Despite this being the age of screens of various kinds, books are still the best friends that we all need and should have. And it is best that we make these friends at an early age as we can then enjoy their company all life long – books are friends who never go away.

One such book to start on early is Rumana Husain’s Jingles in the Jungle. Rumana is an author and illustrator who has been involved with children’s book for years, and this book is about another of her passions, music. Through a very simple text and the vibrant setting of a jungle, Rumana takes us on a journey to discover the origin of music in such a relatable way that is surprises you with its simplicity.

Music has always been there in nature since the beginning of time, and the story is all about learning to listen to the sounds around us and discover music in them. One by one, different animals appear in the story, each with unique features, sounds and languages that together create beautiful symphony in nature. Into this is added the sounds that rain and thunder bring, as if adding a crescendo effect to the story.

The story also brings up the subject of exclusivity and acceptance by introducing a camel in the jungle setting, which arouses the curiosity and awe of the other animals and the humans.

One of the best points about the book is that it is bilingual, with both the Urdu and English texts running side by side, so if a child is not fluent in English, he or she need not fear as the Urdu text is there. Moreover, it will also aid a child who is weak in one language to try and read it and then refer to the other language to fully understand the meaning.

According to Rumana, the illustrations have been inspired by South Asian art. They are pen drawings and in black and white inside, and seem like artwork from a children’s art book.

All in all, Jingles in the Jungle is a children’s book with a very different approach to an otherwise simple subject.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 23rd, 2019