Music of the Mountains

Can Roohi find the courage and rhythm to play the rabab at her school's Eid concert?

"To play the music of the mountains, you must feel the rhythm, feel the beat of your people."

Roohi's most treasured time of the day is when she gets to listen to her grandfather play the rabab, the traditional stringed instrument of the Pashtun people. All she wants, more than anything in the world, is to be able to play songs full of rhythm like him. But even with lessons everyday, she sounds nothing like Neeka Baba's clap-de-clap-clap rhythm and beautiful melodies.

With Eid celebrations coming up, Roohi is supposed to play the rabab at a school concert, but Neeka Baba has fallen ill, and she must perform without his help. He tells her, "Play with the courage of those who came before you." Can Roohi draw on her ancestors' strength and share the melody in her heart at the Eid concert?

• Explores the connections made possible by music and the transformative power of learning to play a traditional instrument.
• Set in a contemporary Pashtun village in rural Pakistan.
• End notes include more information about the rabab, Pakistani music, Pashtun culture, and Eid.

Author: Sabrina Shah
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Published: 05/20/2025
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.41lbs
Size: 10.43h x 8.53w x 0.22d
ISBN13: 9798888593677
BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Music
- Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Ramadan
- Juvenile Fiction | Places | Middle East

About the Author
Sabrina Shah is from the heartland of England, UK. She worked in publishing for years before pursuing her dream of writing fun and lyrical picture books, spooky middle-grade mysteries, and YA rom-coms. Sabrina currently lives with her husband and two children in Singapore. Her rainy day special is writing with a hot cup of chai and a plate of pakoras.

Manal Mirza is a designer and illustrator based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Manal creates her paintings digitally and draws inspiration from her experiences. Being a young Muslim American Pakistani woman, her illustrations highlight the different identities that she juggles day to day. Manal brings her own positive outlook to her work, aiming to empower women around the world.