Asha and the Spirit Bird

by Jasbinder Bilan Narrated by Reena Dutt

Overview

In contemporary India, 12-year-old Asha will journey across the dangerous Himalayas to find her missing father and save her family's home -- guided by a mythical bird and a green-eyed tiger who she believes to be the spirits of her ancestors. This is an incredibly unique debut about loss, family, buried treasure, and hope.

Asha lives on a family farm with her mother in rural India in the foothills of the Himalayas. Life would be perfect if her father were with them instead of working at the factory in the faraway city. But she knows they wouldn't be able to afford their home without the money he sends home.When four months go by without a single letter, a ruthless debt collector arrives with a warning, and soon the entire world that Asha has known is threatened. Determined to save her home, Asha and her best friend must swallow their fears and set out on a dangerous journey across the Himalayas to find her father.As desperation turns to peril, Asha will face law enforcement, natural disaster, and the wild dangers of the Himalayas. But with a majestic bird and a green-eyed tiger as her guides, who she believes to be the spirits of her ancestors, she's determined to keep faith in order to save her family.

Editorial Reviews

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

Narrator Reena Dutt whisks listeners into a heroic tale set in the Himalayas. As the heroine, young Asha, Dutt narrates in pure, sweet tones, relaying the girl’s innocence and imagination. Set on finding her father after not hearing from him in months, Asha enlists the help of her dearest friend, Jeevan. His practical personality is portrayed by Dutt in calm, sometimes serious notes. As the two journey together, guided by the spirit of Asha’s Nanijee, Dutt’s tempo keeps listeners engaged. Moments of reflection find Dutt slowing Asha’s words, while her cadence increases during tense scenes. Listeners both young and old will cheer for Asha and Jeevan as they traverse the mountain range to bring her father home and save her family from greedy moneylenders. V.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

"Bilan's story is an eye-opening adventure with one-sandalled foot in atmospheric realism and a toe-hold in the mythical." — The Observer"An evocative debut...weaves ancient Hindu beliefs into a fast-past quest." — The Guardian (Book of the Month)"A modern epic." —The Times"Weaves themes of faith, friendship and greed into a vibrant adventure with a rich seam of magic realism." — The Bookseller

School Library Journal

06/01/2020

Gr 4–6—Asha's father has traveled to the city to make money, but his family hasn't heard from him in months. Asha's mother feels the only thing to do is sell their farm in India at the base of the Himalayas and move to England. Asha cannot believe that her father would abandon her family and is determined to find him. With the help of her best friend Jeevan and the watchful "dark-flecked" eye of a lamagaia vulture that Asha believes is the spirit of her grandmother, the duo sets off on a dangerous, cold, rocky, and fateful journey to locate her father. With mythical guides believed to be the spirits of her ancestors, Asha has more than just luck on her side. Bilan creates a believable world with real-life conflicts and characters that will resonate. Though the names of places are made up, descriptions of harsh societal conditions such as sickness, child servitude, and poor working environments are rooted in reality. This adventure has its twists and turns, but the book is a somewhat quiet story that can lag in momentum. The resolution leaves a saccharine tone that contrasts with the rest of the narrative, and seems a bit too quick and convenient. However, readers will feel that Asha deserves a happy ending. VERDICT A heroic adventure with a brave, believable female character that would appeal to those who like realistic fiction with a dash of magic.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury P.L., MA

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

Narrator Reena Dutt whisks listeners into a heroic tale set in the Himalayas. As the heroine, young Asha, Dutt narrates in pure, sweet tones, relaying the girl’s innocence and imagination. Set on finding her father after not hearing from him in months, Asha enlists the help of her dearest friend, Jeevan. His practical personality is portrayed by Dutt in calm, sometimes serious notes. As the two journey together, guided by the spirit of Asha’s Nanijee, Dutt’s tempo keeps listeners engaged. Moments of reflection find Dutt slowing Asha’s words, while her cadence increases during tense scenes. Listeners both young and old will cheer for Asha and Jeevan as they traverse the mountain range to bring her father home and save her family from greedy moneylenders. V.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2020-02-09
When her papa disappears and moneylenders come to collect on old debts, Asha knows it’s up to her to save her family farm.

Eleven-year-old Asha loves her village of Moormanali, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, where her ancestors have lived for generations. Times are hard, however, so her papa has gone to the big city of Zandapur to find work to help pay for the family farm. But when he disappears for four months without sending any wages home, Asha’s mother is forced to take a loan from a cruel moneylender who demands repayment. Determined to find her father, Asha decides to set off for Zandapur with her best friend, Jeevan—and with the help of a lamagaia, a vulturelike bird that Asha is convinced is the spirit of her long-dead grandmother. Bilanhas created a richly drawn setting, fast-paced plot, and a strong but tender first-person-present narrative voice. The last third of the book, in which Bilan fully commits to the story’s more magical elements, is the most enjoyable, while the first two-thirds rely more on conservative Hinduism and therefore feel less imaginative. At times, the interactions between Jeevan and Asha fall along gender-stereotypical lines, but the most troubling aspect of the book is the title, which seems to appropriate Native American beliefs about spirit animals that do not have a parallel in Hinduism.

A well-plotted narrative rooted in Hinduism. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940179012634
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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