Barkha Lohia – illustratör

★"This nonfiction book has themes of environmental protection, determination, helping others, and following one’s passions. The artwork and the story are inspiring and beautiful.” —School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review

Brothers Nadeem and Saud grew up in Delhi watching the majestic raptors called black kites circle in the sky above their heads.

But every year, when paper-kite-flying season came and people brought out their glass-coated kite strings called manja to have friendly battles, the beautiful birds faced dangerous skies. One day, the brothers found a black kite tangled in manja, but their local vet couldn’t help. As they got older, the brothers never forgot that day. Learning from a local vet, who taught them how to mend a bird's wing, and a neighbour who trained pigeons, they began to rescue and rehabilitate injured black kites.

Bird Brothers, A Delhi Story depicts the powerful true story of Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud, who have devoted their lives to helping these birds return to the sky.

Praise for Rina Singh

★“A very wise book, speaking volumes…Share this at story hours, or hand it to the child struggling to read; this communicates essential truths without a word. Marvelous.”—School Library Journal, starred review for Once, a Bird

★“This sweet, understated story is wordless—a perfect way to tell it, as it requires youngsters to relate to the illustrations in a unique, profoundly personal way…Refreshing, beautiful, moving, and meaningful.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Once, a Bird

★“With cinematic fluidity, Dion’s marvellous watercolor, gouache, and digital illustrations evocatively convey Singh’s thoughtful wordless narrative…This multilayered wordless picture book has much to say about nature, renewal, and resiliency.”—Booklist, starred review for Once, a Bird

★ "[A] tender tribute to the Hindu holiday of Holi…A joyful hybrid of concept book, holiday title, and portrait of familial love."—Publishers Weekly, starred review for Holi Colors

★ "Singh celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival of colors and love, and highlights six colors in this vibrant, playful board book…The sheer joy of the event comes through on nearly every page…Communicating the universal concept of color within the specific celebration of Holi, this gem deserves a place in every child's book bag."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Holi Colors

Ayah has always lived in a refugee camp, and she isn't sure what she wants to be when she grows up. When she dreams of a visit from a swallow who shows her the world outside the fence, she learns about possibility.

Once a week Ayah and her mother get to use the tandoor oven at their refugee camp. While they bake, Ayah talks about her teacher asking the class what they want to be when they grow up. Her mother wonders if Ayah wants to be an engineer or a singer...but Ayah has never met anyone like that.

While getting some fresh air, Ayah rests her eyes until a swallow says hello. "Please can I have some bread?" it asks. Ayah shares her snack, and the swallow tells her about its travels. Ayah has never seen the world outside the fence—she thought it was all dangerous. The sparrow explains that there are many places without war, and he invites her to climb on his back to fly with him and see the world for herself. Together they soar over fields and mountains and busy cities, and when Ayah returns, she can dream of a future where she'll be free. Based on the author's experiences living in a refugee camp in Syria.

Available in French as Ayah et le vaste monde.

Aujourd’hui, c’est jour de boulange.

Une fois par semaine, Ayah et sa maman peuvent utiliser le four tandouri du camp de réfugiés. Pendant qu’elles préparent le pain, Ayah raconte à sa mère que la professeure a demandé aux élèves ce qu’ils souhaitent faire quand ils seront grands. La maman d’Ayah veut savoir si elle rêve de devenir ingénieure ou chanteuse… mais Ayah n’a jamais rencontré qui que ce soit qui faisait ces métiers.

Pendant une pause à l’extérieur, Ayah aperçoit une hirondelle qui lui pose une drôle de question : « Pourrais-tu me donner un peu de pain, s’il te plaît ? » Ayah partage sa collation et l’oiseau lui raconte ses voyages. Puisqu’Ayah n’est jamais sortie de l’enceinte du camp, elle croit que tout est dangereux de l’autre côté de la clôture. L’hirondelle lui explique qu’il y a de nombreux endroits où il n’y a pas de guerre. Elle l’invite à grimper sur son dos pour l’emmener explorer le monde de ses propres yeux. Ensemble, la petite fille et l’oiseau survolent des champs, des montagnes et des villes animées. À son retour, Ayah se met à rêver d’un avenir où elle sera libre.

Également disponible sous le titre Ayah and the Big World Outside en anglais.