If your child, or a child you know, loves books, you should add the enchanting Childhood Collection of Guru Nanak Stories to their library. The Guru Nanak Stories books are based on Janamsakhis, a 17th-century collection of stories about Guru Nanak Ji’s life and travels. The series, Guru Nanak Stories by Shawn Singh Ghuman, offers a unique creative English language approach to introducing Guru Nanak to young children that is fresh, fun, and informative while adhering to their message of truth.
Guru Ji’s Childhood Collection, as of December 2024, includes three books:
- Guru Nanak and the Bright Light – tells the story of Guru Nanak’s birth and early childhood focusing on the idea that Ik Onkaar is present in everyone and all creation.
- Guru Nanak and the Friendly Snake – tells the story of a cobra shading the sleeping child Nanak and the importance of recognizing Waheguru in each other.
- Guru Nanak and the Hungry Cows – tells the story of cows eating a neighbor's crops and how contemplation with Simran induces the indomitable spirit of Chardikala.
Review of Guru Nanak Stories Childhood Collection with a Toddler
The books arrived after just three days from being shipped. My 19-month-old granddaughter and her mother had just come home from a visit to the library. I showed my granddaughter the package and told her it contained books. Her eyes lit up as we opened the package, “Ooooh,” she exclaimed excitedly, examining the glossy hardcovers. She held two books in her hand while her mother showed her another. (Later, I found one book tucked into the side pocket of her chair.) She helped her mother turn the pages of Guru Nanak and the Bright Light, in her lap, intent on its colorful glossy illustrations. “Light,” she repeated after her mother.
She noticed I had been taking photographs with my phone and asked to see them. When I retrieved my phone, she slammed the sturdy hard-covered books down hard, without even a flutter of a page. When Shawn told me these books are “designed with young children in mind”, he spoke the absolute truth.
We picked the books up. I took my granddaughter into my lap and began to read Guru Nanak and the Friendly Snake to her. We read about seven pages when we came to an illustration of the boy child Nanak sitting beneath a tree with three monkeys. “Ooh ooh Aah aah” I heard her say. Or wait, did she read that right off the page?
My daughter-in-law read from Guru Nanak and the Hungry Cows. My little granddaughter joined in with a loud lusty “Moooo.” I felt that it had been a very productive and successful interactive reading session with our active toddler, especially when recalling my phone conversation with Shawn, who had told me his seven-month-old son “mostly chews on the pages” while he reads to him.
The illustrated books captivated the attention of a child not yet two years old. The pictures appealed to her adventurous approach to learning. The Guru Nanak Stories introduced several basic Sikh concepts at a level she could comprehend. The books are simple enough in language, yet complex enough in ideals to provide many years of companionship as she grows and matures. The illustrations are engaging to young minds, and perhaps best of all the stories and illustrations also hold appeal for adult reading to young children.
Guru Nanak Stories are told poetically, with rhyming couplets. The wording is light with a sense of fun. Each couplet leads into the next, drawing the reader into the story as it unfolds page by page. Words such as Waheguru, Seva, and Simran offer a brief explanation beneath the main text, but more importantly, are illustrated by the story itself.
These Guru Nanak Stories books are treasures for Sikh families and blended families. They introduce Sikh identity and educate about Sikh awareness from the cradle. These three books, the Childhood Collection, should be in every gurdwara. These books belong in schools and classrooms, attended by Sikh Children. Shawn Singh Ghuman has presented the Sikh community with a priceless opportunity to strengthen relations with their neighboring society with this series Guru Nanak Stories. Shawn has done readings of the Childhood Collection with kids at the Gurudwara and Gurmat camps and classes and is certainly open to further sessions. I sincerely hope he is offered every support by the Sikh community in his quest to educate and elevate.
