FLY IN THE CHAI

A grandfather and grandchild’s trip to the local market turns into a showdown with a most insistent insect.

Nanu and the young narrator say “namaste” to Miss Arora at her sari store, “shuprobhaat” to Mr. Banerjee in his noisy rickshaw, and “kem chho” to Mrs. Patel as she hawks fruit. (The aforementioned greetings are listed in the backmatter, with a pronunciation guide.) At the chai stall, just as Nanu is about to take a sip of tea, the child cries out, “Stop! There’s a fly in your chai!” Shooing the insect away doesn’t work, and soon a crowd gathers, and opinions fly: “Maybe he’s thirsty.” “Maybe he likes the masala flavors.” “Maybe he is lost.” Suddenly, the fly—who turns out to be female—introduces herself as Rani Singh, an avid chai lover! She adores chai with biscuits, samosas, and jalebis, and she enjoys watching the rising steam. Nanu counters that he loves his chai with aloo parathas, pakoras, and ladoos; the smell of cinnamon warms him up. Both argue over who loves tea more; it all ends with Nanu gulping down his chai…and Rani Singh. The abrupt, slightly icky conclusion aside, Prahbat’s bright and bold colors showcase a bustling Indian bazaar populated by expressive characters who range in complexion; dynamic font sizes and colors ramp up the fun. With the various greetings, Wadhwani speaks to the linguistic diversity of Nanu and the child’s community—a nice touch.

Strikingly illustrated and likely to elicit chuckles.