider the origins of museum artifacts and all they represent, how history is recorded, and why acknowledging past injustices and power dynamics can shape the world we live in today—and ensure a just tomorrow. This vibrant and moving meditation on resiliency invites readers of all backgrounds to decolonize—and shine with all their might.
Praise for AND YET YOU SHINE:
“Exquisite, powerful, and deeply moving, this book shines a spotlight on centuries of
oppression and entreats readers to know that, despite injustice, nothing will ever dull their
light.” —Christina Soontornvat, three-time Newbery Medal Honoree
“And Yet You Shine is a beautifully told story that can help catalyze important
conversations about colonization and its legacies.” —Simran Jeet Singh, historian,
scholar, and author of Fauja Singh Keeps Going and The Light We Give
“Stunning. What an incredible vessel for conversations about colonization, ownership,
the claim to what is ours, and righting wrongs.” —Pernille Ripp, teacher, author of
Passionate Readers, and founder of the Global Read Aloud
“And Yet You Shine is one of the most unique—and best—picture books I’ve ever read. It
is as powerful as it is important, as empowering as it is informative, and features
stunning, gorgeous artwork unlike anything I’ve seen before. The marriage of Supriya
Kelkar’s words and artwork has produced her best book yet. And Yet You Shine: The
Kohinoor Diamond, Colonization, and Resistance is an absolutely essential addition to
every classroom and library.” —Jarrett Lerner, author-illustrator of A Work in Progress
and creator of the EngiNerds, Geeger the Robot, Hunger Heroes, and Nat the Cat series
“Visually arresting with its vibrant collages, And Yet You Shine draws readers into the
history of the Kohinoor diamond’s journey across continents through colonization and
dispossession. In mirroring the experiences of those indigenous to the land, whether a
diamond or a human, this powerful work invites readers to consider the effect of robbing
a place of its beauty and life to serve the wants of others. The robust back matter also
provides key source materials and questions for consideration. An essential read!”
—Traci Sorell, educator and author of books including We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga
ᎣᏣᎵᎮᎵᎦ and We Are Still Here
Supriya Kelkar 
