Three hOle Books

Who doesn’t love a hole in a book? I love the idea of the hole, and I do wish it were possible to make the holes part of every illustration! I’m sure the illustrator would probably find that rather restrictive, but even so, I delighted in each picture that used the hole in some way.

Petu Pumpkin: Tooth Troubles

What if you really need a football and the only person who can get you one is the tooth fairy? And then, what if the tooth fairy bargains with you and says that a football is worth at least two teeth and not just one?

I chuckled as I read Petu Pumpkin: Tooth Troubles and could picture so much of it as the kind of cartoon I would have watched as a child! The very correct, very polite letters to the tooth fairy; the joy of a fallen tooth; the conviction that a tooth deserves some sort of payment … What fun the book was!

Big Bully and M-Me

Krish’s teacher, the fun Dennis the Menace, decides to organise an extempore event for all his students. But Krish has a stammer and hates the idea of speaking in public. Worse still, Big Bully Ishaan, who makes enough fun of him anyway, is to be his partner. When the children have to read aloud, Krish usually escapes to the toilet. But this time, if his parents are going to be invited, he knows he has no choice. He can’t escape when it is his turn. He’s going to have to try, at the very least.

Big Bully and M-Me is a sweet book with a clear message. Yet, like all good books, the story transcends the message, making everything hang together as a cohesive whOle (couldn’t resist that one!).

Susie Will Not Speak

I loved Susie Will Not Speak – it’s my favourite hOle book so far! I like the characters and the relationships they share, and I love how the story progresses. Jahan and Susie make the story what it is!

Susie Will Not Speak is about another kind of speech issue – a lisp. Susie’s name makes her situation even more unfortunate. Everyone makes fun of her; some kids even have a song they made up to taunt her. The only solution Susie can find is to stop talking altogether, which is what she does. No matter how hard they try, no one can get her to change her mind. What can her best friend Jahan do?