Written by Aditi Oza
Illustrated by Debasmita Dasgupta
Published by Yali Books, May 31, 2022
Review
The final sentence of the author's note couldn't be better timed for us. Oza writes: After you read this book, I would love for you to thread a needle, design a motif or two, and create your very own fabric bird dangler. T has been asking to learn crochet, and the author's invitation amplifies his excitement to try out the art form!
Kesar and the Lullaby Birds is gorgeous. Yali Books had been posting images of the illustrations on Instagram, and their beauty caught my eye. When our review copy arrived in the mail, T was excited to read it to himself before we even had a chance to read it together. The story is sweet - a little girl is delighted to receive a gift from her visiting grandmother (T sure identified with that scenario!) and enjoys the story that her grandmother tells to accompany the gift of fabric birds. When Kesar's little sister, the neighborhood's notoriously loud baby, won't sleep, Kesar puts on a show with the birds and tells a story tailored to the little one, lulling her to sleep. T particularly enjoyed the parents' astonishment at and appreciation of Kesar's accomplishment with her baby sister, as well as how all of Kesar's friends clamored to know why no howling baby was heard from her house. He also enjoyed pointing out details in the illustrations that corresponded to the text when I read to him. Sometimes I think T is moving beyond picture books, but then experiences like this show me how much they still have to offer him. And I certainly enjoy him snuggling up to read and chat with me, which doesn't exactly happen with the Wimpy Kid novels.
Kesar and the Lullaby Birds catches the eye, then delivers a relatable, funny, and gratifying story that young children will feel good about reading.
A pronunciation guide for Kutchi and Gujarati words in the back is very helpful, and the author's note contextualizes the art forms present in the book.
Note: A review copy was provided upon request for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts are our own.
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