Sandhya Prabhat

media release: The South Asia Book Award proudly presents the 2025 Winner in the Early Readers Category, The Spice Box, written by Meera Sriram and illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat.

Attendees will have a chance to win copies of the book.

In this heartwarming intergenerational story about love, legacy, and flavor, Rishi is ready to carry forward his Dad’s and his Paati’s stories through the beautiful family spice box. Paati was known in her hometown in India as the Wizard of Spice, and she passed the legacy to Rishi’s Dad when she honored him with the title Master of Spice. Now Rishi wants a chance to impress his Paati when she visits from India by helping his Dad make the potato curry using the fragrant spices from the family spice box.

Meera Sriram grew up in India and moved to the US over two decades ago. She still brings back her mom's pickles and curry powders every summer. Meera is the author of several picture books, including A Garden in My Hands, also illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, which Kirkus Reviews called "an intimate, lyrical story about an ancient artistic tradition" in a starred review. An electrical engineer in her past list, she now enjoys writing for children an dadvocating for early and multicultural literacy. Meera loves yoga and chai, and lives with her husband and two tweens in Berkeley, California.

Sandhya Prabhat loves cooking with giner, garlic, and chiles! She is an independent animator and illustrator who hails from Chennai, India. Sandhya has illustrated several books, including Meera Sriram's A Garden in My Hands, as well as I Am Brown and Namaste Is a Greeting. She holds an MFA degree in animation and digital arts from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia and a bachelor's degree in literature from Stella Maris College. Sandhya lives in the Bay Area of California.

The South Asia Book Award is given annually for up to three outstanding works of literature, from picture books to young adult novels, which accurately and skillfully portray the experience of individuals living in South Asia, or of South Asians living in other parts of the world. Honor Books and Highly Commended Books will also be recognized by the award committee for their contribution to this body of literature on the region. See all past winners, as well as educational resources, on our website.