What a charming middle-grade book!I stumbled upon Maya and the Robot completely by accident. I was looking for something by Maya Angelou, and this one showed up. It looked interesting, so I picked it up--and thoroughly enjoyed it!Maya and the Robot begins slowly. When I started reading it, I wondered if it would be a predictable story about a genius girl who finds a friend in a robot she creates because her best friends are now in another class. It is, and it isn't. For one, the story becomes far more believable because Maya doesn't create the robot from scratch all by herself. Instead, she finds one designed by an engineer at Stanford and tweaks it based on notes she finds, as well as research. For another, the story has many more layers, making it a satisfying, endearing tale.The robot Ralph drives the story. Through him, we get to know all the others, from Christopher … [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...]
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...]
A Patch of Sun, A Patch of Shade
A Patch of Sun, A Patch of Shade is an endearing story, one that I read for the first time as a manuscript that was shortlisted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award 2023, when I served as chief judge. I was curious to read it again, curious to see how the story had grown and developed through its editing journey. And I was not disappointed.Lalli and Champa come from completely different backgrounds. Yet, they're drawn to each other because they are both lonely and need a friend.As Lalli spends more time with Champa, Lalli's parents are nervous. Champa is the daughter of the coffee estate owner, while Lalli is a worker's child. Would a bond between them last?A poignantly told story, the Kannada rhymes woven into A Patch of Sun, A Patch of Shade give it a unique flavour, adding texture and detail. The emotional dynamics between Lalli and Champa ring true on every page. I … [Read more...]
A Drop of Golden Sun
I remember reading Five Children on the Western Front several years ago, and if I remember right, I enjoyed it. The idea of writing about characters I had encountered in another book was fascinating, and perhaps that was what drew me into the book in the first place.With A Drop of Golden Sun, I was intrigued by the idea of a book inspired by the making of The Sound of Music, a movie I've always loved. While the parallels are clear, author Kate Saunders writes instead about a film called The Music Makers, with the Daudet family at its centre.In many ways, A Drop of Golden Sun is an old-fashioned story. Slow paced and anecdotal, it immerses us in Jenny's world, as she and her film siblings navigate through life, the filmmaking world, and a variety of eccentric and sometimes frightening people. I thoroughly enjoyed this story with its multi-faceted characters, and I liked how the … [Read more...]
Doubles: Peace Pulao/The Forbidden Snacks Society
After Flipped, which you can read both ways, HarperCollins brings you Doubles--two stories written by two authors, based on one theme--food. Quite apart from the joy of the format, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories!Peace PulaoPeace Pulao by Vibha Batra is set in the fictitious city of Pasinabad. It tells an age-old story of rivalry, enmity and secrets--but with a twist at the end. In Vibha's signature colourful style, Peace Pulao sparkles with similes, most of which are about food. With the two young protagonists, we meet a range of characters who are larger than life, from Inspector Chulbul to the don Badke Bhaiya. High drama, humour and food come together to make this story a pacy read. The mystery is wholly satisfying, but I couldn't help wondering - what next?And this was something I felt about The Forbidden Snacks Society too!The Forbidden Snacks … [Read more...]
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
Merci is the only one in her class who lives with her whole family. Grandparents, parents, brother, cousins, aunt--they all live together. They aren't poor, perhaps, but they definitely don't go vacationing in fancy places, unlike her classmate, the popular Edna. Almost against her will, though, Merci wants Edna to like her. She wants to fit in, and in middle school, that seems more difficult than ever because suddenly, everything seems to have changed.Merci Suárez Changes Gears is a gently told story that takes us through one school term. With Merci, we experience the highs and lows of middle school, the struggles with group projects, and difficult decisions that need to be made to balance school and family. As we get to know Merci's family and schoolmates, I was impressed by how full formed each character is. Each one has quirks and a distinct personality, something that's often … [Read more...]
No Matter the Distance
No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin left me with such a mix of emotions! I almost didn't finish the book because the middle was a little draggy. But verse tends to keep me reading, and the burgeoning relationship between a girl and a dolphin was promising, so I persevered ... and I really liked how the book turned out.Penny has cystic fibrosis, which forces her to lead a life that is far from normal. Hospital visits and medication are not unusual, and what's irritating is how many people tell her that she's lucky. She's lucky to have got so far. She's lucky not to have it worse. But Penny doesn't feel lucky. Not when she's the only almost-twelve-year-old in her school sitting in hospital instead of school.The weaving together of storylines makes No Matter the Distance an interesting read. One storyline traces Penny's attempt to write a poem about what she knows about … [Read more...]
The Battle for Baramulla
The Battle for Baramulla, the latest book in the Songs of Freedom series takes us to 1947 Kashmir. The maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir wants his kingdom to remain independent. But when there are attacks from the northwest frontier, is staying independent really an option?The Battle for Baramulla begins slowly. I took a while to get into the story because the protagonist Zooni seems like a bystander, giving us a glimpse of how the world around her functions, but doing little else. One by one, we meet a range of characters, including Chandra, whose name means the same as Zooni's--the moon.It is when a pregnant Chandra returns to a charged Baramulla that the story picks up. Before we know it, we're sucked into a world of violence, terror and betrayal, and we cannot stop reading. Whom can Zooni trust? And what if her trust is misplaced?I tore through the story, caught up in … [Read more...]