Music of the Mountains

Roohi lives in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. She is learning how to play the rabab from her Neeka Baba for the Eid celebration at her school. Surrounded by the hills, the evenings are melodious with the rhythm and echo of Neeka Baba’s rabab. But one day, Neeka Baba is too unwell to play the beautiful instrument. What will Roohi do now? How will she learn playing the rabab for her school concert? Neeka Baba has a sage advice though, “Feel the rhythm, feel the beat of your people.” Read the book to find out what happens next!

I love the focus on identity through music and the intergenerational wisdom in this gorgeous picture book. Sabrina’s words and Manal’s illustrations make the story – and the music – come alive. The backmatter is a must-read too! Highly recommended for read-alouds!