Seven Samosas: Counting at the Market

A bustling outdoor market is the setting of this captivating concept picture book from mother-son creators the Sehgals and prior collaborator Tsong. As young Sona and grandfather Dada shop “for tonight,” rhymed couplets introduce South Asian snacks, sweets, and tasty bites that count down from 20 to one. Each entry depicts a particular food (“20 ladoos at this store”), while a side note in smaller print provides pronunciation guidance and further information: “Ladoos (LUH-doos) are round, sweet balls made of flour, sugar, and ghee.” Rhythmically propulsive language and vibrant, naif-style digital illustrations make the most of each stop as well as the introduced foods, which include elaichis, jalebis, samosas, sheeras, and more. Dada’s pink-patterned shirt, Sona’s yellow top, and an ever-present goldenrod pathway visually anchor the Indian-cued duo’s shopping trip, which leads to “2 hungry pals—always a pair./ 1 quick treat for them to share”—and reveals an anticipated event. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An authors’ note concludes. Ages up to 8. (Oct.)