I've read two books by Vibha Batra in less than a month, and I've loved them both! So many things about Kolam Kanna were utterly delightful that this review deserves to be in bullet points, highlighting everything I loved about it. The name Bharathi! The moment I learned that Bharathi is a boy's name in the story, I could not help thinking of a little boy I met in Perani (near Puducherry) ten years ago. He won't be so little anymore, but I remember his bright eyes and his curiosity. His name? Tamilbarathi.( I liked him so much that he features in my story "Dragonflies and Tablets" in Dragonflies, Jigsaws and Seashells.) Vibha's descriptions and Jemma Jose's illustrations made me imagine Bharathi, the kolam kanna of the story, in the same way.Breaking Stereotypes A boy who likes drawing kolams? Yes, please. A girl who likes to play cricket? Yes, please. And ideas brought together in … [Read more...]
In the Bear’s Den & More Adventures of Little Shambu
Life is never humdrum with Little Shambu around, and I loved this next set of adventures too! I remember reading about how the non-violence policy of Shikari Shambu ensured that he never fired a single shot. In fact, he is more a forest ranger than a hunter, and these stories about Little Shambu set the stage for a Shikari Shambu who loves animals. From saving the life of a harmless snake to meeting an officer who rescues bears, these tales featuring Little Shambu are a lovely way to introduce environment activism in young children. At the same time, the stories don’t shy away from mirroring reality, whether it is in the context of an elephant at a temple in Kerala or a rattlesnake that needs to be returned to its natural habitat. I enjoyed also how gently the idea of livelihood versus animal rights was expressed through stories like “Shooting with a Bear”. But as with Strangus … [Read more...]
Postcard from the Lushai Brigade
What a beautiful addition to the Songs of Freedom series! Reminiscent of Private Peaceful although for a younger audience, Postcard from the Lushai Brigade is the story of a pair of brothers. And just like Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful, it is told from the point of view of a younger brother who idolises the elder, and the elder seems worthy of his adulation. Young Bawiha's brother Kima is everything that is perfect--generous, caring and brave. He seems larger than life, someone whom everyone loves. Yet, Kima always has time for his younger brother, and together, the boys watch stars, play make-believe, and listen to Api's enchanting stories. But perhaps Api is right. Perhaps the sap--the white Britishers--are nothing but trouble. Maybe they need to go. Maybe their battles are not the battles of the people of India. But when Mrs McCall who lives in the big bungalow is nothing … [Read more...]
Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu
Much of my childhood was spent surrounded by Enid Blytons and Roald Dahls, Dick King-Smiths and Allen Frewin Joneses. But Tinkle stayed a favourite. I never got drawn to Chandamama or even Amar Chitra Katha mythology the way I was drawn to Tinkle. My grandfather subscribed to the magazine, and every so often, he would find a sheet of white card paper and bind several issues together to make a nice fat Tinkle volume, which we treasured. The problem with returning to beloved childhood tales, however, is that so often, they're nowhere near as lovely as you remember them to be. Enid Blyton is preachy. The Animal Ark books I loved so much have very little story. I haven't gone back to Suppandi, Shikari Shambu, Tantri the Mantri or Naseeruddin Hodja because I am afraid I will find them silly. That's the reason I postponed reading Little Shambu too. But I just did, and all the stories in … [Read more...]
Gobi Goes Viral
Gopi compares everybody around him to a vegetable. His world comprises a capsicum, a carrot, a tomato, a sweet potato ... The problem, of course, is that the moment he talks about it, he becomes Gobi, or worse, Fool Gobi. Trying to tell the bullies in class that it isn’t Fool, but Phool doesn’t help. Being bullied, however, is not the only problem Gopi faces at Primrose Academy. Even though he has got admission thanks to the RTE act, the hidden charges—for school books and the like—are crippling. If he does not pay his dues by the end of the week, he has no choice but to leave. Like the best of children’s stories, this is where a friend comes in—one who does not save the day, but instead helps Gopi save the day. Gopi’s life is worlds apart from Pari’s, but as they get to know each other, they make a plan, one that may just end up working out very differently from what they … [Read more...]
