Paati’s Rasam

Malli adores her weekends with Paati; they’re filled with endless hours of chatter and Paati’s delightful stories, let alone her amazing rasam. She creates it out of an array of special ingredients, most of all her love. When Paati passes unexpectedly, Malli feels as if her rainbow has lost its color. Life is drab without her, and when Malli wants to bring a reminder of her grandmother to school for an assignment, she immediately thinks of Paati’s rasam. Without a recipe, though, that seems an impossibility. Inside Paati’s closet, burrowed in one of her saris, Malli discovers the formula her beloved grandma promised to someday share.

Paati’s Rasam is a story woven out of love, culture, and tradition. The intended audience is relatively wide, but those who have endearing relationships with their own grandparents will hold it especially close to heart. Children who have experienced loss may find restorative healing in it and the positivity it radiates. Early elementary school educators who strive to bring multiculturalism to their classrooms will find this book magnificent. The illustrations are striking and feature rich symbols of the Indian culture, including bindis, an eeyachombu, and a plethora of native spices.