Bird Brothers, A Delhi Story

Brothers Nadeem and Saud grew up in Delhi watching the majestic raptors called black kites circle in the sky above their heads.

But every year, when paper-kite-flying season came and people brought out their glass-coated kite strings called manja to have friendly battles, the beautiful birds faced dangerous skies. One day, the brothers found a black kite tangled in manja, but their local vet couldn’t help. As they got older, the brothers never forgot that day. Learning from a local vet, who taught them how to mend a bird's wing, and a neighbour who trained pigeons, they began to rescue and rehabilitate injured black kites.

Bird Brothers, A Delhi Story depicts the powerful true story of Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud, who have devoted their lives to helping these birds return to the sky.

Praise for Rina Singh

?“A very wise book, speaking volumes…Share this at story hours, or hand it to the child struggling to read; this communicates essential truths without a word. Marvelous.”—School Library Journal, starred review for Once, a Bird

?“This sweet, understated story is wordless—a perfect way to tell it, as it requires youngsters to relate to the illustrations in a unique, profoundly personal way…Refreshing, beautiful, moving, and meaningful.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Once, a Bird

?“With cinematic fluidity, Dion’s marvellous watercolor, gouache, and digital illustrations evocatively convey Singh’s thoughtful wordless narrative…This multilayered wordless picture book has much to say about nature, renewal, and resiliency.”—Booklist, starred review for Once, a Bird

? "[A] tender tribute to the Hindu holiday of Holi…A joyful hybrid of concept book, holiday title, and portrait of familial love."—Publishers Weekly, starred review for Holi Colors

? "Singh celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival of colors and love, and highlights six colors in this vibrant, playful board book…The sheer joy of the event comes through on nearly every page…Communicating the universal concept of color within the specific celebration of Holi, this gem deserves a place in every child's book bag."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Holi Colors

Key Selling Points

• Two brothers in Delhi realized that birds of prey called black kites were being injured and no one else was helping, so they devoted themselves to learning how to care for and rehabilitate the birds, so they could return to the sky.
• Based on the true story of Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammed Saud, who opened up a wildlife rescue clinic in their own home and have devoted their lives to helping black kites. They were also the subject of a documentary film called All That Breathes.
• With its focus on these brothers taking on a challenge and learning from others how to help the birds, this book encourages readers to problem-solve and envision how they can affect change, even if at first it seems impossible.
• Shows how resilience and compassion can lead the way, as the brothers stand up for the birds, despite society's general disregard for them, and create their own path to helping them and the environment.
• Rina Singh has spoken with the brothers to craft this story respectfully, and they also sent along some personal photos for the illustrator to refer to.

Rina Singh is an award-winning author of children’s books whose storytelling is fueled by a deep curiosity about the world. Inspired by real-life stories of resilience, social justice and the environment, her books empower young readers to dream big and act boldly—just like the brothers in this story did. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and has received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal and Booklist. Grandmother School won the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize; Diwali: A Festival of Lights was nominated for the Red Cedar Award; and Once, a Bird was selected for IBBY Canada’s Silent Books Collection.

Barkha Lohia is an illustrator and visual artist who brings stories to life through her artwork—whether in picture books, editorials or prints. She is a recipient of a Binod Kanoria Illustration Award for A Tree of My Own, and she has illustrated books like So Many Leaves and Let’s Talk About Trees. Barkha’s work delves into the unseen connections between humans and nature, inviting deeper reflection and a sense of wonder. When she’s not creating, she’s out in the wild—clicking, sketching and drawing inspiration from the world around her.