The Paper Plane Flew
Don't you love stories that come full circle? As an adult reader, I was waiting to see how the paper plane that flew would come all the way back to Mithi because it had to, didn't it? Even so, the last line of the story delighted me. Yes, I expected the last line to be The paper plane flew. Yet, the way the paper plane flew was utterly unexpected. As a child, I loved songs like 'There's a hole in my bucket' and stories about bad coins that come back to wicked people who deliberately tried to palm coins off. The Paper Plane Flew would have been one such favourite. The best part of the story is when an elephant eats the paper plane and poops it out, only to have the dung picked up and converted into paper. I had a diary made of elephant dung too, and oh! The possibilities! Like all the other Hook Books, I love the way the text plays with the illustrations. Each time the paper plane … [Read more...]
Trunk Call for Ajju
There's something special about animal stories for children. I've never had a pet and I've never worked with animals, yet I remember devouring books like the Animal Ark series. There were dozens of others too - Saddle Club, every Dick King-Smith book I could lay my hands on, stories about dolphins, whales, dogs ... Something about animals touches the heart of every child, and that's what made me love Trunk Call for Ajju. Have you ever met a child who would not want to do something to help a distressed elephant in Zimbabwe? Even if said child has no idea where Zimbabwe is, I cannot imagine a child who would not help an elephant if they could! Enter Ajju, who sees that his beloved Kini Maasi is out of sorts. It has nothing to do with him, but he soon pries out the reason--Molly, an orphaned baby elephant in Zimbabwe, needs care. The problem with needing care is that care costs money. … [Read more...]
Zen
What a book. I'm not sure I know how to begin reviewing a book as mighty as Shabnam Minwalla's Zen. It is such a compelling read that even though it's over 600 pages long, I chose to carry it with me when I travelled, instead of carrying my Kindle the way I usually do. How could I wait two whole weeks without finding out where the book would take me? Zen is the story of two Zainabs. Zainab Essaji's story is set in 1935, and it seems like her destiny is to marry the man her family chooses for her. More, she is expected to be excited about it. Zainab Currimji's story is set in 2019, and she's just trying to keep her head down while her activist friend Menka rages against injustice and discrimination. Of course, the two Zainabs are related and as we race through the gripping book, we discover both their stories. A book full of secrets, Zen is masterfully plotted and leaves us … [Read more...]
Read, Write, Race
Over two years ago, we read Hungry to Read by Arti Sonthalia at my book club. The children thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the book discussion was completely different from what I expected. I thought we would talk about stereotypes and about how judging reading speed isn't ideal ... but none of that happened. Instead, the children talked of how much they loved the book.For me, Read, Write, Race was a much more enjoyable read, but I can't help wondering how this one will go with the book club!Very recently, I realised that even older children are not familiar with dyslexia. This surprised me, as several schools I've worked with have encountered dyslexia and spoken to children about it. While I have no idea how old I was when I first encountered the word, I look forward to talking to the children about learning disabilities. With Read, Write, Race, we'll follow Raghav's journey, as he … [Read more...]
Fortunately, the Milk …
Some time ago, we read Help, My Aai Wants to Eat Me! at my book club. As planned, one of the things we did as we read the book was to make a list of pros and cons, like the protagonist Avi. Look at some of what we discussed. Out of all these ideas the last one stayed with me. When it comes to reading (and most other things), choice is key. If I want children to love books and reading, they must have the freedom to choose! Curating books is all very well, but every so often, it's important to take suggestions.And so, we chose Fortunately, the Milk ... by Neil Gaiman. It's silly, hilarious and all kinds of impossible. I know that some elements will not be every child's cup of tea, but we're going to have a lot of fun with it. It's a quick read too, which gives us all … [Read more...]
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