I read Boy 87 by Ele Fountain several years ago, and it stayed with me. Stark, powerful, frightening--I still remember the mood it left me with.And Wild is no different.Jack is a bundle of rage and resentment. His mother never had time for him. Why should anything change? Why must he suddenly forge a relationship with her when the only person he wants to be with is gone? Bubbling with frustration, he doesn't care what he does. If it means getting into trouble at school, so be it.Full of raw energy and power, each page of Wild pulses with Jack's anger, and the anticipation just keeps building as we read on. We dread what he will do next, terrified at everything that could go wrong.And yet, just like Boy 87, Wild is, ultimately, a story of courage and hope, of doing the right thing. Jack is lost but perhaps he can find his way again. And maybe he isn't as alone as he … [Read more...]
The Case of the Vanishing Gods
I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, and that is what makes it all the more remarkable how well the M4 series by Mallika Ravikumar works for me. I read The Case of the Mysterious Witches some time ago, and it left a powerful impression on me. The Case of the Vanishing Gods was no different.The story begins with a simple robbery--Mrs Shenoy's jewellery is stolen, and along with it, an antique idol. Malhar, a fan of detective stories, is determined to find the criminal, and soon, he ropes in his sister Meera. However, two urban kids living in a bubble of privilege have little experience of a murky world where innocent people are jailed and beaten. Enter Mirchi, who might not be able to read well but certainly knows the ways of the world. With the dog Munna, we have the M4 who dip their toes into a theft and find themselves neck deep in a racket far bigger than they imagined.What I … [Read more...]
Foxlight
Foxlight is my third book by Katya Balen, and it's just as wondrous as the others! The beauty of the book begins with the title--Foxlight. I can imagine it perfectly--the mixture of orange and red, neither night nor day, elusive and special.And elusive and special is exactly how the characters in the story, Fen and Rey, see their past. They can't put their finger on it. They don't know their story. They must step out and find it, even if it means venturing into the terrifying wildness.Foxlight is a search for identity and belonging. Although Fen and Rey have each other, they long for more. At the Light House, which takes in abandoned babies, everyone has a story. Everyone except them. They have nothing but a charcoal sketch of a fox from their mother. No letter, no name, nothing. So Fen creates stories and dreams of being free and wild. Rey tries to grow plants in unforgiving … [Read more...]
Unlocked
I’ve read both Flat-Track Bullies and Pops! by Balaji Venkataramanan, but Unlocked is the one I like best! Tanvi Bhat’s illustrations make the reader linger on the pages long after we’ve read the words, delighting in the detail.When Ravi has to go stay with his grandfather, he isn’t best pleased. His grandfather’s house reminds him of a hospital. But in just a few words over the course of the story, a lovely relationship blossoms between grandfather and grandson. In the gentlest way possible, Ravi’s grandfather prepares the child for the inevitable. Life is like a game of snakes and ladders. Sometimes, he’s climbing a ladder; sometimes he’s sliding down a snake. Childlike delight, worry and love shine through the pages making Unlocked a beautiful read, one that handles the difficult topic of death with gentleness and warmth. And like with nearly every Hook … [Read more...]
On Air with RJ Rini
As a child, I was quite the chatterbox. I remember my cousin offering me five rupees if I could stay quiet for five minutes. I spent all of those five minutes asking if five minutes were over. Needless to say, I never earned those five rupees.And that’s why a character like Rini is particularly endearing. She isn’t just a chatterbox; she is a chatter-machine. But like so many other children who enjoy the sound of their own voice, she doesn’t quite remember to listen, to pay attention to what those around her might want.On Air with RJ Rini is a charming story about a girl who realises that becoming a radio jockey is the perfect career choice for her. When her best friend Uma isn’t nearly as excited about the prospect, Rini is confused. Why is Uma unhappy? It takes Gaga—aka Gayatri Aunty—to help her solve the mystery of the sulking best friend.I thoroughly enjoyed the … [Read more...]
Rocket Champs
Rocket Champs by Niyatee Sharma is perfect for young readers who enjoy stories about STEM. It follows the timeless enemies-to-friends trope in a fun, believable way. I look forward to introducing this quick read to my book clubbers! Here's what we'll do as we read. Things Going Wrong Arjun feels like everything's going wrong. His mother has banned experiments at home. Worse, he has to team up with the most annoying girl in school for a science project! At my book club, we'll use this as the prompt for a couple of exercises. One - how many synonyms do you know for the word "annoying"? And two, what does the most annoying day in the world look like to you? Write a journal entry! Experiments While I would have loved to make a rocket with my book clubbers, it's challenging to do it online! I can't monitor their experiments well, and … [Read more...]
The Pink Dress
The Pink Dress is such a delightful book! Just like so many other books I've read by Shabnam Minwalla, it is hilarious and fun, while also addressing bigger themes, including class divides and education.Here's what we'll do as we read this book at my book club next month! Presents As The Pink Dress is the first book we will be reading next month, it will be a good time to get to know one another. Let's talk about presents! What is the best gift you have ever received? Who gave it to you? And is there something that you want that your parents refuse to get for you? Word Games There are lots of words in the book that my book clubbers may not know. So, I'll ask them to look through the book and play a little game. Find three words you don't know and ask someone else to spell them. A little competition always creates a fun way to pay … [Read more...]
A Time to Dance
I went back to a novel in verse after a long time with A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman. It's a lovely tale of grit and ambition, about finding one's path and learning what it is to be a dancer. More than once, I had a pebble in my throat as I read Veda's story of discovery and rejoiced in the way she discovers and defines herself.Veda's mother doesn't want her to dance. She would rather her daughter spent time on more useful, lucrative things, like mathematics. But Veda knows what she wants, and her father and grandmother support her, celebrating her wins and urging her towards excellence.And then, Veda suffers a nightmarish accident. She wakes up to discover that her leg has been amputated from the knee down. Her dreams come crashing down around her, and worst of all, her dance teacher Uday Anna counsels her to choose another path.What follows is a journey of … [Read more...]
Horton Halfpott
A hero who refuses to step out of line, even though he is employed by the worst sort of people. A nefarious, wickeder than wicked set of villains. A bumbling, larger-than-life detective. Bring them together, and you get a rollicking, delightful mystery story.From the moment I looked at the cover, I was curious--because Horton Halfpott is just one of three wordy titles. It is Horton Halfpott or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or The Loosening of M'lady Luggertuck's Corset. I had to read the book!Arguably, the loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's corset starts the whole story off. A precious heirloom is stolen. A famous detective is summoned. And Horton Halfpott falls in love.The range of unlikely events coming together in this hilarious book makes it a fun, unpredictable read, bringing to mind writers like Roald Dahl and David Walliams. Brief chapters add pace to the … [Read more...]
Mondays Are Murder
I used to read a lot of Tanya Landman when I was a member of the British Library. I remember Apache, Hell and High Water and The Goldsmith's Daughter, but I feel I've read more! Recently, at Kahaani Box, I found Mondays Are Murder, and even though I don't usually pick up murder mysteries, I picked it up because it was by Tanya Landman ... and I wasn't disappointed!Poppy Fields is off camping on a remote Scottish island. But one by one, all the camping instructors start dropping dead. Could it be a ghost? A series of accidents? Or murder?I don't think I've read any other murder mysteries for this age group, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. For one, unlike most other books in the genre, it wasn't a thick volume with detail after detail that the reader must remember. It's all of 107 pages of action and adventure.For another, I am not a fan of gore or any graphic details, and … [Read more...]