The Cobra's Song

April 1, 2023
A story exploring family, friendship, and facing your fears. Soon-to-be sixth grader Geetanjali has grown up in the shadow of her mother and grandmother, who were famous Hindustani classical singers back in India. But every time she has to sing publicly, she finds herself besieged with anxiety. And it all starts to snowball: Geetanjali's meant to sing at a public event in her Michigan hometown alongside bestie Penn, a White American boy, but she doesn't feel ready. She's hoping Aaji's visit from Pune will make her feel less anxious, but her grandmother doesn't seem like herself. Nor does their neighbor, recently widowed Heena Mavshi, who is behaving most unusually. Could it have something to do with mysterious new arrival Lata Auntie, who keeps pestering Aaji to sing Raag Naagshakti, a melody said to attract cobras? What about the dead mouse in the backyard with bite marks like those of a snake's fangs? The book digs into changing family dynamics, grief and healing, tween fears, and culture and belonging, among other topics. There's also a mystery connected to snake-related curses and folk beliefs around naagmanis, stones supposedly formed by cobras. Readers might wish for deeper development of some of the many strands. However, the strong pace and the relationships between the vivid characters, both Geetanjali's Marathi family members and others, come together to make this story immensely readable. An absorbing story that has music at its heart. (Adventure. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2023
Grades 4-7 Kelkar's (That Thing about Bollywood, 2021) latest middle-grade adventure is colored by magic, mystery, and a lovable, fierce heroine in 10-year-old Geetanjali, whose adventures readers will enjoy following as she discovers more about herself and takes pride in her achievements. In the small town of Deadwood, Michigan, Geetanjali enjoys following in her family's tradition of being a singer, but she is very conscious that she may not measure up to the legacy of her talented mother and grandmother. After she experiences stage fright for the first time at a school concert, her fears and phobias continue to grow, and as her long-awaited visit with her grandmother (and unexpected guests) grows strange, Geetanjali must get to the root of the mystery to help those she loves. Filled with Indian folklore and mythology and memorable characters, this voice-y middle-grade romp will be relatable to anyone who's ever felt nervous about new experiences or family expectations.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 10, 2023
Though her maternal family have long been famed Hindustani classical singers in India, rising sixth grader Geetanjali struggles to vocalize publicly. She feels ill-prepared to sing with white best friend Penn at their small Michigan town’s summertime festival, she fails to intervene when a younger schoolmate is bullied for public singing, and the arrival of her visiting grandmother, Aaji, from Pune, signifies a family performance that she’s not ready to join. Geetanjali’s reluctance to practice with Penn, or attempt most anything that scares her, drives him closer to a new kid who easily calls out injustice. Worries about Aaji’s visible aging and her mother’s focus on Geetanjali’s baby brother soon spiral into further uncertainty around local events: a warmhearted neighbor starts acting strangely after her husband’s death, a newcomer asks Aaji to sing a song whose vibrations attract cobras, and dead mice start turning up with visible puncture marks. Are the threats triggered by baseless fears, or are they clues that portend more? Kelkar (Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame) centers Indian culture and folklore in a first-person narrative that keenly describes oppressive feelings of guilt and anxiety. Seemingly random details culminate in a layered conclusion that vindicates a persevering heroine realizing her own strength. Ages 8–12. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary.