Another magical saga by the author of Of Marriageable Age. How many of us think as adults we've lost the vitality of childhood? And how many manage to find it again? This is Rita Maraj's dilemma. Living in a ramshackle house in Georgetown, leader of the local neighbourhood gang, Rita collects people like she does dogs, cats, ants, and even an unwanted police horse. But then her father remarries: her stepmother is determined to tidy up house, husband and stepdaughter, and move into respectable society. Rita's charm and liveliness become compressed by the pressure to conform, and the duty to find a suitable husband. But then a messenger arrives, searching for a possible heir to the distant family estates. Suddenly liberated, and determined to search for her roots, Rita's sense of adventure is reawakened first by the formidable personage of her distant relative, but even more by the tragedies of her long lost, romantic cousin. Her early life -- saving half the wildlife of her neighbourhood -- is only preparation for the destiny that awaits her. Dramatic and vivid, moving and exotic, Peacocks Dancing is a captivating story, a joy to read.

In these stories there is an interweaving of the past and the present while the main characters -women are seemingly engaged in some ordinary pursuit of daily life. As in The Long Journey where Kamala is traveling by rail, or in the case of Nirmala in The Corner Laundromat, Asha waiting to pick up her child outside school in Blessing From Above, Uma commuting to work in Silicon Valley in Suburban Mona Lisa; the small betrayals or infidelities in their lives, whether real or imagined, and their effort in surmounting these form the main theme of this collection. The stories are short and precise and written in a compelling narrative voice that draws the reader in. There are no boundaries here, whether it be the U.S. or India, they all celebrate women's lives-their trials and tribulations and the heartfelt messages of soul and survival. "Vasanthi Victor's stories are infused with tastes and textures of India. Her ability to transform the mundane and ordinary with her words drew me into her stories and I stayed with her characters through their sorrows, their dreams and their victories." -Amulya Malladi, author of A Breath of Fresh Air and The Mango Season "The surprises emerge when we realize the skill with which she is able to portray the wide range of characters in her stories short and precise and the narrative voice is fascinating These are the kinds of stories that may become the stitches that keep our lives seamed together." -from the foreword by Roshni Rustomji-Kerns, author of The Braided Tongue, editor of Living In America and other anthologies

The darling, dancing Flora is back, and this time she's found two new friends: a pair of peacocks! But amidst the fanning feathers and mirrored movements, Flora realizes that the push and pull between three friends can be a delicate dance. Will this trio find a way to get back in step? In the third book featuring Flora and her feathered friends, Molly Idle's gorgeous art combines with clever flaps to reveal that no matter the challenges, true friends will always find a way to dance, leap, and soar—together.

Who can suppress excitement at the first sighting of looming monsoon clouds? Who can deny the joyful prospect of relief from the unrelenting heat of an Indian summer? The season draws every corner of our vast, diverse country together—regardless of what we call it, how we deal with it or where we live, we all understand the monsoon. In this anthology, Juhi Sinha celebrates the monsoon with monsoon recipes and festivals from different parts of the country, and fiction and poetry both modern and historical. With Khushwant Singh, Ruskin Bond and Rabindranath Tagore; the Meghaduta, the Ramayana and the Rig Veda; and, of course, Alexander Frater, this book is the perfect medley to bring the rains alive anytime and anywhere.

The Dance of the Peacock, focused as it is on poetry in English by Indians and diasporic Indians, is also a celebration of diversity. This anthology is a brave attempt to capture something of the Indian English global poetry scene at this moment in time. It does not pretend to be a comprehensive collection; rather it is a genuine and rewarding sampler for the reader who would like an introduction to its riches. Dr. Debjani Chatterjee, MBE Sheffield, UK Editor of the renowned poetry collections, The Redbeck Anthology of British South Asian Poetry (Redbeck Press) and Masala: Poems from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Macmillan) The Dance of the Peacock is a diverse collection of contemporary English poetry from Indian. The 151 poets represented in this book hail from the many different states of India as well as from the United Kingdom, United States and Canada. The poets between these covers range in age from 15 to 92. It is rare that one will find a more diverse collection of poets representing Indo-English poetry.

A hilarious read-aloud favorite about some foolish farm animals who decide to trade roles—and discover just how hard it is to do someone else's job, from award-winning author Lester L. Laminack and celebrated illustrator Henry Cole. The Tuckers' farm is a peaceful place where everyone has a job and no one complains. That is, until a hapless peacock falls off the back of a passing truck and stirs things up. Soon, customers are flocking to the farm to see what all the fuss is about. But the hens don't like the newcomer getting attention while they do all the hard work. When a wise old hound sees the problem, he helps orchestrate a job swap. What follows is the riotous tale of three hens who get in way over their feathered heads, and one very distressed peacock who just can't figure out how to lay an egg. Lester L. Laminack has created a comical look at envy, finding your strength, and what happens when we underestimate the value of others' work. Henry Cole's delightful illustrations heighten the story's humor and will have readers of all ages laughing out loud.