Kaya’s Journey - The Story of a 100-year-old Koi Fish
by Mila Kahlon and illustrated by Paridhi Didwania
“Kaya’s Journey - The Story of a 100-year-old Koi Fish” by Mila Kahlon and illustrated by Paridhi Didwania. Published by Harper Collins. An incredible story inspired by folk tales, beliefs and a real type of fish.
Avani and her brother Niam lived in Canada. They woke up one morning to find that the snow had melted and spring had arrived. It was time for the family’s favourite tradition which was to visit a small lake on their property and look for the gorgeous Japanese Koi fish called Kaya who according to legend had been there for a hundred years. No one had seen her up close. She was smart enough to stay in the middle of the pond away from the preying birds, prying kids, barking dogs and other fish. She would retreat to the deepest and warmest part of the lake during winter and remain invisible and would emerge only when spring arrived. Grandpa Yogi narrated the story of Kaya for Avani and Niam.
Kaya was a tiny Koi Fish living in a little pond in China with her parents and siblings. Unlike others in her family, Kaya had a dream to see the world. She always wondered what lay beyond the pond. It seemed like an impossible feat given that she was so tiny. Yet she persevered, gathered courage and descended upon an awe-inspiring journey overcoming all the obstacles that she came across in her path. Even the Gods were so impressed by her strength and perseverance that they descended to meet her and reward her. One of them turned her colour from pink to a bright sparkling gold so that she would stand out amongst all other fish. Overall, an inspiring story to follow your dreams no matter how big they may seem to be and never give up.
The story traces the unbelievable story of how Kaya travelled from China and ended up being in Canada. The illustrations are vibrant and charming. The last couple of pages have information about why Koi Fish are so special. I had a wonderful time reading this with my seven year old. Apt for children aged 7+/8+. This book may need you to read it to your kids till they are able to read books of slightly long form content on their own.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Harper Collins here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.
Koi Fish
Intrigued by this book, did some digging up about Koi fish. They are coloured varieties of the Amur Carp which have been bred in Japan since the early nineteenth century. They are used for decoration purposes in outdoor ponds and water gardens. They have been said to live for 100-200 years although some reports say that they only live for a few decades. The longest living Koi Fish recorded till date is Hanako (literally translates to flower girl) who lived for a whopping 226 years in Japan from 1751-1977. Though disputed, the study of her scales and growth rings supported her age claim.