Today we’re delighted to reveal the cover for picture book The Runaway Dosa by Suma Subramaniam, illustrated by Parvati Pillai! The book was designed by Steph Stilwell and will be released on September 5, 2023 by Little Bee Books. Preorder it generally here or here, or signed and personalized copies here or here. Keep scrolling for a special note from the author!

With the help of some magical, mythological Indian creatures, chase the Runaway Dosa before it gets away! It’s time for breakfast, and Akka is hungry! When she reaches for another dosa before the rest of the family has been served, she triggers a magical spell that brings the dosa to life, and it sprints out the door. Akka will need the help of some powerful, mythological creatures to get her breakfast back!

Inspired by Dosai! Amma, Dosai, a beloved Tamil rhyme, and a fantastical reimagination of the familiar Gingerbread Man story, this book offers a delicious Indian twist that will have any child asking for more!

*

A word from the author:

In the summer of 2015, I was working with my faculty advisor, the one and only Jane Kurtz in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Children’s and Young Adult literature program, when we both challenged each other to write a story from the cultures we grew up in. The story would be inspired by The Gingerbread Man—a folktale about a man made of gingerbread who runs away from a cast of characters.

Jane Kurtz was an early believer of this story, and I’m thrilled that this book will be available now in honor of the relationship I share with her. She created The Runaway Injera for Ready Set Go Books which is one of the bestsellers of the Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund Program for children in Ethiopia. I created The Runaway Dosa, also inspired by an all-time favorite Tamil rhyme, “Dosai! Amma, Dosai,” for dosa lovers all over the world. — Suma Subramaniam

******

Suma Subramaniam is a recruiter by day and a children’s book author by night. She is the author of Namaste is a Greeting, She Sang for India, and other books for children. She has an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Seattle, Washington, with her family and a talkative puppy. sumasubramaniam.com

 

Parvati Pillai is a visual and creative designer who is passionate about illustration, storytelling, and brand building. Her books include The Pig with the Runaway Tail, Mira, Royal Detective, and Bindu’s Bindis. Parvati lives in Finland and loves storytelling, traveling, gardening, and food. When she is not exploring the beautiful outdoors, she enjoys experimenting with new illustration styles. Follow Parvati on Instagram @parvatipillai.