Are there any award winning picture books that highlight India?
One picture book hit the lottery for American recognition. Finders Keepers? A True Story in India, by Robert Arnett and illustrated by SmitaTurakhia (Atman Press, 2003) is stunning, not only in its depiction of Indian culture, but also in the thoughtful message that it conveys. If you are looking for a book in the category picture book- India, this should be one of the first to seek.
Arnett, an award winning American author and speaker used his background knowledge of India to create a special retelling of an episode that occurred while he lived in India. The setting begins on a lively bus ride to Mt. Abu in Rajasthan, India’s largest state which is located in the northwest part of the country.
Turakhia’s realistic illustrations and Arnett’s choice of words allows the reader to capture the essence of what Arnett experienced when a young boy refused to accept monetary compensation for doing the right thing. Turakhia used her own childhood memories to make her vibrant drawings bounce off each page. She received her training in India and the U.S.
Primary and middle school teachers can explore the following topics:
- The relationship between a book’s title and its meaning
- The effect of authentic illustrations on the content of the book
- Cultural awareness- tolerance of others
- Vocabulary words
- Geography
- Traveling in India
- Hinduism
- Jains
- Indian customs- actions, words, traditions, clothing, and foods
- Common aspects of two beliefs- Christianity and Hinduism
- Dharma- a Hindu belief that one does the right thing regardless of the circumstance
- Brotherhood
The accolades for this book were so effusive, I couldn’t resist purchasing a copy. I’m glad that I added it to my collection.
Awards:
- IPPY Ten Outstanding Books of the Year
- IPPY Most Inspirational to Youth Book
- Mom’s Choice Award – Best Educational Picture Book
- Benjamin Franklin Silver Award — Multicultural
- National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
Related Blogs:
10 Responses to My Teaching Abroad
Exploring Indian Culture at the British Museum
Picture Book- the Endangered Bengal Tiger
Intergenerational Picture Books India
Sandra’s Bio
Thanks Sandra for your lovely post about “Finders Keepers?”, the book’s message and the illustrations.
It is truly fulfilling to me to see how well the book is received by parents, teachers, and librarians. I always wanted to do something to share the beauty of India’s culture with the mainstream and I never dreamed that “Finders Keepers?” will end up in more than 7,500 school and public libraries.
Good luck with your book and I am glad that your India stay was so rewarding.
Smita Turakhia
Smita, Your illustrations were amazing. I especially enjoyed the front cover. There is a scene in my book when I pass a bus with people sitting on the roof. (Yes, I do have a photo that captures it.)
I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the book cover. It brought back many memories of my trip to the Golden Triangle. If you haven’t already, please take the time to look through my photo gallery. My pictures were taken with a simple camera, not like Arnett’s professional photos. Nonetheless, the pictures illustrate part of my adventure and supplement some of the travel aspects of my book.
Sandra, the boy taught me a lot — to not pay people to do what is right.
Just curious, how many of you pay your children to help around the house, make good grades, yep I think you get the message.
Robert Arnett
Attempting to model intrinsic motivation is a skill that is oftentimes neglected by parents and teachers. Far too often people “expect” to receive a reward for just doing the right thing. Unfortunately, these individuals have been programmed to respond in such a manner due to what they have experienced at home and in school. Alfie Kohn (Punished by Rewards) and other educators have addressed this issue.
It was heartwarming to read about a boy who could not understand why he should be compensated for something that he felt was the right thing to do.
Author Robert Arnett’s wonderful and thought-provoking book Finder’s Keepers highlights everyday morality very simply through his very own interaction with a young child on the streets of India. With vibrant illustrations by artist Smita Turakhia, the book is highly recommended not only for children but for people of all ages to understand the cultural differences between India and the rest of the world. Arnett’s exquisite magnum opus is India Unveiled, a labor of love that describes through photographs and text, the author’s extraordinary love affair with that land of mysticism. Must-reads!!!
Thanks for your comment. On my next visit to the library, I am hoping to pick up a copy of Arnett’s highly acclaimed book on India. It sounds like it would be a great book to peruse before I visit my son and daughter-in-law.
It has been a pleasure of mine to see Mr. Arnett read this wonderful book to a Sunday School class. The children were introduced to a far away landscape, a country with different traditions than their own, and a profound sense of responsibility to do what is right! The story winds its way into your heart with Illustrations so beautiful! …And to see Mr. Arnett holding the book in his hands,..talking about and reading the story was such a treat for us all! I have much respect for this book and for the author and illustrator! What a complementary pair of Souls! I look forward to another book from this shining partnership! Keep us posted please!
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I agree. It would be wonderful if Arnett had another Indian tale to share with us.
Smita yor illustrations are amazing. They capture the essence of
India that I grew up in. The colors are so vibrant.
I loved the book.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Seeing so many comments generated about this book confirms my belief that it is a welcomed addition to any school or family library.
Bob & Smita,
“Finders Keepers” is a remarkable work that exemplifies important character traits, teaches some South Asian geography and it has beautiful, authentic illustrations.
