The name itself makes my eyes sparkle. Trouble with magic? That sounds promising! And it is. I giggled my way through the book, chuckling at the hapless Aunt Malu and charmed by the enterprising Veena. Aunt Malu should have known better, but ... therein lies the tale! Trouble with Magic was the very first book we read at the very first edition of my book club over five years ago! We're rereading it next month! Inventions What would you invent if you could invent anything in the world? Do you think that invention of yours is scientific or magical?Children at my workshops have invented all kinds of things from time machines to superfast shoes and robots that do their homework for them. Aunt Malu is a delightful mix of magician and scientist - neither real nor fantastic - and so, she provides the perfect balance for children who want both … [Read more...]
The Piano
I've been meaning to read The Piano by Nandita Basu for a long time. I read and loved Rain Must Fall, and although Starry, Starry Night didn't entirely work for me, I loved the idea and the artwork.The Piano is another lovely graphic novel, a sweeping story that takes us from 1912 to 2012 in just a few pages. I like how sparsely it is told, allowing us to ride through the story, tasting its beauty, and rejoicing in the relationships forged.The Piano is inspired by a real piano that author Nandita Basu was drawn to many years ago. Her investigation into the origin of her piano led her to tell this story, the story of an instrument crafted in 1912 in Leipzig. Although Jorge, the original recipient of the piano, cares nothing for it, the piano eventually crosses time and place, finding its way to a girl who is in search of a friend. History and story are woven together to create a … [Read more...]
Brachio
What a charming book! Brachio by Venkataraghavan and Ananya Broker Parekh is a visual treat, one that touches the reader with sweetness and whimsy.Brachio is so tall that he doesn't fit on the cover, as you can see. In fact, he even has his own fold-out page so that you can see how tall he is. But can someone so tall ever fit in? Can he belong anywhere?Brachio is the kind of book that makes you smile long after you've finished reading it. It is a picture book that addresses big themes, like purpose, loneliness, friendship and cruelty. Through it all, just like a powerful lighthouse that stands tall, Brachio gives us hope. Perhaps our usefulness does not determine our worth. Perhaps there is more to us than what we can do. And in these ideas lies the beauty of the book. I loved the story, the design, the … [Read more...]
Dear Author, You Are Wrong
Varsha Varghese’s Dear Author, You Are Wrong is another book I had the chance to read as a manuscript a few years ago when it was submitted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award 2023. It won the award—and deservedly so! It is a deceptively simple read, one that addresses a range of social issues with quite a light touch.When eleven-year-old Avisha reads a book that makes her upset and angry, she hunts out the author’s email and writes to her. The author writes back, and this sets Avisha off on an unexpected investigation. As Avisha turns detective, she realises there are more questions than answers--uncomfortable questions, at that. Why must delivery people use a separate lift in her apartment complex? Do families have clear gender roles? Is a gender role wrong in itself?With Avisha, we discover how easily inconvenient questions are dusted under the carpet. Issues of caste and … [Read more...]
The Case of the Mysterious Witches
What a powerful, important book!I haven't read the first two M4 mysteries, but I have read--and admired--some of Mallika Ravikumar's other work. My first was the award-winning The District Cup, which I loved. More recently, I read The Battle for Baramulla, and I commented on how meticulously researched it is.That's what makes The Case of the Mysterious Witches stand out too. Detailed, eye-opening and hard-hitting, it is a pacy, gripping read that makes the reader stop and think.The Case of the Mysterious Witches begins with the discovery of a woman being chased and beaten by an angry mob. Aghast, the M4--three children and a dog--race to her rescue. Soon, however, they are enmeshed in a larger social problem, one that deals with daakins and chudails, witches and evil spirits. Through the lens of caste and gender, the author examines the branding of women as witches and … [Read more...]
ingey angey
Do you find language learning fun? I'm not sure if I ever did. It was something that happened automatically, or didn't happen at all, and I've written about it before in the context of International Mother Language Day. But what if language learning can be fun, or even "romba fun", as ingey angey leads us to believe? How delightful that would be!ingey angey is a rhyming book that introduces Tamil words in a thoroughly enjoyable manner. What I would have loved along with the board book was an audio book, especially as words like kannakutty aren't spelt in a way that reads naturally. Later on, we have the word kanna, which makes the pronunciation of the earlier word even more confusing.Despite the few tiny quarrels with the book, I love the concept, the execution, and the artwork. I would love to see board books like this for every language! ingey angey is a book that … [Read more...]
Moin and the Monkey Monster
Moin is back! But more importantly, the monster is baaaaack! (It even has a song about it.) With its quirky characters (most of whom we've met before in Moin and the Monster and Moin the Monster Songster), Moin and the Monkey Monster is a hilarious read. Through its pages, we can hear the monster's terrible voice and even smell squishy, overripe bananas.What my book clubbers (and I) love about the monster is how wacky and unpredictable it is. There's frozen laughter when something horrifically funny is about to happen--like when the monster is singing, and the principal chances upon it. Even funnier is the fact that only the principal, popularly called Kooki, seems to see this pink thing. As readers, it's a joy to be inside on a secret, and that's what propels the story. We know that the monster exists and we delight in the delicious wickedness of seeing Kooki question his sanity … [Read more...]
Hey Sis! Hey Bro!
It's been such a long time since I read a collection of short stories! Hey Sis! Hey Bro! by Deepa Agarwal was a fun read, bringing together a range of stories featuring brothers and sisters, or, as the subtitle says, celebrating the sibling bond. From mythology to historical fiction and realistic fiction, I enjoyed the variety of tales brought together by a common theme.Each story in the collection is just the right length, giving us a snippet of a sibling relationship. I like the nuances portrayed, the mixture of love and hate, the pettiness and grandeur of the emotions between siblings, as well as the messiness of growing up. Competitiveness and collaboration, hope and despair--all these find their way into this light-hearted, easy to read collection.TitleHey Sis! Hey Bro!AuthorDeepa AgarwalTagsShort Stories, Early Middle GradeAges9+Rating (out of 5)4 … [Read more...]
What’s the Point of Kiki?
The name of the book itself makes me chuckle. It makes one think of big philosophical questions like What's the point of life? or Why are we here? And yet, there's a simplicity to the question that I love--what's the point of a pet that does not show you any love, that you cannot cuddle?What's the Point of Kiki? by Nandita da Cunha and Rishita Loitongbam is a sweet, light-hearted book that still manages to address bigger themes. A crow, Kiki, enters Nisha's life with an injured leg. The problem is that he never leaves. He monopolises all Ma's time, and Nisha cannot understand it. She cannot understand why anyone would love a loud, messy bird. Even worse, if she does the same things Kiki does, she gets told off. How is it fair?I love the exploration of Nisha's vulnerability and the ways in which she tries to get attention. The expressive pictures add layers to the story, layers … [Read more...]
ZardoZi
ZardoZi by Debasmita Dasgupta is a gentle, deceptively simple book. In just a few words, accompanied by powerful pictures, it tells a rich story--one that, as the subtitle says, is stitched with love.ZardoZi begins with a dream. Zi feels like he has found a treasure, but he doesn't know what it is. When he talks about his dream, though, it seems as if everyone already has something figured out for him, the interpretation of the dream included. As the story moves on, we see that having things figured out irrespective of what Zi wants seems to be the norm. Even words like Let him be what he wants to be are little more than lip service.Subtly, gently, the story shows us how expectations are foisted upon children. Zi feels like he is losing his voice, his identity. Everyone has ideas of what he ought to do. How will he make himself heard?I love the gentle exploration of … [Read more...]