The Girl Who Played with Numbers by Lavanya Karthik is a lovely addition to her series of biographies for very young readers. A little note tells us that the illustrations in this book about Shakuntala Devi are inspired by the Mysore school of painting. While this isn’t my favourite style, I love the fact that the choice isn’t random.I also enjoyed the story, and the part I loved best was the childlike desire to stop studying and be allowed to play instead. Shakuntala Devi may have been a genius and a prodigy, but she was, after all, a child! I like that the story mentions it without dwelling on it.The Dreamers series is a delightful one, ideal for those looking for simple, illustrated biographical picture books. I look forward to seeing who the next dreamer in the series will be!TitleThe Girl Who Played with NumbersAuthor and illustratorLavanya KarthikTagsDreamers, Picture … [Read more...]
The Boy Who Loved Birds
There's something special about Lavanya Karthik's Dreamers series. With so little, each book does so much!The Boy Who Loved Birds is about Salim Ali as a boy. What questions did he have? What led him to become a world-famous ornithologist?Like all the other books in the series, the illustrations in The Boy Who Loved Birds are gorgeous. Accompanied by simple text, the book invites us to keep turning the pages, following little Saloo as he searches for answers. Are there different kinds of sparrows? Can Saloo brave the Natural History Museum and find out?A lovely, slim book, The Boy Who Loved Birds is the perfect addition to a beautiful series.TitleThe Boy Who Loved BirdsAuthor and illustratorLavanya KarthikTagsBiography, Chapter Book, DreamersRating (out of 5)4.5Age-group6+ … [Read more...]
Dreamers – Lavanya Karthik
I finally read the next two books in Lavanya Karthik's series, Dreamers. I read the first two nearly a year ago! Once more, the visuals are gorgeous. And the stories? Simple and delightful.Janaki wants to be like the birds her father loves so much. They lurk in his eyes and make his eyes shine. But her father tells her she isn't a bird; she's like a tiny mangrove seed. Janaki is most offended - she doesn't want to be a seed! But when she learns what it means to be a seed, we see her lighting up. We experience with her the joy of possibility, and the idea that a seed contains a forest. In fact, a seed is a forest. The Girl Who Was a Forest is such a beautiful tale!The Boys Who Created Malgudi made me smile. Lavanya Karthik's portrayal of R.K. Laxman, especially, is exactly how I would imagine the cartoonist to have been as a boy! From the whimsical cover to the words and illustrations … [Read more...]
Dreamers
Dreamers.What a beautiful title for a series of illustrated stories about children who dared to dream and then dared to live their dream. The first two books in the series are about light and song, and I found that quite lovely too.Richly illustrated with stark, contrasting colours, The Boy Who Played with Light and The Girl Who Loved to Sing are a visual treat.Shadows lurk everywhere, even as the young Satyajit Ray hunts for the light. He tries to draw them out; he runs from them; he watches them from corners. Until he discovers the magic of light and darkness and the beauty they create together.Satyajit Ray's story was lovely, but to be honest, I enjoyed Teejan Bai's story much more. Red, black and white come together to create powerful pictures, and I love the use of repetition. Jhunjhuni! Pagalpana! Teejan sings!'Teejan sings', especially, is such a powerful affirmation. How strange … [Read more...]