Jury Citation for Searching for the Songbird

Author: Ravina Aggarwal
Publisher: Young Zubaan

“A motley group of school friends investigating a crime and a mysterious disappearance in the Himalayan foothills… if it sounds familiar, you’re not mistaken. But the beauty of Ravina Aggarwal’s Searching for the Songbird lies in how effortlessly it ties together various provocative themes and, quite literally, draws young readers into the music of the Doon Valley. The taut narrative is cleverly divided into six parts, ideal for seasoned and new readers, and each part is purposefully named after a bird from the hills, ensuring that readers come away remembering the Crimson Sunbird, the Slaty-headed Parakeet, the Indian Paradise Flycatcher, the Long-tailed Shrike and the Blackbird. A great example of fiction where nature is far more than a mute backdrop.”

JURY