Beloved readers,
I’d love to put this new non-fiction for young readers on your reading radar!
Tipu’s Roar – A Freedom Fighter’s Tale
About the book:
Just like the fearsome roar of a lion when its pride is being threatened, Tipu Sultan known as The Tiger of Mysore, fought to protect his land, its resources and people from British colonization and imperialism. This is the true story of the historically famous freedom fighter against The British East India Company told by a grandfather to his granddaughter. Tipu’s Roar also subtly demonstrates the effects of colonization on a people’s identity and self-image to readers ages 8 and up.
The turmeric, saffron and teas there were once stolen by the colonizers are used as tribute to the rich region in the illustrations of Tipu’s Roar.
About the author:
Subia J. Ali is a Pakistani-American novelist and journalist who weaves her heritage, immigrant experience and activism into her writing work. She inherited her prose from a master storyteller – her grandmother on whose bedside Ali listened to Arabian Nights like chronicles as a child in Karachi, Pakistan. She has been using the power of storytelling to guide her readers to introspection and better appreciate the world around them.
Ali’s first book, The Snackman and His Son, a children’s story was quickly incorporated into an anti-bias curriculum program in select Southern California schools. Ali expanded her writing career to journalism with in-print newspaper publications that focused on human interest and cultural awareness pieces. Both of which needed to be told in an informative and entertaining manner to reach readers with a limited view of minority and marginalized people.
Ali’s coming-of-age novel, Mausumbe Road, illuminates the struggle of a young Pakistani- American woman in pursuit of her passion. With a relatable protagonist and a fast- paced storyline, Ali invites readers on an adventure across the world. Mausumbe Road's multi-layered story line and characters have been well received by readers, reviewers.
Ali's second children's book, Tipu's Roar - A Freedom Fighter's Tale heartwarmingly tells the story of South-Asian historical figure Tipu Sultan, also known as The Tiger of Mysore. The story gives factual information on Tipu Sultan's heroism against The British East India Company which told by a grandfather to his young granddaughter. The book very subtlety demonstrates the effects of colonization on a peoples’ identity and self-worth and aims to empower young readers with the legacy of the trailblazing Tipu Sultan.
Keeping in line with her storytelling theme, Ali will be hosting her own upbeat podcast, Otherland. On the Otherland Podcast Ali will speak with first and second-generation Americans and those with immigrant backgrounds on how their unique stories have shaped their lives.
Ali can be found managing her yoga business (Alifyoga.com) in Southern California and taking part in advocating for hyphenated-American identities and colonized people around the world. Most often, she is found thinking of ideas for her next book while on walks that she hopes never end.
I invited the author to share a personal reflection on the significance of Tipu’s Roar – A Freedom Fighter’s Tale. She wrote:
Upon noticing a real void of non-fiction in South-Asian children’s literature and adding my admiration of anti-colonial activists, freedom fighters and revolutionaries around the world it was apparent to me to that the story of South-Asia’s last standing hero against British colonization needed to be told to young readers. Over the last few years, I dove deep into examining the negative effects of colonization on colonized people’s self-image and identity, starting with my own South-Asian grandparents, parents and myself. I found that as a people we all longed to be empowered by our history’s heroes. With Tipu’s Roar and the series of books to follow, I hope to decolonize and reclaim colonized people’s history and preserve their heroes for young readers.
Are you as intrigued as I am? Let us request this poignant and promising new read wherever we access books!
For the love of reading,
desi book aunty
This looks amazing. I love what Tipu Sultan stood for.
Thank you for sharing this title.