MUSIC OF THE MOUNTAINS

A Pashtun girl hopes to honor her ancestors with a school performance.

Roohi dreams of mastering the rabab, a traditional musical instrument, in time for the upcoming Eid concert. Her grandfather Neka Baba, a talented rabab player, offers guidance: “You must feel the rhythm, feel the beat of your people.” But when Neka Baba falls ill, Roohi is left to continue her lessons on her own. The pressure of letting everyone down begins to get to Roohi. “I can’t play like him,” she tells her mother. “Not even close.” After her mother urges her to find her own voice, Roohi bravely steps out ono the stage, strumming her rabab and “finally [finding] her own rhythm!” Mirza relies on saturated greens, turquoises, and blues, depicting a richly hued landscape. Patterns on the characters’ clothes have an eye-catching energy, and scenes are pervaded with warmth, bringing to life Roohi’s village and giving her moments with her family a cozy, intimate feel. The rhythmic prose captures Roohi’s pride in her culture as well as her uncertainty, all culminating in a triumphant climax. Backmatter offers more information on the rabab (including a labeled diagram) as well as on the Pashtun people of northwest Pakistan, on Eid, and on the kamees partug Roohi wears.

A moving exploration of the delicate balance between preserving tradition and acknowledging individual efforts.