Pearl D’Silva introduces us to Tijori, an online store that seeks to make books available for children of the Indian diaspora in Aotearoa.
Tijori is a New Zealand online bookstore with a specially curated collection of board books, picture books, audiobooks, resources and toys. We are brand new, having launched in June 2024. Tijori stemmed from an idea that I have had ever since I moved to New Zealand 12 years ago—I wanted to offer children of the Indian diaspora here in New Zealand, an opportunity to see themselves through children’s literature and other media.
I noticed a dearth of relevant Indian content for children who were immigrants, especially in early childhood centres. Local libraries had few books available at the time (there has been an increase since, however there’s still not much of a choice). Over the years, I curated a list of Indian picture books for my personal collection that I would bring back from my trips to India. From this idea, came the possibility of making these available to children in New Zealand as well as ECE centres and primary schools. Currently, we have a small collection but I am planning on stocking more variety in the months to come. Being in New Zealand means books and resources are shipped out almost immediately, rather than waiting endlessly for books to be shipped internationally.
I noticed a dearth of relevant Indian content for children…
In the lead up to Diwali we have sold out of our current collection of Diwali themed books! One of the titles I loved in the collection was The Light Within You which is a beautiful book (the illustrations are just gorgeous!). I also like It’s Diwali for its very simple text, and vibrant illustrations. It also has a glossary on almost every page. I have read both of these out at story time sessions in the local libraries here and the children loved them. I will be restocking Diwali titles between February and September in 2025 and will look forward to adding more titles to the collection.
Other books that create that Indian-esque feel are The Boy who wore Bangles (also sold out), which is all about breaking gender stereotypes, and The Clever Tailor, which supports themes around sustainability. Ismat’s Eid has a similar theme and also celebrates an important festival for Muslims. I also love Paati’s Rasam which is a touching story about a child’s loss of her grandmother and remembering her through using one of her recipes. Little Vinayak has a lovely Elmer-like feel and is all about embracing one’s uniqueness.
I would also recommend books such as 101 Awesome Facts about India and the Discover India series on Gujarat, Punjab and Delhi. We have other resources, such as a Rangoli jigsaw puzzle (perfect for team building in libraries and classrooms!), dolls and sarees. Oh, and a range of awesome bilingual board books, perfect for little hands! My Little Book of Diwali and My Little Book of Holi are also perfectly sized books to introduce two important festivals of India.
I’m in the process of selecting and sourcing more book titles across different formats from a range of Indian publishers. My selections will be partly determined by what is needed in early childhood centres and schools here in Aotearoa. For instance, some school librarians have enquired about children’s books in Indian languages such as Hindi and Punjabi. So, I’ve got a few of these lined up to stock on the website in the next few months.
I would love to hear from educators, librarians and others about what books and resources they’d like (so, if anyone reading this would like to share, please email tijorinz@gmail.com!)
There’s so much available out there and I think sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to embrace the unknown. I’m hoping that Tijori can help do that for educators and young readers in New Zealand—there will always be books that we may be unsure of buying for various reasons, but each one has a story to tell … a message for the readers.
…we need to step out of our comfort zone to embrace the unknown.
It is lovely to see that we have had orders, enquiries and website hits from all over the country! I love reading positive, encouraging emails from people who have visited and bought from Tijori. I’m getting feedback that librarians and kaiako are looking for resources that reflect the diversity of their schools.
We do need more cultural inclusion in picture books—I know the publishing market in New Zealand is not as huge as other countries, but we need books that reflect the children here. Not just the ubiquitous Indian dairy owner, but also main characters who thrive in a super diverse country like ours. Yes, there is more inclusion by way of illustrations in books but we still have a long way to go!
I love reading positive, encouraging emails from people who have visited and bought from Tijori.
Because we cover a niche market, there is always that element of hesitancy from buyers about the content, quality and scope of the books. That’s where my expertise (I am a lecturer in early childhood education with a keen interest in children’s literature, especially picture books, and play in the early years) comes in— I consider how each book could be a window and a mirror. I source books that reflect authentic Indian experiences and culture and believe that there is no compromise on that. Content may not reflect contemporary, urban lives even in India (let alone the lives of Indian children in other countries) and so I usually also consider this too, to avoid a tokenistic, stereotypical view of the country and culture.
Another challenge is that being an online store, I can’t offer buyers an opportunity to physically view the books before buying, although I would love to.
The biggest challenge though is shipping costs, which invariably impact on the cost of the books here. It is very expensive to ship from India and sometimes the cost of shipping can be higher than the cost of the books! Apart from that, one of my grouses is finding good courier services so that the books and products do not arrive damaged (I’ve lost quite a bit of money due to this challenge).
I consider how each book could be a window and a mirror.
I am looking forward to using my experience and research in early childhood education to update the blog section on the website with reflections, articles and ideas to share such as provocations for early childhood centres, book lists, teacher’s notes and plans that are aligned with Te Whāriki and The New Zealand Curriculum, to name a few. I have a few ideas for mat time resources which I am working on at the moment. I also have plans to eventually offer professional development workshops.
And last, but not the least, I will be stocking more titles in the next few months, so do keep visiting the website or contact me if you’re looking for specific items. I am looking forward to providing more books and resources for our tamariki in New Zealand.
Pearl Dsilva
Pearl D’Silva is an author and children’s literature enthusiast. She is an Early Childhood Education lecturer. She lives in Auckland with her husband, a daughter and son. She can be usually found at the topmost rung of the Ladder on The Faraway Tree, anticipating The Next Land of Adventure!