This book recounts the love story behind the building of the Taj Mahal in India. It discusses how it was constructed and provides information on Indian culture.
Taj Mahal
India
Materials from India
Tiger on a Tree
After trapping a tiger in a tree, a group of men must decide what to do with it.
My Dadima Wears a Sari
This warm, multigenerational story offers a glimpse into the distinctive culture and customs of India, while reinforcing universal themes of love and the importance of family. Every day, Rupa’s grandmother wears a beautiful sari. She shares with her young granddaughter all the wonderful things that saris can do-from becoming an umbrella in a rainstorm to providing a deep pouch to carry seashells collected from the beach. Soon Rupa’s own imagination is sparked with new uses for the saris. A note from the author and instructions for wrapping a sari are included.
Monsoon
In the bustle of street and marketplace, everyone is watching, waiting for those magical clouds to bring their gift of rain to the land. A child describes waiting for the monsoon rains to arrive and the worry that they will not come.
The Closet Ghosts
With help from Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, Anu finds a way to cope with going to a new school, living in a new home, and even dealing with the mischievous ghosts in her closet.
Keeping Corner
Twelve-year-old Leela had been spoiled all her life. She doesn’t care for school and barely marks the growing unrest between the British colonists and her own countrymen. Her future has been planned since her engagement at two and marriage at nine. Leela’s whole life changes, though, when her husband dies. She’s now expected to behave like a proper widow: shaving her head and trading her jewel-toned saris for rough, earth-colored ones. Leela is considered unlucky and will have to stay confined to her house for a year in the keeping corner. Her teacher offers Leela lessons at home, and she learns about a new leader of the people, a man named Gandhi, who starts a political movement and practices non-violent protest against the colonists as well as the caste system, leading Leela to wonder how she can liberate herself.
When I Met the Wolf Girls
Two little girls—raised by wolves—have just arrived at the orphanage, and life will never be the same. Based on a true story, this book is about many things at once: family, friendship, and what it means to have a home.
Bringing Asha Home
Eight-year-old Arun waits impatiently while international adoption paperwork is completed so that he can meet his new baby sister from India.
Take a closer look at Bringing Asha Home as examined in WOW Review.
Younguncle Comes to Town
In a small town in northern India, three siblings await their father’s youngest brother, Younguncle, who is said to be somewhat eccentric.
Selvakumar Knew Better
When a giant tsunami approaches his village, seven-year-old Dinakaran is saved by the family dog. Based on a true story; includes facts about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.