Praba Ram

Recommended by Catherine D.

Tsering, a little boy with a cane and a dog, uses ambient sounds (rendered in larger, italic, colored text) and his stick to guide himself home at dinnertime, chatting to neighbors along the way, and inviting them home for thukpa ("hot, hot thukpa / hearty, chunky thukpa / yummy, spicy thukpa"). When all of the guests arrive, they each bring something to contribute, and when the power goes out, it's Tsering who guides everyone through the darkness, using his senses of smell and touch. The lights come back on just in time for the feast!

Though Tsering is blind, this is never specifically mentioned in the text. Back matter includes: "A glimpse into Ladakhi life," glossary, recipe for Thukpa for Two

See also: Stone Soup by Jon Muth, Thank You Omu by Oge Mora… (més)

Making his way home one day, Tsering eagerly anticipates his grandmother's thukpa, or noodle soup. Greeting and helping each community member that he meets along the way, he invites them back to enjoy that delicious dish, arriving home with the news that quite a crowd is expected. His grandmother gets busy preparing for the guests, each of whom brings a contribution to the meal, but how will the thukpa be prepared, when a power outage leaves everyone in darkness? It turns out that Tsering, who is blind, knows just how to help...

Published in India, by the Chennai-based publisher Karadi Tales, Thukpa for All is the first story I have ever read that is set in the Ladakh region of northern India. It reminded me a bit of the recent American picture-book, Thank You, Omu!, in which an elderly woman prepares her delicious stew for all of her neighbors, each of whom also brings a contribution. Although there are similar themes of community and food in co-authors Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt's tale, there is also a focus on the cook's grandson, and on the matter-of-fact way in which his disability is accepted by his friends and neighbors. I can see why this was included in the 2019 IBBY Catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, as Tsering's blindness, far from being treated as a calamity, is accepted without comment by all, and actually proves an advantage in certain circumstances. The story is engaging, with plenty of onomatopoeia to keep young children listening, while the accompanying artwork from Shilpa Ranade is (although not my personal cup of tea) colorful and expressive. There is even a recipe for thukpa at the rear of the book! Recommended to anyone looking for new children's stories featuring community and sharing, characters who are blind, and an Indian/Ladakh cultural setting.… (més)