I’ve read both Flat-Track Bullies and Pops by Balaji Venkatraman, but Unlocked is the one I like best! Tanvi Bhat’s illustrations make the reader linger on the pages long after we’ve read the words, delighting in the detail. When Ravi has to go stay with his grandfather, he isn’t best pleased. His grandfather’s house reminds him of a hospital.  But in just a few words over the course of the story, a lovely relationship blossoms between grandfather and grandson. In the gentlest way possible, Ravi’s grandfather prepares the child for the inevitable. Life is like a game of snakes and ladders. Sometimes, he’s climbing a ladder; sometimes he’s sliding down a snake.  Childlike delight, worry and love shine through the pages making Unlocked a beautiful read, one that handles the difficult topic of death with gentleness and warmth. And like with nearly every Hook Book … [Read more...]