Big Ideas,
Real Impact.

Book cover titled 'A Rocket to Belonging' featuring a boy with brown hair and green eyes, holding a small cartoon rocket ship in a starry space background. The authors are Nikhil Wong and the illustrator is Mary Biswas.

A Rocket to Belonging

A Rocket to Belonging is the story of Kris, a half Indian boy who doesn’t know how he fits into his Indian heritage. Through a story from his grandfather, Kris learns that our differences are what make us special. Based on personal anecdotes from my grandfather, A Rocket to Belonging is a heartwarming and lovingly illustrated children’s book that highlights the mixed-race experience in a way that is relevant to people of all backgrounds and identities.

By writing the book and interviewing my grandfather about his experience in Sri Lanka, I gained a deeper cultural understanding of the connection between the past and the present: from more than seven decades ago in a country I’ve never visited to my own experience as a mixed-race, half-Indian boy. A Rocket to Belonging invites readers of all ages to reflect on their own stories and find comfort in who they are.

ISBN: 979-8-218-59576-0

A young man wearing a white shirt and floral lei is signing a document on a table in a modern office space with large windows and wooden walls.
Hands covered in colorful powder, holding more powder, during a celebration or festival.
Three friends, two men and one woman, smiling and posing together in a casual indoor setting.
Three girls smiling and posing behind a large, colorful frame with paper pom-poms and balloons at a celebration or event. The backdrop features vertical orange, blue, and white streamers, with a sign that reads 'Keiki Stories'.
Two women and a young girl sitting at a table reading a book together. The young girl is sitting on the woman's lap, and the women are looking at the book. There are backpacks on the table and chairs, and a display of food in the background.
A young man wearing a floral lei and holding a book stands in a brightly lit room with large windows, while a girl with a flower in her hair looks up at him. Several people are seated at tables in the background.
Three boys covered in colorful powder, smiling at the camera indoors with a background of people and windows.