Ishita Jain

A thoughtfully researched visual exploration of our connections to nature, and why and how plants and green spaces make us happy. When illustrator Ishita Jain relocated to the visually overwhelming and concrete-filled New York City from New Delhi, India, she found solace in its parks and gardens, and started thinking about how important green spaces are in big cities to its residents' sense of escape and peace. In Searching for Sunshine, Jain follows her curiosity and creativity to provide a vibrant compilation of visual essays and interviews centered around the simple yet compelling question of "Why do plants make us happy?" Whether living in a setting that is urban, rural, or somewhere in between, we can all find solace in the beautifully rendered pages and stories gathered here. Featuring over a dozen conversations with experts and plant-lovers alike, including scientists at the New York Botanical Gardens, groundskeepers at the famed Green-Wood Cemetery, shoppers at the beloved Union Square Greenmarket, a director of NYC Parklands, florists, and more, Jain's exploration of plants in New York City demonstrates how nature is vital to all experiences of our lives.

Trees don't grow on sandbars . . . but a boy from India grew a forest. What can one person do in the face of global environmental degradation? Indian Jadav Payeng has proven that each and every one of us can make a difference. As a boy, he began planting trees on a sandbank in the state of Assam. Nobody believed that he would succeed in doing so. But since 1979, a forest the size of Central Park has emerged, offering a home to countless animals and plants. It was not until 2007 that a photographer accidentally discovered the forest and made Payeng known to the world beyond India. Rina Singh has sensitively retraced the story of young Jadav. In Ishita Jain's picture book debut as illustrator, readers feel immersed in the spectacular habitat whose existence borders on a miracle come true.

Under the Cosmos articulates the cosmic energies of the stars, teachings of the Sun. It contains poetic tales which unfold conversations between a Pregnant Corona warrior with her baby, Moon and the sea waves and it has humorous elements of Antipoems, chemical poetry with themes of War, Pandemic and all the shades of Love. This book will take you on a Cosmic ride to the Moon, Sun viewing the history of Earth and help you closely peep into the human desires and emotions.