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The Royal Falcon: A children’s book embraces empathy and forgiveness
Reviewed by Sangeeta Luthra, Los
Altos
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Those members of the
Sikh Diaspora who have faced problems faced by their children
regarding their unique Sikh identity in school and society are
well aware of Dear Takuya, an awe-inspiring book written in the
format of letters by an eight year old California Sikh boy to
his Japanese pen-pal, Takuya.
Here is a review of the book and a glimpse of WSN's conversation
with Jesse Kaur, the author of the book. |
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 The
Royal Falcon,
by Jessi Kaur, is at once light, lyrical, and inspirational. The
story that unfolds is of a young Sikh boy, Arjan, who in a private
moment of distress conjures the falcon of the 10th Guru
of the Sikhs. As Arjan grapples with anger and frustration over
losing something that is precious to him, the majestic bird, whom
Arjan names Khushi, steps out of a picture of Guru Gobind Singh ji.
Arjan is thrilled and the two friends embark on a dream quest that
helps Arjan move beyond hatred and resentment to empathy,
forgiveness, and ultimately joy.
In a world that
too often seems filled with distrust and misunderstanding, Arjan’s
adventure is the story of emotional redemption and personal growth.
Arjan’s journey with Khushi – simultaneously euphoric and exciting –
gently nudges the reader towards a journey we must all embark on if
we are to master our fears and hubris in order create a better
world.
The modern
re-telling of the Bhai Kanhaiya story, a traditional Sikh homily,
resonates with the values of the Sikh Gurus: love, humility, and
peace through a fundamental respect for all humanity. All we have
to do, as young Arjan so charmingly does, is embrace the values and
feel the joy.
The
illustrations run the gambit of the story and are appealing. It is
heartwarming to see images of a Sikh boy in books based in the North
American milieu. The cover illustration like the story that ensures
is bound to lure readers of all ages.
The Royal Falcon
was celebrated and showcased at the recent Parliament of World’s
Religions held in Melbourne,
Australia, in December 2009. it was selected on the basis of the
universal appeal of the book.
Jessi
Kaur’s mission as a storyteller began in 2008 with her first
children’s book, Dear Takuya … Letters of a Sikh Boy. In it
she chronicles, the life of a young Sikh boy growing up in the U.S. The
young boy, Simar, describes his life - the good and the bad – to his
Japanese pen pal, Takuya. The story explores the ways in which
Simar’s family is just like any other American family and yet it is
not: Simar is like any other American boy, but who has also been
mistaken for a girl. While the reader can certainly empathize with
the protagonist, the double-edged nature of these stories is what
gives them their true power. In a single stroke, she speaks to the
Sikh community and its self- image, and to those on the outside,
‘normal’ Americans, who are often puzzled by the outer appearance of
the Sikhs and seek to understand them.
The characters in
Jessi’s stories simply and effectively explain the iconic symbols of
Sikh identity – the long hair of Sikh girls and women, and topknot
and turbans of Sikh boys and men. Her characters become even more
poignant when viewed in the backdrop of the tragic events of September 11th
2001 and the racial profiling of Sikhs that has ensued.
Dear
Takuya
was very well
received among educators in California
and throughout the country, who want students to value and learn
from the diversity that is all around them.
Ultimately, Jessi
Kaur is not content to simply catalogue the physical appearance,
symbols, or customs of Sikhs, rather her real focus is exploring and
explaining how a Sikh persona and lifestyle nurtures a deep yet
engaged spirituality.
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Jessi Kaur’s Interview with WSN
 WSN:
Congratulations on the launch of your second book, “The
Royal Falcon.” It is a great honor for the Sikh community that
it a story from the Sikh tradition was selected to be celebrated
and showcased at the Parliament of World Religions (PWR)held in
Melbourne, Australia recently. What does this mean to you and to
the community?
JK: Thank you. It was a very gratifying moment for me when I
heard that The Royal Falcon has been selected as one of 8
books to be showcased and sold at the PWR in
Melbourne. The
PWR is dedicated to bringing peace and harmony in the world
through respect and understanding amidst followers of diverse
faiths. The selection of the book means that it crosses barriers
of race and religion, and that it is viewed as a tool for
bringing home to young children the importance of sharing and
forgiveness, the core messages of the book. It also means that
300 years later the story of Bhai Kanhaiya still touches the
heart in a profound way.
WSN: In a
short span of a year and a half, your first book Dear Takuya,
Letters of A Sikh Boy has received praise from Sikhs across the
world. What do you attribute its success to?
Yes, Dear Takuya has been embraced beyond my wildest dreams
by educators and the Sikh community all over the World. I think
there was a dire need for the mainstream communities to know
about the topknot bearing, patka clad young boys and the girls
with long braids. Our kids stand out wherever they go but their
peers know little or nothing about them. Very often it results
in incidents of bullying. Dear Takuya in an epistolary format
shares the basis of Sikhi. Simar, the protagonist also seeks to
learn about his pen friend’s culture.
WSN: Are you going to write more books for children? Is
anything in the works for adults?
If all goes well, my next book will be for adults. It
expounds on the basic aspects of Sikhi in lyrical prose. I am
also mulling over a couple of different ideas for the next
children’s books. Right now, I will be focused on promoting
The Royal Falcon. If anyone would like to donate these books
to school/public libraries, they may contact me through my
website: www.jessikaur.com. |
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3
February 2010
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