Monsoon Afternoon

Description

An Indian boy and his grandfather enjoy a rainy day during monsoon season. It is monsoon season in India. Outside, dark clouds roll in and the rain starts to fall. As animals scatter to find cover, a young boy and his dadaji (grandfather) head out into the rainy weather. The two sail paper boats. They watch the peacocks dance in the rain, just as the colorful birds did when Dadaji was a boy. They pick mangoes and Dadaji lifts up his grandson so he can swing on the roots of the banyan tree, just as Dadaji did when he was young. Finally, when the two return home, hot tea and a loving family are waiting. Author Kashmira Sheth's affectionate, sensitive story provides a look into Indian life and the shared moments and memories that bind generations together. Illustrator Yoshiko Jaeggi's colorful and fanciful watercolor artwork recreates the lush Indian landscape during monsoon season and captures the bond of love that unites a grandfather and his grandson.

Kashmira Sheth was born in India with Guajarati as her mother tongue and began learning English in fifth grade. She had lived in Bhavnagar and Mumbai before moving to United States when she was seventeen to attend Iowa State University, where she received a BS in microbiology. Before becoming an author Kashmira had many different jobs, including running a dance school and choreographing and performing Indian dances, working in a bakery, and working as a food microbiologist. She is the author of several picture books, chapter books, and middle grade and young adult novels. Taking inspiration from her own life and experiences, much of Kashmira's work centers on Indian culture and features Indian and Indian American characters. Yoshiko Jaeggi was born in Kagoshima, Japan, which is famous for its volcano. She drew her first picture in the ashes that rained from the sky. Yoshiko was trained at the Osaka Municipal Institute of Fine Art and has illustrated several picture books. She lives in Maryland.

"Soft watercolors underscore the warm relationship between generations. . . This beautiful and atmospheric picture book makes a great addition for all multicultural collections." -School Library Journal "Children of all backgrounds will easily recognize both the boy's delight in the dramatic rainstorm and the warm intergenerational relationship." -Booklist