Do you like your name? Have you ever thought of changing it? I know lots of people who've changed their names--including my grandmother--but I've always loved mine. I love the letter 'V' and I love what my name means ... unlike Khadija in the story. Why couldn't her parents have chosen a simpler name? Like Priya or Hema, for instance.My Name Is Khadija is a humorous, enjoyable read. Mariyam Fatima's words make Khadija come alive to us, and Isha Nagar's illustrations are full of joy.Khadija's stubbornness, her childlike questions, and her determination to get the best deal are delightful. When her father tells her that Khadija was Prophet Muhammad's first wife, Khadija's response is perfect, exactly what I could imagine a child saying -- But I don't want to be anyone's wife.Right through the story, I found myself chuckling at the pictures, especially at the expressions on … [Read more...]
The Race for Rugda
The Race for Rugda by Lesley D. Biswas and Anupama Ajinkya Apte is a heartwarming story for young readers. In some ways, it's an old-fashioned tale, one that helps us believe goodness and kindness will always be rewarded. Yet, it conveys this message in the sweetest possible way without hitting us on the head with its moral!Savita's mother has been ill for a while. When she's finally regaining her appetite and her strength, all she wants is rugda--a mushroom that people in Savita's village forage for in the woods. Savita is determined to find the mushrooms for her mother, but when people need her help with other things, what can she do?As the story progresses, we hope that things will turn out for the best--and they do. Ultimately, we finish this delightful Hook Book with a smile, reassured that all is well with the world!TitleThe Race for RugdaAuthorIllustratorLesley D. … [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...]
Prabir’s New Flute
I love Asha Nehemiah's stories, and I love Rajiv Eipe's artwork. How could I not read a Hook Book created by the two of them?Prabir's New Flute is a lovely, gentle story about a gifted boy, whose music is part of every happy event in Munshipara. When his flute breaks, however, Prabir realises that only half the gift is within him. The other half is in the magic of his flute. And so begins his quest for the perfect flute, one that will help him create the best kind of music.What I loved most about this slim little book is the whimsical element of magic. It feels almost real, and wholly believable, even if it is--at least for the time being--out of our reach. Each flute Prabir fashions creates music that is similar to the surroundings in which the bamboo grew. As a child, I would particularly have loved the possibility of it being true! As an adult, I couldn't help thinking … [Read more...]
Rosa in a Rush
Pai's purple dahlias are missing! Of course Rosa is in a rush--she must find out who stole them. Was it Dona Sylvia de Braganza, who won second-best garden when Pai won the prize for best garden? Or was it Cousin Mario who recently turned his house into a hotel? Rosa must find out!It's quite lovely how much this playful Hook Book does. In this tiny book, we have a determined protagonist, a gorgeous setting, and a mystery! The language, even while being simple, is rich with similes and imagery. What more could a picture book ask for?I love how Rosa immediately thinks that it is her job to find out who stole Pai's dahlias. She doesn't pause a minute to ask for help or to doubt herself. She's a child with a mission, and her determination powers the story.Rosa in a Rush is a pacy, joyous story that I whizzed through. I swerved around illustrations and braked for just a few … [Read more...]
What Could It Be?
Bapu is scared of something in the bathroom! What could it be? A gang of ghosts in a giggling gather? Scary skeletons covered in lather?When Diya discovers it's none of the things her imagination leads her to believe but just a lizard, she knows that she must save her father. Even if her Bapu says he isn't actually scared of lizards; he just doesn't like them.As someone who is much like Diya's Bapu, What Could It Be? made me chuckle more than once. I like the whimsical rhyme as characters in the story wonder what scary thing could be in the bathroom. And I love how Diya and Farah make amends for frightening a harmless lizard.Just like with so many of the Hook Books, the pictures are a treat. I especially like the expressions on the characters' faces, expressions that sometimes tell a different story from the text itself!Sweet, humorous and joyful, What Could It Be? is … [Read more...]
The Trickster
When Katha asked me whether I would be willing to review their upcoming release, The Trickster, I thought about it. I am not usually a fan of retellings. Additionally, I don't post negative reviews; I review only books I enjoy. I decided I would take the chance, though, and I am glad I did!The Trickster (retold by Meenakshi Bharadwaj from a Native American tale) is a visual treat. Charbak Dipta's artwork is stunning, and each page makes you linger, looking at all the details. The story itself is a humorous one, with a delightful twist at the end that leaves you wondering who the trickster really is. Is it the coyote who can use his magic stick to make wishes come true? Or is it someone else altogether?This simple, quirky story comes alive because of the illustrations. As someone who enjoys working with stories, I also liked the activities at the end of the book. There are so … [Read more...]
I Am Quiet: A Story for the Introvert in All of Us
How could I not read a book with a title like this? Anyone who knows me knows that I’m happiest in my own company. If I spend time with people, I need to unwind; I need my quiet time. Yet, as a child, I was noisy and talkative, unlike Emile, the protagonist of I Am Quiet. Adults keep telling Emile not to be shy, but the truth is that he isn’t shy at all. He is just quiet. On the inside he has imaginative, colourful worlds that are vibrant and exciting. They are enough for him.I smiled page after page as I read about the places Emile inhabits in his head. The quiet confidence of an imaginative child comes through with each word, and the gentleness of the story won my heart. I love how the book is designed too, with the white space all around him showing how quiet he seems to the world outside, and the colour within that shows how perfectly happy he is. Like so many … [Read more...]
Manvinder’s Medu Vada
Manvinder's Medu Vada by Riddhi Maniar Doda and Vinayak Varma had me chuckling at each page! I could completely identify with Manvinder, who refuses to eat something that doesn't look like it's supposed to look! As a child, I had a problem with the same food--vadas. How could it be a real vada if it didn't have a hole? This, despite the fact that vadas (without holes) were made at home for special occasions, and I enjoyed them too!When Manvinder's family moves to Bengaluru, he eats a medu vada for the first time. It's delicious. Somehow, gobi parathas no longer look so tempting! And so, the family sets off on a mission to make medu vadas for him.With each page, Manvinder grows more and more upset. A medu vada is supposed to be round! With a hole in it! The page that had me laughing aloud was the one where he's fooled into eating a donut instead!I love the wholesomeness of … [Read more...]
Everything Changes And That’s Ok
How do you read picture books? Do you pause as you turn each page, just to admire the pictures? Or do you race through the story and then come back to the pictures to take them in slowly?For me, it depends on the book, but with Everything Changes And That's Ok, I found myself trying to do both! A picture book in verse, each page is a visual treat! My favourite page was probably this one, a gorgeous forest scene:For children, change can be frightening, but Everything Changes and That's Ok reminds us that change is all around us. A playful puppy, full of energy, could grow up to be a dog that likes to lounge about all day. A new school is daunting, but perhaps new friendships are just around the corner.Rhyming verse doesn't always work for me, but this book did, for the most part. It's a gentle, beautiful read, inviting us to slow down and look at how the world changes both … [Read more...]