Rebecca Manari is the author of Brown Like Dosas, Samosas, And Sticky Chikki. The mom, teacher, and author wants to help children around the world feel beautiful in their own skin, whatever shade that might be.
Rebecca told Buzzfeed Life that “young people are pressured to fit into an extremely unreasonable and rigid notion of what beauty is.” That was the source of inspiration for her children’s book. She said that in India, particularly, children feel the need to conform to beauty standards the older they get.
She explained how skin complexion goes hand in hand with the idea of beauty in India.
“One of these strange ideas is that only fair skin can be beautiful. You cannot watch a single TV show in India without being bombarded with advertisements for skin creams that lighten your skin,” Rebecca says. “It is absurd that in a country where some people are a pale white and some as dark as chocolate and every beautiful shade in between, we still stick to the idea that only fair is lovely.”
The children's book Brown Like Dosas, Samosas, And Sticky Chikki is about a little girl named Samaira who loves colours. One day, Samaira receives a jar full of light. When she opens the lid, she is transported into a brand-new world. She meets Anahi, a purple girl who offers to lighten Samaira’s chocolate-hued skin in exchange for the jar. The story then follows Samaira on her journey of self-acceptance and confidence.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Image source:Facebook
“The idea was, of course, to make the child see all shades of brown as pretty, lovely and positive things that they love, things they can relate to, and things that are delicious!” says Rebecca.
Since her book has taken the spotlight, Rebecca has received an overwhelming positive response.
Photo Credit: Facebook
“Being the crybaby that I am, I am moved to tears with every bit of feedback I receive, especially when it comes straight from the heart of a child," says Rebecca. "The most recent moving response is of a gentleman I know, who bought the book for his friend’s daughter because she was being teased at school because of her looks.”
Rebecca stresses the importance of parents exposing their children to diversity — whether it be in the form of books, movies or other media.
Photo Credit: Facebook
It's important that parents don’t give in to stereotypical ideas of what a “perfect face or a perfect body" is, and talking to children when these kinds of issues arise will help parents understand where their children stand on beauty.
"Something that is completely natural and forever present in you; and requires no trying, no teaching, nothing external, no alteration," says Rebecca. "Every face looks beautiful when it is lit up with a happy smile. A crooked tooth, wrinkled skin, or laugh lines couldn’t ever take away from your beauty. A smile comes very easily to anybody. And the best part? It costs nothing!”
Photo Credit: Rebecca Manari Facebook
Main Image Photo Credit: Rebecca Manari Facebook

Nomaan Khan
Author
After spending some time in a completely different field, Nomaan decided to drop it all and switch to Mohawk College to pursue his longtime interest in the world of Journalism. His experience working in multimedia platforms has helped him develop exceptional skills in thinking on his feet, being ...
COMMENTS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
-
5 Best Beach Reads By South Asian Authors
-
Check Out These August 2022 Films From Bollywood & Beyond
-
America’s Music Man: This World Record Holder Learned To Play 107 Instruments All By Himself
-
Check Out These July 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond
-
Praneet Akilla From Latest CBC Drama “Sky Med” Talks About Why This Medical Drama Is Next Level
-
This Prism Prize Nominee "Closer" Is Probably The Most Powerful Anti-Shadism Message You'll Ever See
-
"Mr. Malcolm's List" Shows Us A Different Side Of Freida Pinto
-
How Puja Mohindra Created Her Own Opportunity To Get The Hit Netflix Drama 'The Lincoln Lawyer'
-
"The Rise" Music Release Celebrate 25 years of South Asian Hip Hop
-
'Ms. Marvel' Is Breaking Down Stereotypes & Here's What You Need To Know
-
Check Out These June 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Check Out Why Karan Johar's 50th Birthday Bash Turned Into An Iconic 90s Bollywood Reunion
-
We Tell You Why You Need To Check Out The Dallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFWSAFF)
-
Check Out These May 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
7 South Asians Who Are Leading The Hottest Shows Out Now
-
Top 5 Desi Rappers You Need To Know About
-
Marie Mahabal Is The One To Watch In Shaw Festival's 'Cyrano de Bergerac'
-
The Perfect Breakup Text & More In Our Chat With Author Sonya Singh
-
Check Out Our List Of Fave Spring Books By Desi Authors
-
Check Out These April 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
5 Reasons Why You Need To Read Lilly Singh's New Book "Be A Triangle"
-
This Is Why We Think You Need To Celebrate The Art Of Music With DESIFEST
-
Check Out These March 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
TIFF 2021: We Tell You Why "Ali & Ava" Is A Refreshingly Solid Romance For Grown Ups
-
Celeb Vacay Pix To Get Your Travel Inspo From
-
Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022): Celebs Pay Tribute To India’s “Nightingale Of Bollywood”
-
Check Out These February 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
TIFF 2021: Tahir Rana and Éric Warin Draw Inspiration From The Darkness In Their New Film "Charlotte"
-
Check Out These January 2022 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
We Tell You Why CBC’s “Run The Burbs” Will Be The Hottest Show Of 2022
-
Our 2021 Roundup: We Tell You Why 'India Sweets & Spices' Needs To Be On Your Watchlist
-
Geraldine Viswanathan Leads An All-Star Cast In The Animated Feature "Rumble"
-
Decoding "The Matrix Resurrections' With Priyanka Chopra Jonas
-
We Go Behind The Scenes Of The Already Iconic IKEA “Chaiyya Chaiyya” Holiday Commercial
-
TIFF 2021: Riz Ahmed Shines In His Latest Psychological Thriller "Encounter"
-
Check Out These December 2021 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Agam Darshi Shows The Beauty Of An Adult Coming-Of-Age In 'Donkeyhead'
-
Holiday Gift Guide 2021: 9 Fab Books By South Asian Authors
-
This Is Why The South Asian Film Festival Of Montreal (SAFF Montreal) Should Be On Your List
-
Check Out These November 2021 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Highlights From The New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYCSAFF)
-
TIFF 2021: One-On-One With Aliya Kanani Who Shines In Award-Winning Indie "Scarborough"
-
The Team Behind "Emergence: Out Of The Shadows" Tell Us Why Parents Of LGBTQ+ Kids Need To Share Their Stories Too
-
TIFF 2021: “Sort Of” Star/Co-Creator Bilal Baig Embraces The Power Of Trans Representation In Their Barrier-Breaking CBC Comedy
-
From The Slums To The Stage: “Call Me Dancer” Documentary Shares The Unique Journey Of Ballet Dancer Manish Chauhan
-
Check Out These Oct 2021 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
TIFF 2021: Director Nithin Lukose Tells Us How His Grandmother's Stories Fuelled His Film "Paka (River of Blood)"
-
TIFF 2021: The Top South Asian Talent You'll See At The Toronto International Film Festival
-
Check Out These Sept 2021 Movies From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Akshay Kumar Tells Us Why His Latest Film “Bell Bottom” Is The Spy Thriller Bollywood Needs Right Now
-
One-On-One With 'Sweet Tooth' Star Aliza Vellani
-
Abhay Deol & The Cast Of Disney's "Spin" Tells Us Why It's Better To Let Your Kids Chase Their Own Dreams