About the Books
In March of 2013, we brought to you a set of 3 board books in Punjabi and English for children of all ages. These stories delighted your children and connected them with their Punjabi heritage and Mother language. You loved them. You asked for more.
Rest is history. We now have a series going. Nine books in five years, more on the way. Our ninth one includes the children from East & West Punjab and brings them tales in both Gurmukhi & Shahmukhi scripts.
This is a rare opportunity to share these ancient tales with your family, friends, classrooms or playgroups and connect generations together to each other, to the Mother Language Punjabi and to the land of Punjab.
Fascinating Features
- Illustrations in vibrant colors will attract young ones and help form an early association with the Punjabi language and the Gurmukhi script.
- Tales are told poetically both in Punjabi and in English. That makes them more fun and easy to remember.
- Characters and artifacts depict the environs of Punjab.
- Language is simple, communicative and enriching for all ages. Designed to connect many generations together.
- Each tale has a moral and values that are communicated in a fun way.
- Punjabi school teachers will love these resources for Gurmukhi reading and Punjabi vocabulary building.
- Great tools to help organize plays, puppet shows, recitals or to share with your child’s school.
- Books [1-5] are gloss laminated board books in child friendly sizes and are long-lasting and designed to pass on to many generations.
- Books 6-8 are meant for older children (ages 5+) and have an extensive list of dictionary at the end to make children familiar with hard words and idioms.
Who are these books for?
Research shows that early childhood associations with a language have an everlasting impression on the human brain. Thus, the five board books are designed for parents to read to their pre-school aged children. However, your children will keep coming back to them over and over again because of richness in language and presentation even when they are older.
Books 6,7,8 are meant for grade-1 to mid-school level children as their vocabulary is much more evolved. However, the style of narration and the accompanying illustrations will make the learning a lot of fun.
Why Punjabi, English translation and transliteration?
So these books can talk to anyone with love for the Punjabi language and heritage. You don’t have to be able to read Punjabi in Gurmukhi script. Romanized Punjabi (written in English) is included. English translations will help enhance understanding or facilitate sharing with non-Punjabi friends.
More Information & Bulk Orders
Book Trailer (Punjabi)
Book Trailer (English)
About the People
My name is Gurmeet Kaur and I am a mother of two. My quest for beautiful Punjabi language books for my children began many years ago when my first child was born. I searched for many years but did not find illustrated Punjabi folktales suitable for reading to young ones. So when my daughter turned one in 2012, I decided to create them myself. After a full year’s worth of work, my illustrator, Susanna Dong, and I brought to you the first three titles that delighted young, and old, and brought many generations closer together and to the magical land of Punjab.
Rest is history. We now have 8 books published and more are on the way.
Susanna Dong is currently a full-time software engineer. After we did the first prototype for my daughter during the summer of 2012, I was convinced that Susanna had the talent and work ethic to take this project forward. Susanna has illustrated books 1-5. She has also developed our website.
Chaaya Prabhat is currently a full-time graphic designer. She has illustrated books 6,7,&8 and is designing our Undivided Punjab Edition to be released in Feb. of 2018. She graduated from Savannah College of Arts & Design in HongKong with a Master’s degree in Graphic Design. Chaaya helped create a new style for painting Punjabi Folk – a synthesis of Madhubani and Pahari/Punjabi art form for our books.
Gratitude
I wish to thank all those who have supported this project from inception. Your trust and confidence had enabled me to start with a limited edition of the first three books that set the stage for many more books to come.
I thank Nirvair Singh for being a silent partner in this project. Inni Kaur, Sanmeet Kaur, Shelby Steinhauer, Angad Singh, Vaughan Nickerson, Gurdit Singh, and Amarjit Singh Chandan have all contributed to proofing the texts at various stages. I am indebted to all.
My sincere thanks to Mahmood Awan for help in extending this project to children of West Punjab. With his efforts we are about to launch a book with first five tales in both scripts of the Punjabi language, Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi.
Thank You, Paul Grosse, for the beautiful Gurmukhi fonts.
And, thank you, Liv Kaur and Angad Singh – for without you, I simply wouldn’t be doing this all.