Veena and the Red Roti: A Story of Hope During Partition

Set during the Partition of India, a moving story about a girl who helps others the only way she knows how: by cooking up a small taste of home.

Veena loves her home, especially spending time in the kitchen learning how to make roti. But everything changes when India suddenly becomes free from British rule, and the country is to be divided in two according to religion. Fearing for their safety, Veena’s family flees in the middle of the night. They make their way to a dusty and crowded refugee camp, where life is difficult and her family struggles. Even the roti is different from what Veena remembers from home. She wants to do something to bring hope and comfort to the people at the camp. By making them tasty roti, maybe Veena can use her skills to lift everyone’s spirits.

This poignant picture book is based on the experience of author Namita Moolani Mehra’s grandparents, who left nearly everything behind when they fled Sindh province in 1947 during the Partition of India. Sensitively written, the story can serve as an excellent starting point for classroom discussions of migration and refugees. Veena is an engaging and resourceful girl who helps put a face to the refugee experience. Beena Mistry’s colorful illustrations bring a relatable warmth to the story. The content also connects to social studies lessons on conflict and change, local and global communities, and the cultural importance of food. Back matter includes an author’s note, a map, contextual information about Partition and a glossary.

Namita Moolani Mehra is the author of several picture books and children’s cookbooks. She runs Indian Spicebox, a cooking and spice business that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied and worked in the United States and now lives in Singapore with her husband and children.
Beena Mistry is an illustrator and art director based in Toronto, Ontario. They are the web art director for Shameless Magazine and have worked on book covers, comics, zines and more. Find them online at beenamistry.com.