In our village, the best day of all was Vaisakhi, the spring harvest festival . . . When a Sikh family moves from their village in India to a faraway city on the other side of the world, a girl yearns for her grandmother's hugs, her goat Ramu, and the lush fields filled with yellow flowers and wheat. How will they celebrate Vaisakhi in her new and unfamiliar surroundings? But the girl soon discovers soothing touchstones - a special outfit, a trip to gurdwara, delicious food, and new friends - that make gathering for Vaisakhi still the best day of all. With gorgeous, intricate illustrations by debut children’s book illustrator Japneet Kaur, this touching story from Simran Jeet Singh shows us that while life changes, home is where we build community and carry traditions forward.

Praise for A Vaisakhi to Remember by Simran Jeet Singh; Illustrated by Japneet Kaur:

A 2026 APALA Asian American Picture Book Honor


"Kaur’s dense, jewel-like watercolor illustrations expand moments beyond Jeet Singh’s bustling text, leaning into group scenes and linking celebrations." —Publishers Weekly

"A heartfelt story of home, tradition, and continuity." —Booklist

“This tender story encapsulates the conflicting emotions that often accompany a move. An empathetic tale that speaks to the complex feelings inherent to undergoing big change.” —Kirkus Reviews

"A beautiful picture book about a family’s honoring the evolution of traditions." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Beautiful watercolor illustrations present a tapestry of village life in a kaleidoscope of rich colors and patterns in this joyful story of celebrating Sikh culture and carrying on traditions.” — The Horn Book

Simran Jeet Singh is the executive director of the Aspen Institute's Religion & Society Program and the author of the national bestseller The Light We Give (Riverhead, 2022). He is also the author of the award-winning picture book Fauja Singh Keeps Going (Kokila, 2020), which was named a Best Book of 2020 by National Public Radio and the New York Public Library, and has been featured on numerous outlets, including CNN, BBC, Runner's World, and TODAY.com.

Japneet Kaur graduated with a fine arts degree from the Chandigarh College of Art. She currently lives and works in Toronto, Canada as a painter, illustrator, potter and animator. Her work is inspired by narratives, some real, some fantastical; small tales that weave through the natural and human world, in a continuous vocabulary based on the themes of homes, habitats, ecosystems, migrations, immigration and representation. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter/X @storyofaseed.