Meet Simran Kaur
A curious girl who counts everything — steps, streetlights, ducks — and carries her faith quietly in the everyday.
Five books. Five Kakars. One girl growing up Sikh in Toronto.
Who is Simran Kaur?
Simran is six years old and lives in Toronto. She counts everything — the red doors on her street, the cracks in the pavement, the ducks on Grenadier Pond. She notices things other people miss. And she carries her faith the same way she carries her kara: naturally, every day, without thinking about it.
She counts everything
Fourteen red doors. Seven streetlights. Twelve fridge magnets. Thirty-two steps to the bus. Counting is how Simran makes sense of her world — and how she notices what others miss.
She wears her kara
The steel bracelet on her wrist has always been there — like her shoes, like her braid. It is simply part of her. In each story, it clinks and flashes, present without announcement.
She helps without being asked
She unties a boy's shoelace, returns a lost sketchbook, walks across a playground to sit with someone alone. She acts before she has the words for why.
She is from Toronto
High Park, the CN Tower, the community centre pool, the school bus — Simran's world is recognisably Canadian, and intentionally so. Diaspora children see their world reflected back.
She asks big questions
Why do we keep our hair? What is the kirpan for? Why does the kachera matter? Simran asks the questions children ask — and gets honest, loving answers.
She always finds the words
Each story ends with Simran knowing something she didn't before — and being able to share it. She grows in confidence and language with every book.
The Five Kakars Series
Five stories. One for each of the five articles of Sikh identity — the gifts Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave to the Khalsa in 1699. Each book weaves one Kakar into an everyday moment a child will recognise.
For parents and educators
Each book in this series uses a single, relatable moment — a class trip, a swimming lesson, a playground recess — to introduce one Kakar and its meaning. The stories never lecture. Simran discovers the meaning through curiosity and conversation. Every book includes discussion questions, a Gurbani verse, and a word glossary to extend the learning.
Simran Kaur and the Lost Sketchbook
On a class trip to High Park, Simran finds a lost sketchbook full of beautiful drawings — and follows the clues inside to return it to its owner.
Simran Kaur and the Knot
When Simran comes home from school with a knot in her hair and a knot in her chest, her mum's steady hands and a small wooden comb help her untangle both.
Simran Kaur and the Fence
Simran counts a boy sitting alone by the playground fence — three days in a row. When she learns what her dad's kirpan really means, she finds the courage to walk across.
Why Simran Kaur works for diaspora families
Simran lives in Toronto, goes to school with kids named Maya and Ethan and Aiden, and encounters the same moments diaspora children do — picture day, swimming lessons, playground recess. The Kakars appear in those moments, not as rules to memorise, but as part of who she is.
Read-aloud friendly
Short chapters, rhythmic prose, and counting patterns make these books easy and enjoyable to read aloud at bedtime or in the classroom.
Discussion questions included
Every book ends with five discussion prompts — thoughtful questions that help children connect the story to their own lives and values.
Diaspora-specific context
The stories are set in Toronto, with Sikh children navigating the same questions diaspora families face every day — identity, belonging, and pride.