Bapa Wants Fish
Preview
Written by Stuti Sareen
Illustrated by Alankrita Amaya
Set in Eastern Odisha in the 1990s, the book is inspired by real memories and narrated through the eyes of a young boy living with parents whose uncertainties shape their days in unexpected ways. Amid everyday challenges and the upheaval of a devastating cyclone, the story explores the resilience of family life and the surprising places where joy takes root.
Rich with sensory detail and grounded in the rhythms of ordinary life, from cooking rituals to neighbourhood routines, the narrative blends humour with reflection, offering readers an intimate glimpse into a child’s world, where love and hope endure even in the most difficult times.
Get your copy of Bapa Wants Fish — a limited first edition hardcover, with only 100 copies printed on recycled cotton paper.
Meet the Characters
Read the First Chapter
Stuti Sareen, Author
Stuti finds stories in people who make our world funny, annoying, and wonderfully whole. Her favourite characters include a leather shoemaker in Bundelkhand, a dancing kid in rural Mirzapur, a rasgulla-loving banker in Varanasi, a lost tram driver in Geneva, a never-quiet neighbourhood aunty in Gurgaon, and one mysterious person she spotted everywhere in London. To celebrate stories and community, Stuti found her heart in Mysticeti and Kauri — initiatives she started alongside her work as an educator.
Alankrita Amaya, Illustrator
Alankrita is an award-winning children’s book writer and illustrator. A hoarder of picture books and scrap paper, she spends her days dreaming up whimsical worlds in her cozy home studio in Bangalore, where she lives with her husband and their cat. Watching the sea, making candles, and writing letters are some of her favourite things to do.
Acknowledgements
To Abhishek Parichha for sharing his memories.
To Abhishek’s Bou, for sharing her recipe.
To Nigel French for his guidance in the design of this book.
To फkir and Tejal Sharan for their support with the design.
To family and friends for being early supporters and readers.
To Anand Stationers, for printing this book.