Today’s picture book is full of hope in the midst of troubling circumstances.  It’s incredibly inspiring and comes with a giveaway as well.

Namita Moolani Mehra is the author of several picture books and children’s cookbooks. You may recall her stopping by my blog before for her lovely picture book THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU.  She runs Indian Spicebox, a cooking and spice business that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied and worked in the United States, and now lives in Singapore with her husband and children. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter or Instagram.

VEENA AND THE RED ROTI is a story about little Veena who loves her family and her home, especially combining the two in the kitchen where she makes roti with her aunties.  She finds love and comfort in the warmth and the words and sounds that surround her.  Until one day, her home is ripped away from her due to politics she doesn’t quite understand.  They leave in the middle of the night to a camp for migrant families to shelter.  This is the partition of India.  There are many shocking changes that Veena and her family go through, but perhaps the most shocking of all is the roti.  Here it isn’t made with the same ingredients.  It’s red and dry and hard.  Veena watches as her parents struggle with all the changes around them and she wants to help bring them something that reminds them of home.  What can a child do in these circumstances.  This is such a powerful look at actual events from history.  The writing just sings and little Veena is full of heart and hope.  Trust me when I say that this is a story you won’t want to miss.

Welcome back Namita!

Me: What made you want to write a book about Partition?

Namita: This is my family’s story. My grandparents were forced to flee their home after Partition in 1947 and they lost everything . . .

I grew up listening to the stories about survival and the difficulties my grandparents faced arriving in India as refugees. They talked tearily about the wonderful things they left behind. I never imagined I would write a picture book about Partition (and I probably still have a novel in me to write on the topic) but as a picture book author, I gave it a go…and well, it worked out!

Me: I love the character of Veena who is the perfect observer of events around her: anxious about a conflict she doesn’t understand, yet willing to try and find a way to help.  She has such heart.  Was she based on anyone you know?  What inspired her as the main character?

Namita: Veena is named after my grand aunt/Nani who inspired the title and story idea. When my grand uncle/Nana saw that I was becoming a writer (2015 onwards) he told me several times “you must write our family’s story.” He passed away suddenly in 2019. After he passed, I knew I had to write the story in his honor.

While my main character is my Nani’s name, the character traits and attributes are all inspired by my Nana. He was one of my favorite people in the world –full of positivity and always radiating light . . . with a heart of gold. My Nana was a great storyteller too! I have dedicated the book to him and Veena Nani.

Me: Your back matter mentioned the red roti that was an unpleasant shock to everyone who was forced to move during partition.  What gave you the idea of using that in a way that tied into Partition?

Namita: One day I was telling my Nani that I love Ragi (red millet) cookies because they are gluten free (I try to avoid gluten) and she had such a strong and negative reaction. I was quite surprised by this, but then she went on to explain that when they arrived at the refugee camp in Rajasthan after Partition, the roti there was made with red millet, and she absolutely hated those rotis. She could never eat ragi or millet after that because it would trigger traumatic memories.

In Indian culture, food is such a core part of our identity and fabric. When my Nani told me about the “red roti” I thought it might be an interesting way to show the before and after of her situation and journey. So, food and specifically, roti—which is our daily bread, a staple in Indian cuisine, is the thread that runs through the story providing hope and comfort. It felt like the right ingredient for telling such a difficult story for a young age group.

Me: It really is!  It’s the perfect symbol of home.  Have you ever tried red roti yourself? If yes, what did you think of it?

Namita: Red roti is not something commonly eaten by my community (Sindhis) which is why it came as such a shock to the refugees. Red roti is made with ragi or red millet (also known as finger millet) and this naturally gluten- free grain was not grown in Sindh, where we come from. The Sindhi community eat rice, and our roti is made from wheat. But red millet is quite popular in other regions of India – particularly where it is grown like the southern Indian states where you will find lots of different dishes made with red millet- like roti, dosa, idli, upma, and even my favorite cookies!

I love red roti, and dishes made with red millet. I have made red roti myself (it’s exactly like making corn tortillas at home) and my mom made it recently for me too where she added in chopped onions, green chili, and coriander to the dough which made it flavorful and delicious. Like with any roti, the secret is to have it with dollops of butter and ghee!

Me: Once again, you are a food blogger who has a story centered around food.  Yet your story has no recipe in it.  Was that your choice?  Or the editor’s?

Namita: The roti is a device or a metaphor for hope. I don’t see this as a food story, and it didn’t make sense in my head for there to be a recipe. . .. instead, I want people thinking about food and family, comfort and belonging. What is the food that takes you home?

Me: I loved the illustrations by Beena Mistry.  They are so bright and appealing, even when the story enters its sad moments.  Were there any illustration surprises for you?  Any favorites?

Namita: Beena’s style is very different from my last two books (ANNI DREAMS OF BIRYANI illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat & THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU illustrated by Kamala Nair) . . . the color palette is unique, and the illustrations really pop off the page. I was quite surprised by the brightness at first because I was expecting the illustrations to be a bit somber, sad, and serious. But I’m glad Beena went in this direction because it stands out and lightens the heaviness of the story.

The illustrations almost feel like a comic/ graphic novel style and would appeal to older readers (we’ve seen migration units typically in 5^th grade so I would be reaching older children as well with this book)

Me: When I am going through incredibly difficult times, I find certain foods comforting because they can take me to happier places or times.  You mentioned “food that takes you home.”  Do you have a comfort food that does this for you, or one that reminds you of home like the roti in this story?

Namita: Yes, I have several haha! There are a few British dishes like Shepherd’s Pie and sausage rolls that do this for me (I spent my childhood years in the UK).

But the staple Indian meal of daal (lentils) chaval (basmati rice) never fails to take me home. In fact, after a trip away or too much travel, the first thing I want to eat when I get back home is daal chaval. Chai also does this for me—especially on a rainy day, I sit in my balcony with a hot cup of chai and I am instantly transported to my family and home in Pune (India) during the monsoon season . . .

That sounds lovely!  Thank you for stopping by my blog again today Namita.

But wait, dear readers, there’s more!  Namita has agreed to giveaway one copy of her book.  US contestants only please.  You can enter the rafflecopter here.