Geeta Ladi – illustratör

Join a young girl and her dog in this Step 2 reader as they joyfully prepare to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights! Perfect for readers ages 4-6.Raina is excited to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu holiday that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Along with her family and her best friend, Lion (a little dog with a big sweet tooth!), Raina helps prepare for the celebration. She decorates the house with clay lamps called diyas, makes beautiful rangoli designs with sand, watches colorful fireworks, and shares sweet treats with Lion. It’s a Diwali to remember!Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

A sudden blackout turns into a neighborhood-wide sleepover in this lovely, lyrical picture book about family, community, and how much fun it can be to unplug from technologyFilled with joy and community bonding, Neesa Bally’s lyrical text and Geeta Ladi’s warm and striking art style, this book paints a vivid picture of Trinidadian life while showing that when the lights go out, that’s when the most fun can be had.It happens suddenly—Darkness descends,without wish or want.An uninvited guest,overstaying its welcome.“Current gone! Power’s out!” A blackout overtakes a family’s neighborhood one evening. As lights, fans, air conditioners, and electronic devices all lose power, there’s only one thing left to do—go outside and play!Joining their neighbors in the sticky tropical heat of Trinidad, the family enjoys playing board games by candlelight, making shadow puppets, and sharing grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream with their friends and neighbors. As they begin to fall asleep under the star-filled sky, the lights come back on, leaving everyone with memories that will last.

Fry Bread meets Bilal Cooks Daal in this story about a girl and her mom introducing a school friend to curry—and discovering all the things that curry means to them as they learn to make it together.When Shirin’s friend Charlotte asks what curry is, Shirin realizes she’s not sure—she’s tried many curries and they’re all so different. So Shirin’s mom invites them to explore the fragrant world of curry by helping her cook a curry dish. Together, the two girls sniff tangy curry leaves, roll mustard seeds like tiny pearls in their palms, and watch with wonder as Shirin’s mom measures ingredients with heart and hand. Over the course of the afternoon, the girls discover that the dish isn’t just a form of sustenance—it’s the scent of home, a piece of wisdom shared between generations, an art open to invention, and it’s flavored with love. With delicious writing and imaginative illustrations, Curry Means More showcases the simple yet transformative magic of a home-cooked meal. Back matter includes a history of curries, an introduction to a wide variety of spices, and a family recipe.