How does one write about a book like Mules that Fall from the Sky? As adults, we often feel the need to shelter children from anything disturbing or difficult. I wonder, though, whether it’s because we don’t want to think about these things, rather than for any other reason. Mules that Fall from the Sky is a collection of stories about animals during the war. Of course, having read Michael Morpurgo and others as a child, some of these ideas weren't new to me. Yet, Mules that Fall from the Sky forces you to take off any remnants of rose-tinted glasses you may have and see things for what they were. What happened to animals during the war? How were they treated? What about dogs that were donated to the war effort? What happened to them? This is not a book you can sit and read at one sitting simply because it is too distressing. Yet, I found myself wondering, would I have read it as … [Read more...]
October, October
We live in the woods and we are wild. That's what eleven-year-old October says, over and over, about her father and her. The woman who is her mother is not like them. She isn't wild. She left them in the forest, choosing to go closer to civilisation and live with human comforts. And October cannot forgive her for it. October, October by Katya Balen is the story of a girl brought up in the wild, far away from the human world. She thrives on stories, eagerly creating one story after another about the little treasures she finds on the forest floor. Life is perfect.Until it isn't. A unique story told from the point of view of an 11-year-old girl, October, October begins slowly, but soon draws us in. Katya Balen's words bring to life every flawed character, from October herself to her parents and her new friends. As we turn the pages, we are sucked into a story about … [Read more...]
Willodeen
Screechers. Hummingbears. Peacock snails. I’m always amazed when writers seem to effortlessly bring a fantastical world to life, and Katherine Applegate is a master at it. I came across it first in Crenshaw (one of the top 5 chapter books I read in 2020); Willodeen left me awestruck. Willodeen plays out in a world very much like our own. In some ways, it is an older world, which has a Faire, and a steam engine chugging through the woods. It stands for our world, though, and the climate crisis that threatens to crush us all. What is most striking is how the author draws us into this fantastical world. Without the details ever coming at us like an info dump, we learn every aspect of this world: from the ugly, stinky screechers that cry out at night to the gorgeous hummingbears that blow bubbles that stick to a tree. Gently, sensitively, she makes us care for the unloved. … [Read more...]
Lion of the Sky
I love historical fiction, and I love novels in verse. A middle-grade work of historical fiction in verse? I knew I wanted to read it. And Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani didn’t disappoint. Set in Sindh in August 1947, Lion of the Sky tells the story of Raj and his family, who are confused by all that is happening around them. On the one hand, India is soon to be independent. On the other hand, they hear that a line is going to be drawn through the nation, carving out a separate country for Muslims. Initially, Raj thinks that his best friend Iqbal will have to leave. Soon, however, he realises that it is not the Muslims who must leave Sindh, but the Hindus. Lion of the Sky is both heart-breaking and optimistic. When suspicions run high and we are inclined to think the worst of one another, what do we do? Do we hold on to love, kindness and hope, or do we grow angry and … [Read more...]
If Elephants Could Talk
Temple elephants. I’ve always hated the fact that they exist. I remember during a dance tour once, when everyone lined up to be blessed by the elephant. I stayed away. And like Meenakshi in If Elephants Could Talk, I didn’t say a thing. I didn’t know how to form my words or what to say. Ever since Meenakshi’s mother died, she hasn’t spoken. People make fun of her, calling her moonga, as well as all kinds of other names. Yet, Meenu can’t find her words. She cannot respond to questions in class, and she cannot answer the bullies. Through it all, her Acha is a pillar of strength, as is her Anju chechi, all the way in Delhi. With their unwavering support, Meenu finally finds a way to express herself. If Elephants Could Talk touches upon two themes close to my heart—animals and dance. And perhaps that was why I was left with so many questions. How is Meenakshi’s dance teacher, her … [Read more...]
Gossamer
What a gorgeous book! Gossamer by Lois Lowry is delicately woven, pulling at your heart strings as it takes you through a tapestry of dreams, sorrow, love and wonder. Littlest isn’t sure what she is. Is she a dog? But she doesn’t have a tail! Is she human? Her instructor Fastidious never answers her questions. Fastidious finds Littlest too curious, too full of chatter. And that's why everyone is happy when Thin Elderly begins to mentor Littlest instead, guiding her through her fluttery questions and relentless curiosity. Soon, Littlest discovers who she is--a giver of dreams. Lightly, with a gossamer touch, she runs her fingers over objects everywhere, gathering memories and stories. She weaves these together and then releases a dream, one that may make the sleeper smile and sigh. When the Sinisteeds come with their nightmares, Littlest and Thin Elderly must work harder than … [Read more...]
Beverly, Right Here
I never came across Kate DiCamillo’s work as a child. I haven’t read so many of her more famous books—not The Tale of Desperaux or Mercy Watson or any of those. I did read Because of Winn-Dixie with my book club, though, and we loved it! And now, I read Beverly, Right Here, another book that aches with tenderness and vulnerability. It takes a while to get into the story because Beverly, at the beginning, isn’t a likeable character. Life has taught her to shield herself from love because things you love go away. Like her dog Buddy. The story opens with her burying Buddy and deciding that there’s nothing left for her in her town. So she gets a ride—with someone she doesn’t like—and strides off into an unknown future with no plans and no money. And Beverly, right here, begins to discover herself. Determined not to commit to anything, Beverly refuses to think about anything … [Read more...]
Bipathu and a Very Big Dream
Bipathu often has the same dream. A dream where she, her Ikka Saad, and Hrithik Roshan are playing football. But dreams don’t come true, do they? Especially not very big dreams like this one? As we read the story, we find out! Bipathu and a Very Big Dream is about dreams, reality, and everything in between. All kinds of special relationships blossom in the story, and the most precious one of all, to my mind, is the one between Bipathu and her neighbour, whom everyone calls Madama. Madama has strange notions about how the universe comes to help people, and much to her surprise, Bipathu realises that Madama isn’t entirely wrong. The universe takes multiple forms, though. Sometimes, it even takes the form of a wounded puppy, one that leads to the spark of another unusual relationship. From gender stereotypes to bullying and disability, Bipathu and a Very Big Dream addresses very … [Read more...]
Ammini Against the Storm
Ammini Against the Storm is a reflection of the world we live in, a world where the urban rich are immune to the raging storms that destroy the lives of the poor. Ammini’s parents work hard to send her to a private school so that she can rise above her circumstances and be something other than a farmer. Even as we learn about Ammini's family and their ambitions, we hear the wryness of the narrative voice. This is a system where the farmers, without whom we cannot survive, are on the bottom rung of the ladder, and the only way for them to survive is to climb. Through Ammini, we experience both anger and vulnerability. When everyone grows paddy, Ammini’s father gets a fraction of the expected price for his crop. Why shouldn’t he move to cash crops like everyone else? Why should he and the other farmers, rather than the rich elite, be responsible for maintaining the … [Read more...]
Circus Mirandus
I remember the first time I came across the idea that you have to believe in magic for it to be real. I remember my skin tingling, and a kind of excited joy making my hair stand on end. That's the mood Circus Mirandus creates, although I'm no longer a child reading about magic for the first time. Micah's grandfather is dying, and it's on his deathbed that Micah learns something impossible: all the stories his grandfather told him about the magical Circus Mirandus are true. Micah's grandfather Ephraim really did go to a magical circus, and the Man Who Bends Light offered him a miracle. Ephraim saved the offer for a rainy day, and it's on his deathbed that he knows it's time. Time to ask the Lightbender for his miracle. Micah is sure that the miracle will save his beloved grandfather. But his great aunt Gertrudis wants nothing to do with those nonsensical stories. So Micah must … [Read more...]
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