Farmer Falgu Makes it to the South Asia Book Awards’ Highly Commended List!

Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela

The South Asia Book Awards seek to highlight outstanding literature for children and teens that portray South Asia or South Asians living abroad. Their goal is to encourage and commend authors and publishers who produce such books, and to provide librarians and teachers with recommendations for educational use.

Every year, the South Asia National Outreach Consortium committee chooses winners, and also releases an ‘Honor Books’ list and a ‘Highly Commended Books’ list. The books are chosen and honoured based on their literary quality, cultural authenticity and potential for classroom use.

This year, our very own Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela, written by Chitra Soundar and illustrated by Kanika Nair, was chosen for the Highly Commended Books List. In this story, Farmer Falgu is on his way to the famous Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad.

There are plenty of sights to see and events to experience, but his plans go awry when he stops to lend a helping hand.

Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela isn’t the only Karadi Tales book to be honoured by the South Asia Book Awards. The Rumour by Anushka Ravishankar, illustrated by Kanyika Kini won the award in 2013, and A Pair of Twins by Kavitha Mandana, illustrated by Nayantara Surendranath made the Highly Commended list in 2015.