Interview with Guru Nanak Stories Author Shawn Singh Ghuman
For more than a decade Shawn Singh Ghuman has taken an active role in raising awareness about the Sikh Identity aiming to foster relations between Sikhs, their neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and communities. Ghuman helped found the National Sikh Campaign (NSC), whose “mission is to promote a better understanding of the Sikh community in America and other Western countries, and to project a positive image and profile of the Sikh community,” and has been a regular contributor to Sikhnet on their behalf. His efforts include the We Are Sikhs Campaign and the first English documentary on Guru Nanak.
His latest venture has moved away from politics and into the world of Sikhi. His endeavor to promote a better understanding of Sikhs and their faith led to his writing a series of books based on Guru Nanak's early life, titled Guru Nanak Stories.
Sikhnet interviewed Shawn Singh Ghuman, author of the Childhood Collection of Guru Nanak Stories, asking what inspired his books, how he found the illustrators, about the writing and publishing process, and whether it influenced his personal connection with Guru Nanak.
Sikhnet: How and when did you become interested in writing Guru Nanak Stories?
“Years of personal experience and reflection shaped my interest in creating Guru Nanak Stories. I co-founded the National Sikh Campaign and have spent over a decade raising awareness about Sikhi in the United States. Through this work, I often noticed a lack of accessible content that makes Sikh principles and values approachable, particularly for younger generations.
Growing up, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Janamsakhis played a pivotal role in shaping my understanding of Sikhi. I vividly remember hearing these stories from my parents and reading them in Bed Time Stories-2 by Santokh Singh. However, I often wondered why no one had refreshed these timeless tales for a modern audience, and this thought stayed with me for years.
As my wife and I began planning a family, in early 2023, the idea became more urgent. I wanted to create something meaningful to share with our future children—something that would connect them to our rich heritage in a way they could understand and enjoy. I started working on Guru Nanak Stories in March 2023, and by November of the same year, I published the first book, Guru Nanak and the Bright Light, which covers the story of his birth and toddler years.
Around the same time, we were blessed with the wonderful news that we were expecting a baby boy, who arrived in May 2024. This project became a way to preserve our history and pass on Guru Nanak’s teachings to future generations, starting with my own family.”
Sikhnet: Do you have children? If not, is there a particular child or group of children that inspired you?
“Yep! We have one child, a 7-month-old son. He’s been a massive inspiration for this project. Becoming a parent has given me a deeper appreciation for our responsibility to pass down our heritage and values.
Growing up in the United States as a child of immigrant parents, I found it challenging to engage with Sikhi during my childhood fully due to language and cultural barriers. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I could truly appreciate the depth and beauty of the faith I was born into. To that end, I also recognize that it may be even more challenging for my son’s generation to connect with our rich Sikh faith in today’s diverse and fast-changing world.
Importantly, my wife is not Sikh, which means my son will be raised in an even more multicultural environment than the one I grew up in. I created these books for parents like me—who want to keep their roots alive in diverse households—and for children growing up in a globalized world. These stories offer an approachable, relatable way for kids to connect with Sikhi, whether learning about it for the first time or rediscovering it in a new light.”
Sikhnet: How did you find your illustrators?
“Finding the right illustrators was one of the most challenging parts of this journey for me as an independent, self-published author. I spoke to over twenty illustrators worldwide, commissioned sample artwork from over ten of them, and finally found Indira Zuleta and her colleague Montserrat Granado Marin, both from Latin America.
They’re incredibly talented and have gone above and beyond to bring these stories to life. Their ability to blend cultural authenticity with vibrant, engaging visuals has made these books everything I envisioned and more.”
Sikhnet: How long did it take to write and publish your series?
“I started working on Guru Nanak Stories in March 2023. The first two to three months were dedicated to research, reading Guru Nanak Dev Ji's biographies, and exploring different variations of Janamsakhis. This initial phase was critical for grounding the stories in authenticity while making them accessible to a modern audience.
