About This Book
A parent might reach for this book when a child begins asking complex questions about how we remember those we have lost, or when they show a budding interest in the intersection of history and architecture. It provides a dignified way to discuss the permanence of love and the human impulse to create beauty out of sorrow. The book recounts the sixteenth-century story of Mogul Prince Khurram and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, documenting the decades-long construction of the Taj Mahal following her death. While the central theme is grief, the narrative focuses on the remarkable engineering, artistic devotion, and cultural richness of the Mogul Empire. It is an ideal choice for older elementary readers (ages 8-12) who are ready for sophisticated historical nonfiction that treats emotional loss with grace and grandeur.
