Monsoon Afternoon. ISBN 978-1-56145-455-6. Kashmira Sheth. Illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. 2008. Ages 4-8. Indian.

A young boy and his grandfather, Dadaji, make the most of the first day of the monsoon season inside and outside of their home in India. Together they make and sail paper boats, watch the dancing peacock, swing on a banyan tree, pick the last of the season’s mangoes, and even clean-up their muddy footprints in the house when they return. Along the way, Dadaji shares his boyhood memories of the monsoon season with his grandson. The pastel shades of the watercolor illustrations show the subtle beauty of the rainy season in India. The illustrations also show us Dadaji’s memories of his childhood.

Monsoon Afternoon could be used in social studies simply as one view of the very diverse Indian culture. Of course, there could also be a discussion about weather in the more temperate regions of the world. A connection could be made to the students’ own families by creating an opportunity to research common experiences between generations. The book could also be used as the basis of a discussion about the change of seasons and rainy day activities.

Kashmira Sheth earned the ALA Best Book for Young Adults for Keeping Corner.