Before I could begin writing, I had to make countless decisions. One of the biggest challenges was deciding on the structure of the series—whether to create an anthology of Janamsakhis in one book or break them into individual stories. Historically, Janamsakhi books have been anthologies, which makes sense given the richness of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s life. However, modern children’s books are typically shorter—about 32 pages—and parents and kids seem to prefer books that are easy to hold and read in one sitting. Ultimately, I decided to deviate from tradition and make each Sakhi its standalone book.
Once the structure was decided, I completed the writing process. Writing in rhyming couplets required significant thought and countless edits to ensure the rhythm, flow, and meaning were just right.
While writing, I also began the illustration and publishing process simultaneously. The first book, Guru Nanak and the Bright Light, took around nine months to publish. Since then, I’ve been able to streamline the process, and I can now complete a new book in about four to five months once I begin.”
Sikhnet: Is there anything about the process that you care to share?
“Self-publishing a book is not for the faint of heart! It’s a complex process, that requires juggling many moving parts, including writing, editing, illustrating, printing, marketing, and distribution. There were countless challenges along the way, from navigating the intricacies of book formatting to figuring out how to effectively market the series as an independent author.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the importance of patience and collaboration. Books like these require attention to every detail, from storytelling to illustrations, to ensure they honor Guru Nanak’s legacy while resonating with today’s young readers.
That said, it’s impossible to please everyone when creating something. Decisions at every stage sparked different opinions, but I realized I had to trust my instincts and make something I truly believed in. Letting the initial vision drive each decision gave me the clarity and confidence I needed to bring Guru Nanak Stories to life.
Over this past summer, I experienced firsthand how trusting my gut paid off. I did a reading for nearly 80 kids attending the Gurmat Camp at the Guru Nanak Foundation of America—the Gurdwara I grew up going to as a child—in the Washington, D.C. area. Seeing the kids’ positive reactions was priceless. One little girl, just six years old, approached me afterward, said the books were inspiring, and asked when the next one would come out.
While it’s been a challenging journey, it’s also been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Seeing the joy these books bring to children and families makes all the effort worthwhile.”
Sikhnet: Did writing the books strengthen your personal connection to Guru Nanak?
“Absolutely. Immersing myself in Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s stories and teachings has been transformative. While researching and interpreting the Janamsakhis, I reflected deeply on his values of humility, equality, and service.
Writing these books has not only felt like a form of Seva but also Simran, and it has profoundly strengthened my spiritual understanding and connection to Sikhi.”
Sikhnet: Is there anything you would like potential readers to know?
“I want readers to know that these books are more than just stories—they invite readers to engage with Guru Nanak’s life and teachings Each book defines Sikh terms to help young readers and their parents learn together. Each story intends to spark meaningful conversations within families, inspire curiosity, and instill values like compassion and selflessness in young minds. Whether you’re introducing a child to Sikhi for the first time or rediscovering it as an adult, I hope these stories bring joy and inspiration.”
About the Books Guru Nanak Stories
Author: Shawn Singh Ghuman
Illustrators: Indira Zuleta and Montserrat Granado
Website: https://www.gurunanakstories.com/
Contact: [email protected]
Printer: Signature Book Printing (printed in the United States)
Publisher: Self-published in Washington D.C.
Copyright: 2023 by Shawn Singh Ghuman
Illustration Copyright: 2023 by Artemyst Tales
- Guru Nanak and the Bright Light:
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023915963
ISBN #: Hardback – 978-1-962307-00-0 Paperback – 978-1-962307-01-7 - Guru Nanak and the Friendly Snake
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023922993
ISBN #: Hardback – 978-1-962307-02-4 - Guru Nanak and the Hungry Cows
Library of Congress Control Number: 2024913021
ISBN #: Hardback – 978-1-962307-03-1
Size: 8.5” x 8.5”
Glossy Hardcover: (with plans for paperback release on Amazon)
Glossy pages: bring out the vibrancy of the illustrations.
Sturdy enough for young children: “Designed with young children in mind—sturdy covers and binding to withstand repeated readings” (and all that entails).
