Asha and the Toymaker

Sakshi Mangal has written and illustrated a tender story about a delightful little girl named Asha, who lives with her Papa and her dog Moti. She is confident that her “Papa makes the best wooden toys in India”. He works hard every day selling his toys at the market to earn money so that Asha can go to school. Life is difficult as sometimes Papa does not sell any toys and goes to bed without eating. Asha is the star of his life, and he wants her to have more opportunities than he has had in life.

Asha is a bright and compassionate child who loves to paint, and she soon realizes that she can help Papa by using her talent to brighten up the toys. Papa opposes this idea as Asha’s “job” is to study. Asha acts on her instincts and paints the toys which attract many people to Papa’s kiosk. Papa and Asha enjoy a gentle and loving relationship where Asha's priority is completing her schoolwork before she can help with painting toys. And sometimes, when her work is done, she can join Papa at the market.

The vibrant illustrations reflect the spirit of the story, with happy drawings of Asha and her little family enjoying their time together. Sharing Asha and the Toymaker with a child offers a discussion about kindness as well as the fun of exploring the illustrations where some toys are named in Hindi but are easily found on the page thanks to the author’s description.