Importantly it points toward the brotherhood and sisterhood of all mankind.
Bravo!
Tim
Tim,
Thanks for posting. I hope you will continue reading about other books as well as great places to visit.
When Bob and Smita’s book 1st came out, I bought one for myself and one for my niece for Christmas. Then just recently bought another for a friend who had a baby. I just love the illustrations! They’re both fun and informative, while the book’s message is timeless and universal. As the book explains, returning what is not yours is a fine example of living by the concept of dharma. It’s the way we should all live!
Anna Marie,
Yes, It would be wonderful if more people followed the young boys example.
We had a great interaction with Bob Arnett at the Ganesh temple in Nashville, TN. The children loved very moment of the narration. The message is universal and empowering. I wish such session are held in all places of the world, so that everyone of us can learn and practice simple virtues, as illustrated by the book.
Vijai,
I’m glad that you were able to see Bob Arnett and hear his message in person. Thanks for stopping by to comment.
I recently had the opportunity to hear Robert Arnett speak about his books and his time in India. He has wonderful insight into and a thorough understanding of the religions, philosophy and culture of that part of the world. In addition, he has the ability to compare it to religions and cultures in the rest of the world. Awareness promotes understanding and understanding promotes peace and acceptance. I wish more people could have the opportunity to hear him speak! Reading Finders Keepers is a good start.
Susan, Learning about other cultures and accepting our inherent differences will hopefully lessen the frictions between people. Books and discussions are a great starting point.
I recently had the opportunity to hear Robert Arnett speak about his books and his time in India. He has a comprehensive understanding of the religion, philosophy and culture of that area of the world. In addition, he can contrast those ideas with religions and cultures of the rest of the world. Awareness promotes understanding, which promotes peace and acceptance. I wish more people could hear Robert Arnett speak! Reading Finders Keepers is a good beginning.
I am priviledged to count Smita and Bob as friends. They produced a truly outstanding work which is in the book collections of all my grandchildren. They are people who live out in their lives what they write about in the book.
Jane,
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
The book along with Robert Arnett – India Unvieled are all wonderful books and every school should have this book in the Library or Classroom.
When my grandson can read, I am going to have him read this book.
Diane, Books can take you on all types of adventures. I hope you will continue following my blog posts so that you can learn about other books.
So often in our Western culture we go for what we want, sometimes just taking it, and sometimes at any cost to others. This beautifully written and illustrated work points to the way we all really want to live if we just quietly consider our motives and how we want to be remembered in this life. Thanks to Bob and Smita for so wonderfully providing this message in an entertaining way. We have given a copy to each of our 3 grandchildren and often read it to them when visiting.
Brad,
The “me first” attitude is prevalent in some parts of our society. As the book points out, there are people who adhere to a higher standard and are not seeking rewards for acting in a proper manner. Parents, teachers, and authors play a vital role in modeling behavior. In the coming weeks, I will draw attention to a wide variety of books. I hope that you will stay tuned for more. Thanks for taking the time to voice your opinion.
I love both your books. Thank you for creating them for us to enjoy and share!
Finders Keepers and India Unveiled both are Incredible books. My son is 4 year old and he has not been to India and I always rely on both of this book to show him real spiritual India and its values. Finders Keepers gives the best gift to the kids as a story – Do what you ought to do not what you want to do and listen to one’s conscience What Bob Arnett and Smita Turakhia has done is a big service. Thank You! to both the wonderful souls
Aruna,
Thanks for taking the time to comment about the award winning picture book, Finder’s Keepers. I agree that it has a special meaning. Multicultural books can take children to many enchanting places around the world.
This story I had heard for many years from Mr. Arnett…and then I was able to see it unfold visually thru Smita Turakhia’s illustrations,..and now to see it printed and finished and being so well received,..In 7,500 schools and libraries worldwide,…Kudos to you both Bob and Smita! Can’t wait to see what you produce next!
Scott,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree that the book has a special message.
Sandra,
Finders Keepers? is now in a Spanish edition too under the title ¿Es mío?. Official release date is Jan 20, 2013.
Also, Finders Keepers? will be released in an updated-highly revised second edition in English. Includes glossary, pronunciations of Indian words, facts on India, character-building questions, and India craft activity. The new ISBN is 978-0965290081.
Thought your readers would like to know.
Smita,
Great to hear from you. Thanks for keeping my readers informed. Best of luck with the new edition.
I recently had an opportunity to read The Finders Keepers to a group of (32 kids) in the First Grade where my grandduaghter goes to school. The youngsters age 6-7 were absolutely fascinated by the story and illustrations. One could see that this was their first exposure to the “outside” world and that too with India and its colorful life. The students loved the moral of the story, illustrations of people riding on the top of the bus, the guy using his head as a lunchbox…lots of laughter in the class!! Wonderful book for every school and/or library.
Anup,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree that the book is a rare gem. Have you had a chance to look through the other multicultural books?