Dada's Story

In this lyrical intergenerational picture book, a nonbinary child sits beneath a beautiful tree in a city park with their Dada and learns about their beloved grandfather's childhood in pre-Partition India.

One Sunday, beneath Dada’s favorite oak tree in their local city park, Noor listens as their grandfather shares memories of his childhood in a village in pre-Partition India. Noor is swept into the joyful story of Dada's best friendship that blossomed under an ancient banyan tree. It didn't matter that Dada was Muslim and his friend Rishi was Hindu. But when the British divided the land, homes, families, and friends were torn apart. Dada's family was forced to leave for a new country.

Tender and expansive, Dada's Story introduces young readers to the legacy of Partition through the intimate bond between a child and grandparent. This magical, heartfelt story written by acclaimed author Fatimah Asghar is paired with luminous, vibrant artwork by Tara Anand. The tree roots that appear in the story, in both words and imagery, are depicted across time and place, rejecting traditional notions of borders and identity to celebrate all the ways we are connected by the love we share.