4.5 Stars

Oh, my! This is so beautiful! Kesar’s little sister, Kamal, refuses to sleep. Her parents are exhausted but Kamal doesn’t relent. When Kesar’s ba (grandmother) arrives the next day, she gifts Kesar two cloth sparrows and tells her a story.

This story inspires Kesar, and she takes the responsibility of getting Kamal to sleep that night. The parents and neighbors are surprised to see that little Kamal slept through the night. Not even a single cry! The parents decide to learn the secret and stay awake the next night. They see Kesar turn into a puppeteer to tell stories and make Kamal sleep.

The story is set in my country (India) in the beautiful desert region, the Great Rann of Kutch. The illustrations are so earthy and lively. They show the beauty of the villagers and their artsy houses without erasing the native touch. The detailing of jewelry and attire is wonderful. I missed the bindis on their charming faces, though Kamal looked perfect with her cute little bindi. This warms my heart.

The meanings for native words have been added at the end of the book, followed by an author’s note about the region. And did I say how much I love the names, Kesar and Kamal. ;)

I received an ARC from NetGalley, Yali Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and am voluntarily leaving a review.

#KesarandtheLullabyBirds #NetGalley