Sangeetha Narayan, a resident of Ellicott City, Maryland, has written her first children’s picture book, “Meera Makes Aloo Paratha,” celebrating South Asian cuisine and the cherished bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. Through her book, Narayan shares her vision of promoting cultural appreciation and connection within families.
Narayan noted these intergenerational connections are mutually enriching, offering both wisdom and joy. Her passion for writing for children blossomed after her daughter was born, and since then storytelling became her favorite pastime.
Narayan, an assistant teacher, at Global Children Montessori school in Ellicott City, also noted that she drew inspiration for the book from observing her own children’s relationship with their grandparents.
“Grandparents have a knack of using their wisdom and patience in handling social-emotional regulation in children. On the other hand, grandkids make them feel young and energetic,” said Narayan noting that she is committed to spreading awareness of South Asian culture through stories featuring South Asian characters. She hopes to amplify the voices of little girls and boys in her books, fostering a sense of pride in their heritage.
By introducing South Asian cuisine in her stories, Narayan aims to encourage children to embrace their cultural roots. She also highlights the importance of cooking together as pathway to strengthening family bonds.
Narayan pointed out, “I have often observed that kids hesitate to carry their own cultural food for lunch. They feel like they would stand out and that other kids might make fun of them. But, when these kids see their food being represented in books, it might make them feel more comfortable accepting their own heritage.”
Her latest book is about Meera, an eight-year-old girl who is angry with her best friend, Shelly. The girls get into an argument about who gets to play the part of a teacher, and who gets to be the student. Meera feels that it is boring to always be a student and that she should get a chance to be a teacher too.
Meera’s Dadaji (grandfather) skillfully guides her to the kitchen and gets her involved in the preparation of her favorite dish, Aloo (potato) Paratha. As the two of them cook together, they engage in a discussion about how important it is to be a student. Meera discovers that learning is a lifelong process and has many benefits.
Dadaji tells Meera that he has learned to cook from his wife. He also tells her that he learned to play tabla from a teacher, and how to play baseball from Meera’s father. He explains to her how learning new things helps our brain to grow and helps us become smarter.
As they continue cooking, Meera reminds Dadaji of an important ingredient that he missed while cooking. He thanks her and tells her that she had taught him something valuable. Meera then realizes that a student can also become a teacher. She then decided that Shelly and her could take turns playing the roles of student and teacher. The story concludes with a cheerful Meera chatting with her friend, Shelly, over the phone.
Narayan is working on her second book targeted at 6 to 10-year-olds which revolves around a little girl who has anxiety about performing in front of an audience. Another book aimed at 8 to 13-year-olds, deals with a young boy who is coming to terms with his grandma’s strange beliefs in Lord Ganesha, an elephant-headed Hindu god. She is hoping to get both books published soon.
Narayan lives with her husband and two children in Ellicott City. She earned her undergraduate degree in Accounting from Nagpur University, India. She then moved to the United States and pursued an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She also completed a few certificate courses on writing for children. In addition to writing stories, Narayan loves to read, review books, and movies.
The book, illustrated by Noor Alshalabi, and edited by Aditi Wardhan Singh, is available to purchase through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
(Used under special arrangement with SAH)
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