Earlier this month, I saw posts on social media about The Pink Dress--the story of a girl who wants a pink dress and will not let anything stand in the way. I was uncomfortable about the stereotype of a girl wanting pink. I couldn't help thinking about how my book clubbers would respond to the book.And yet, I knew that a hOle book by Shabnam Minwalla wouldn't be as simple as that. Besides, stereotypes exist for a reason, and why must every story deliberately contradict an idea that many would identify with?With all these thoughts in mind, I started reading.And I loved the book.Yes, Kanmani, the protagonist of the story, wants a pink dress. But that's just one layer of this deceptively simple story. As we read on, we understand where she comes from and why the pink dress is out of reach. Just like in When Jiya Met Urmila, we see class divides, which are so complex and … [Read more...]
My Year in Writing – 2025
2025 was a spectacular year as a writer! The highlight was, of course, winning the Crossword Book Award 2025. Everyone knows how slow the publishing industry is, so it was also such a joy to have three books published this year, by three different publishers! The Crossword Book Award ceremony was a grand, celebratory affair, and the fact that Denise Antao and I won the award for the best children's fiction was a dream come true. Jury members Deepak Dalal, Deepa Agarwal and Anita Roy had the kindest things to say about our book The Wall Friends Club. 'Wall Friends Club' stands out for its entirely unexpected and imaginative storyline and structure. It is a story of friendship, a most unusual one, that originates from pieces of paper stuck in the nooks and crannies of a wall. Although the protagonists have never met each other, the author, in a … [Read more...]
Left-Out Paru
Why is the word left associated with so many negative things? Gauche in French, sinistra in Italian, and of course, phrases in English like being left out, having two left feet … I could go on and on because there are just so many examples—dextrous, adroit, being right are all corollaries of the same thing.And this brings me to Left-Out Paru, written by Bijal Vachharajani and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. The protagonist of the story, Paru, is left-handed, and she is bullied for it, most particularly by her bench mate Nina. Other classmates soon join in the bullying, calling Paru names like 'Scrammy Sinistral' (I didn’t know the word sinistral, by the way, and I was happy to learn it!). Paru gets angrier and angrier, until one day, she decides to put the argument to rest with an arm-wrestling match—left-handed Paru vs right-handed Nina.Left-Out Paru addresses so many ideas I … [Read more...]
Vincent Can’t Go
We all know what it's like not to be allowed to go somewhere we really want to go. Birthday party. Sleepover. Movie. Dinner.In Vincent's case, though, it's been months since he's been allowed anywhere. Ever since his father was sent to America, his mother doesn't allow him to do tiny things he used to do. He can't even go buy blue Lays from the kirana shop.Buying blue Lays may not be such a big deal. But his best friend's birthday party is a big deal. He knows what his mother will say: 'Vincent Can't Go'. Now, however, Vincent must go. Or else will his best friend even be his best friend any longer?Vincent Can't Go by Mariyam Fatima, illustrated by Habib Ali, is a charming story about children making something happen. At the mature age of eight, surely Vincent is old enough to be doing things for himself! Without ever being cute or patronising, the story takes us through … [Read more...]
The Scent of Roses
From the author of Boy, Bear, a poignant story that has stayed with me, comes The Scent of Roses, a book about fear, grief and loss. This latest hOle book by Adithi Rao is made all the more beautiful by Krishna Bala Shenoi's brilliant illustrations.When Sajad's Abu disappears, his Mauji and Badebub try to fill the gaping hole in his life. But it isn't enough. The terrifying Bram Bram Chok takes over, pushing Sajad to act in strange and unpredictable ways. For instance, he loses his temper and shouts at Jabbar, who is fourteen years old and cannot even recite the nine-times table. He feels remorse, of course, for he knows how simple and innocent Jabbar is. But what can Sajad do to quieten Bram Bram Chok? Can he just escape?The Scent of Roses reminds us of the impossibility of running away from grief. And yet, the problem with grief is that it erupts in the most unpredictable … [Read more...]