You're Safe With Me

Story

The baby animals in the Indian forest are going to bed. But instead of clear skies and twinkling stars, they can see a thunderstorm. They are frightened and can’t get to sleep, so Mama Elephant comes to comfort them. She tells them that the wind is their friend, and that it, along with thunder and lightning, are nothing to be scared of, and they soon drift off to sleep, not afraid anymore.

Why we chose it

A beautiful bedtime story with intricate, detailed illustrations and gentle text.

Where it came from

Chitra Soundry is an Indian born writer and storyteller based in London. She grew up hearing stories of folk wisdom and Indian epics, and these inspired her to write her own stories. She loves thunderstorms and wanted children to view them ‘not...with fear, but with awe and wonder’.

Poonam Mistry is inspired by her Indian roots and her love of nature. She takes her influences from Madhubani paintings, Kalamkari textiles, and tales of Indian gods and goddesses, and uses these in her work.

Where it went next

You’re Safe With Me won the 3-Star-Teach Early Years award, was longlisted for the Klauss Flugge award in 2018, shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway in 2019, and was a Guardian Book of the Month in May 2018

Associated stories

Mistry and Soundry produced three more books in the series, including You’re Snug with Me (2018), a Kirkus Book of the Year.

Soundry is the author of the popular Farmer Falgu series, which includes Farmer Falgu Stays at Home (2020), written in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic. She has also written books of folklore and traditional tales.

Mistry has collaborated with a number of other authors, including Alice Curry (A River of Stories –2016). Her own book, How the Stars Came to Be was published in 2019. She is also a commercial artist, and has worked with clients all over the world, including the Commonwealth Education Trust, and Amnesty International.