Well HOT DARN! (Only I was not saying darn!) Desert Queen has probably been written for several reasons. The first, to give representation to the people of India. But also, to show how one middle class boy would grow up and show the world how to bend perceptions. Queen Harish was the alter ego of a boy from a small community, who became an orphan young, and left with two sisters to raise. His love of dance and his talents would make him 
dare to dream of dressing in the traditional women’s garments and make dance come alive. Of course, he would face discrimination and threats, but he would come out on top.
Having become interested in this person Jyoti Rajan Gopal was writing about, I learned that he had a very short life, dying in an accident. He left behind a wife and two children. There is not a lot of this kind of historical information (there is some pieces in an author’s note), but the highlights are touched on in the story. And they are done in a lyrical, poetic manner. I am assuming Gopal was trying to make their text match the flow of dance.
Which I assume Svabhu Kohli wanted to do with the illustrations. They are the reason I was amazing and said what a beaver builds. They are rich, lush, colorful, dark, but filled with light. The publisher description says the art are jeweled tone colors. They are also terribly busy; and you cannot get everything all at once, so take your time and enjoy. Do multiple reads, multiple artwork viewing and buy copies for yourself, family, and friends.
Best for the older crowd (at least five and up), and as it was a reader online copy, I am hoping the picture book format (what I am assuming) will not turn the seven to (lower) ten-year-old. Great for a dancer, person who enjoys history, or a good poetic biography. Due October 2023.