Puloma and the Bear

Jasbinder Bilan is an award-winning author who loves writing stories inspired by her childhood bond with her grandmother in India. Her first book, Asha & the Spirit Bird, won the Costa Children’s Book Award 2017, which Jasbinder followed with Tamarind & The Star of Ishta, winning the Indie Children’s Book Award 2021.

"The beautiful illustrations by Skylar White show Nyla’s vulnerability and pain, while Jasbinder Bilan’s simple yet powerful words show Puloma’s bravery in standing up for what’s right. In shining a light on cruel traditions that might still exist in some areas of the world, this is a story to provoke thought, and maybe action." — BookTrust, Book of the Day"Bilan packs so much into this short novel … Sensory details evoke the Indian countryside wonderfully, Puloma is a gutsy protagonist, and there is a powerful message about the treatment of captive animals." – JUNO"This is exactly the sort of book which demonstrates why Barrington Stoke are so good at engaging reluctant or struggling readers. The stories they produce are so engaging and often, as in this case, so thought provoking, memorable, well written and well illustrated, that they are worth their weight in gold in any library or classroom … Jasbinder Bilan has written a powerful story which will really resonate with children who are passionate about animal welfare." — Books for Keeps"A captivating, hopeful story of courage, friendship and trust with a powerful message raising awareness about animals held in captivity for entertainment." — Book Craic, blog"A powerful story of standing up for what you believe in. Bravery, kindness and compassion flow from every page as the strong female lead, Puloma, discovers her gifts and the potential for a positive future. This story is perfect for fans of Nizrana Farook’s animal stories and Luna by Holly Webb." — Scope for Imagination, blog