Mindy Kaling: Volume 63

I really like Mindy Kaling. This book is fine, but it doesn’t live up to my expectations set by the “Little People, Big Dreams” series. Maybe it’s because she is a modern person and I know more about her than I do a lot of the famous people we have read about. I feel this book gives her way too much credit for the success of the TV show “The Office.” But, she did a great job portraying her character on that show, and maybe she was a driving force and I just didn’t realize it. I also do not like the writing on the last page of this book. It says she has become one of the worlds most famous comedians - I really don’t feel this is true yet. I’m living in the ‘right now’ with her, and although she is hilarious and smart and successful, I think saying she is one of the world’s most famous comedians is a bit of a stretch stretch. But, I’m also living in my own little corner of this world, so maybe she is world renowned and I also did not realize that about her. The book also says she became a role model for herself, which is very abstract and doesn’t seem to be written with the book’s target audience (are group) in mind.This book is fine, and Mindy Kaling a pretty cool person to read about. I’m just not loving the story the way I expected. It has also reminded me to not take all of the facts presented by books (in this series and other books, too) at face value.

Staying true to the Little People, Big Dreams series, the Mindy Kaling book keeps the same format that we have come to expect from these stories. The book begins with Mindy's childhood family and early education where she falls in love with movies and keeps a notebook of the lines in the movies she watches that made her laugh. It follows her through her hobby of reading books and scripts and writing her own scripts after school and to college where she becomes a comic strip writer for her college paper. It touches on her time as one of the first female writers for The Office series and the growth of her career.I enjoyed sharing this story with my little girl as these books are so inspiring to kids on what opportunities are out there that they can make for themselves. The illustrations are colorful and kid-friendly. I highly recommend the Mindy Kaling book for kids who enjoy writing, acting, or just want to hear a good real-life story of a female finding success in a previously male-dominated industry.

"Follow that dream wherever it may lead." -- Elvis, 1961, released in 1962Thanks to this book, I got to know about Mindy Kaling. I am delighted to see some lesser known major contributors getting air play. Mindy Kaling, a gifted comedienne who loved bringing the gift of laughter to others and make a career in the media world. For eight years she was a writer, director and producer of the long running series "The Office." She has also done voice overs and written her memoirs.Like a true champion, she jumped over hurdles such as race and gender. She is brilliant. She is a true gift. She is a mother and a gifted professional. I love the way Mindy Kaling, the girl who loved movies and knew them verbatim used her interest to segue into a successful career that included a show of removing societal barriers based on demographics.This book belongs in schools, libraries and homes.This book is a masterpiece. As Elvis sang, "follow that dream wherever it may lead."

What a fun biography! My 11 yr old collects this series and a couple of things struck her—first, that Kaling knew she wanted to be a comedy writer from a young age enough that she wrote down funny things she heard at the movies, second, that she changed her name by taking the middle part Kaling from a much longer Indian last name that was hard to pronounce, and third, that she really threw herself into all forms of comedy in college. I’m not sure a much younger child would appreciate this particular biography. It makes the most sense if you’ve seen The Office. If you haven’t yet, then it’s a little hard to appreciate Kaling. The show isn’t really described in the book, which makes sense because how would you describe that sitcom? You just have to see it! If you’re a Kaling fan, you’ll enjoy this book. If you’re an older kid who reads this book, it will make you want to watch The Office.

This is another solid entry in the "Little People, Big Dreams" series. It's nice that the publisher decided to profile someone in the entertainment field, especially as Mindy Kaling was/is a writer of both TV shows and books, and writers never get their due. Lots of kids aspire to be actors, so this departure from the usual sports stars, scientists, politicians and activists widens the scope of the series. My only complaint is my usual one -- even though thought is given to showing a person of color accurately, the artwork pretty much makes everyone look Caucasian, with the small, pert noses and dainty, heart-shaped mouths of a white person.