I AM KAVI by Thushanthi Ponweera
HARDCOVER
Author: Thushanthi Ponweera
Lyrical, heartfelt, and emotionally powerful, I AM KAVI is a coming-of-age novel-in-verse that follows one girl navigating identity, class, friendship, and belonging during a time of conflict and change. Perfect for fans of novels-in-verse and readers who enjoy stories rich in emotion, culture, and self-discovery.
Set in Sri Lanka, 1998, during the Sri Lankan Civil War, ten-year-old Kavi earns a scholarship that takes her far from her rural village and into an elite city school where privilege, wealth, and expectations rule everything. To blend in, she starts changing little pieces of herself - editing the truth, hiding her past, and reshaping her identity to match the world around her. But the further she steps into someone else’s life, the more she risks losing her own.
To find her way back, Kavi must answer the hardest question of all: Who am I when I stop pretending? This is a story of finding strength, embracing where you come from, and learning that belonging starts with being true to yourself.
Why this book deserves a spot on your shelf:
- Told in beautiful, accessible verse; quick to read, but full of depth
- A rare and authentic South Asian perspective
- Themes of identity, family, privilege, courage and belonging