THE COBRA'S SONG

A story exploring family, friendship, and facing your fears.

Soon-to-be sixth grader Geetanjali has grown up in the shadow of her mother and grandmother, who were famous Hindustani classical singers back in India. But every time she has to sing publicly, she finds herself besieged with anxiety. And it all starts to snowball: Geetanjali’s meant to sing at a public event in her Michigan hometown alongside bestie Penn, a White American boy, but she doesn’t feel ready. She’s hoping Aaji’s visit from Pune will make her feel less anxious, but her grandmother doesn’t seem like herself. Nor does their neighbor, recently widowed Heena Mavshi, who is behaving most unusually. Could it have something to do with mysterious new arrival Lata Auntie, who keeps pestering Aaji to sing Raag Naagshakti, a melody said to attract cobras? What about the dead mouse in the backyard with bite marks like those of a snake’s fangs? The book digs into changing family dynamics, grief and healing, tween fears, and culture and belonging, among other topics. There’s also a mystery connected to snake-related curses and folk beliefs around naagmanis, stones supposedly formed by cobras. Readers might wish for deeper development of some of the many strands. However, the strong pace and the relationships between the vivid characters, both Geetanjali’s Marathi family members and others, come together to make this story immensely readable.

An absorbing story that has music at its heart.