SANGEET AND THE MISSING BEAT

Sangeet loves music, both composing and playing all kinds of instruments, including the tablay, which are traditional Indian drums.

One day, on the school playground, Sangeet notices the amazing sounds that are all around her. She hears the squeak of the swings, the creak of the teeter-totter, and the voices of her fellow students. All of the sounds come together in her mind to form a brand new beat. After school, she races home to try the beat out on her tablay. But when she plays it, she realizes that the beat isn’t quite complete: Something is definitely missing. What could it be? Sangeet practices and practices, even dreaming about the beat, but she still can’t quite figure out what she needs to finish the rhythm. When her beloved grandmother comes to visit, she hopes that she’ll find the answer. Dadiji is a talented musician who has performed all over the world. In the end, Dadiji’s advice—though unexpected—is exactly what Sangeet needs to finish her brand new beat. The book’s joyful storyline is complemented by vibrant, cartoonlike illustrations that have a homespun feel. The prose is uneven at times, but the underlying messages are clearly and cleverly communicated. Although Sangeet’s heritage is never explicitly mentioned, names and visual details (such as Sangeet’s uncut hair and her father’s and grandmother’s turbans) suggest that she and her family are Sikh; they live in a racially diverse North American community.

Cue applause for this picture book about a Sikh girl who loves music.