Some picture books make you smile page after page, and I Am Hachi is one of them. Told from the point of view of a dog, it's an adorable story that explores the unique relationship between animals and their humans. Hachi has a dozen names--Hachiko, Himu, Chimuna, and so many more. And his story is one of innocence, trust and love. His life is like a journey through four seasons. In spring, he is a bundle of curiosity and bubbling with energy. As we move through summer, autumn and winter, we see him aging, but secure in the comfort of his home and his family. What I loved most about the story is the voice. We hear Hachi's voice and the way in which he makes sense of the world around him. He knows exactly what phrases like bahar chalte hain and nahai-nahai mean. He loves the first and hates the second! And yet, he's full of contradictions and idiosyncrasies. He hates having a … [Read more...]
The Girl Who Became a Buddha
What is it like to be the mother of one who gets enlightenment? How does one watch a young prince walk away from responsibilities towards something impractical and incomprehensible? The Girl Who Became a Buddha is a beautiful story that shifts the spotlight from Siddhartha to Pajapati, his foster mother. Author Maria Denjongpa creates vivid pictures of Pajapati, a feisty, rebellious girl who grows to be a queen and dares to ask questions. She is one who eventually seeks (and finds) enlightenment herself. As I read The Girl Who Became a Buddha, I was drawn into Pajapati's world. I love that her spiritual journey--and that of others in the story--is never once preachy. On the contrary, we meet practitioners of all kinds. A courtesan may be drawn to Buddha's path just as much as a queen. Every human is a bundle of contradictions and flaws, searching for answers in their own way. … [Read more...]
Hope in the Valley
The blurb of Hope in the Valley speaks of how the book is a tale of "growing up in Silicon Valley at a time when immigrants are looked at with suspicion". With news coming in from all over the world--and most recently from Belfast--I can't help wondering, how much has changed? How is it that a book set almost fifty years ago is still relevant today? Hope in the Valley is a layered story told from the point of view of the youngest of three siblings, Pandita Paul. Pandita doesn't want things to change. She doesn't want the house across the street to be demolished, and she doesn't feel set for middle school, especially now that her erstwhile best friend is friends with trendy Katrina Reed. She certainly doesn't want to join drama camp, but when it's something her father asks her to do for him, what can she say? The various threads of the story are beautifully woven together to bring … [Read more...]
‘Carri-On’, Ruddy!
I remember the first time I visited Tadoba. Our guide, Vishwas, told us that being a forest guide is much like being a detective. You have to listen, look for detail, pay attention, and follow the clues. And the ruddy mongoose in the story--a naturalist and a sleuth--does just that. As with Sea ice? Now you don't!, the depth and breadth of research took my breath away. Page after page, I was awestruck by everything Rohan Chakravarty and his sleuth Naturalist Ruddy draw our attention to. Birds, spiders, ants, lizards--everything catches Ruddy's eye, and everything becomes a marvellous mystery for us to uncover. Parts of the book invite the reader to engage in an investigation with Ruddy, revealing gems of information in the best possible way. As an educator, I'm constantly on the lookout for texts that make nonfiction writing fun. I've worked with Sad Animal Facts and How Do … [Read more...]
Becoming Naomi León
Some time ago, I read about how searching for belonging creates among the most powerful children's stories. Time and time again, that rings true. Becoming Naomi León is the story of a young girl and her brother Owen, who are being raised by their Gram. As with Foxlight, Naomi has dreams of how her mother does want her, will want her, will shower her with love, and bring her family. As expected, Naomi's mother does turn up. But she's nothing like Naomi imagined. She's unpredictable, alternately showing love and blazing in anger. Worst of all, her mother wants Naomi, but not Owen. What is Naomi to do? Becoming Naomi León is a beautiful story of courage, love, and making difficult choices. Can Naomi live up to her name and become the lion she is? Can she stand firmly in support of what she wants, even though being abandoned led to selective mutism that she continues to struggle … [Read more...]
Don’t Get Inspired; Get Mad!
What a wonderful, empowering session we had with Venita Coelho! In her signature energetic, passionate style, she made us think about what makes us angry and how we can channel that anger. Inspiration is often quite useless because we have to sit around waiting for it. It's out of our control, and because it's totally unreliable. What works instead? Anger.It's powerful, it's honest, and it shows us the way. With short exercises and examples of great writers who've used their anger to create brilliant, memorable works of literature, we started writing. What I appreciated most was the emphasis on the fact that we don't all have to write stories. How will we convey what we want to say while also being entertaining? Do we make reels? Rap songs? Cartoons? Comics? They're all forms of storytelling! We spoke of Dickens and Orwell, Saadat Hasan Manto and Arundhati Roy. But the … [Read more...]
Wild
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...]
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