Naeli and the Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan ~ Blog Tour

Naeli and the Secret Song is an incredibly beautiful story exploring historical links between Britain and India in the 1890s with a thread of enchanting music woven into each step of this compelling adventure.

In the opening pages, we meet Naeli in her home of Hyderabad, India. Heartbroken over the death of her mother, she’s left with only her caring ayah (nanny) and her father’s violin. He returned to England many years before and has become a mystery to Naeli. Having inherited both her parents’ talent for music, Naeli turns to the violin and the songs they taught her for comfort and connection.

One year later, Naeli is summoned to London with an anonymous letter and a ticket for the voyage. Has her father sent for her at last? Brave and hopeful, she sets out to discover the British family she’s never known and rekindle a relationship with her father. On the journey, she meets the incorrigible Jack who is being sent back to boarding school. They become fast friends and spend their days getting to know the ship’s musicians. With a keen ear for music, Naeli learns their European pieces and shares the Indian folk music of her childhood. The langauge of music provides inspiration and comfort.

Upon arrival in London, things aren’t at all what Naeli expected. There’s no sign of her father, only strangers who seem to know who she is but who won’t tell her anything. With Jack’s help, she takes matters into her own hands and sets off on an incredible journey north to learn about her family. Surprising clues, hidden messages and connections to those who have gone before reveal horrible secrets, surprising truths and a powerful love that will never fade. Sensitive and determined, Naeli refuses to let go of the hope that her father is out there somewhere. As she plays their special song, the notes reach across the distance between them.

Exploring the very real impact of men in the East India Company marrying Indian women, Naeli and the Secret Song highlights what happened to the children who were left behind when their father’s returned to Britain. Unaccepted, ignored and sometimes forgotten, they longed for their family to be complete and valued. Readers will be challenged to use empathy to look through the veil of history and recognise the personal connections within the larger stories.

Thank you to Chicken House Books for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for a copy of this beautiful book!

About the author: Jasbinder was born in a stable in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her debut novel, Asha & the Spirit Bird, won the 2017 Times/Chicken House Competition and was inspired by the incredible bond Jasbinder shares with her grandmother. She lives in Bath with her husband and two teenage sons. You can find Jasbinder on X @jasinbath and Instagram @jasbinderbilan.

Asha and the Spirit Bird is one of the fantastic texts included in Contemporary Children’s Literature for Years 5-6.

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