Padma Venkatraman was born in Chennai, India, and is now an award-winning American author living in Rhode Island. She will visit the Camden Public Library on Tuesday, April 5, at 4:00 pm, to speak about the status of women in different parts of India and whether that has changed over time. She will also briefly address paradoxes associated with being a woman in India, discuss her experience growing up in that culture, and touch on her family's history, which is fictionalized in her award-winning debut novel, Climbing the Stairs.
Dr. Venkatraman lived in five countries, worked as chief scientist on oceanographic vessels, and even spent time underwater before becoming an author. Her latest novel, A Time to Dance, was released to five Starred Reviews (Kirkus, Booklist, SLJ, VOYA and BCCB) and received numerous awards: ALA Notable, IRA Notable, Kirkus Best Book, NYPL Top 25, IBBY outstanding, and more. Her two earlier novels, Island’s End and Climbing the Stairs, were also released to multiple starred reviews, were ALA/Yalsa Best Books, Amelia Bloomer, CCBC and Booklist Editor’s Choices, and won several other honors.Dr. Venkatraman enjoys discussing her work with interested audiences and has provided keynote speeches at teacher and librarian conferences, commencement speeches at schools, been the chief guest at international book/author festivals, and has been a invited to participate on panels organized by PEN international, the New York Public Library, Harvard University, and other eminent institutions. Visit her at www.padmasbooks.com and www.padmasbooks.blogspot.com. There will be books on hand for purchase and Padma will be available to answer questions and sign books.
