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A journey in the dark to an evening of traditional theatre turns out to be quite the adventure for five children and a puppy. The pages in this wordless tale are brilliantly lit by the illustrations where the children, led by the three girls, encounter fears as they make their way through the jungles, fields and wetlands of the Majuli island. A sterling example of a deeply contextual story that echoes universal themes and values while not losing a sense of adventure and fun.
A tale for today’s troubled times, where the entire neighbourhood comes together to help a boy who breaks a toy that he used to ride the streets. The sense of movement, speed and joy of the boy as he whizzes through the neighbourhood are superbly captured in snapshots from different vantage points in this wordless book. The strong theme of fraternity is held easily but firmly in this breezy and beautifully illustrated book.
A fun picture book about a monster or jokhini, sourced from Assamese folklore, but given a modern twist. The central character of Jokhu is wildly illustrated and perhaps the idea is that scary monsters need not always be either feared or defeated, but can also be befriended. The little girl who becomes friends with Jokhu is unshaken and fearless. But even as a friend Jokhu is not entirely tamed in the end! And that is good!
Online Encounters and More – 12 Teenage Stories
This book fills an important gap, that of reading material for teenagers that is about their lives as they lead them today, surrounded by technology, stark economic inequalities, and fast changing social norms and priorities. The stories depict teenagers from different strata of Indian society, girls and boys, urban and rural, rich and poor. Real issues are dealt with without preaching or judgements, and real dilemmas are presented frankly.
The book addresses the all-pervasive topic of skin colour in India. The delightful illustrations present a whole palette of skin tones by associating the shades to all kinds of things around us. Did you realise that biscuits come in all kinds of skin colour? The rhymes accompanying the illustrations challenge gender stereotypes, bring in unusual professions and children who dream big.
A little girl, Kadalamma, learns of the secrets of the sea as she takes a shorewalk with her fisherman grandfather, Palayam. This book is illustrated with photographs of life and living on the seashore and has an insider’s view of the deep relationship that communities share with the sea and all the life in it. The sensitivity and voice of the narrative, the depth of content and excellent images make the book a wonderful example of narrative non-fiction.
This picture book explores the journey of a young woman scientist finding her place in the world. The secrets of plants intrigue her as much as she continues to struggle with loneliness, often baffled in an unkind world. The illustrations capture the sense of her discovery that mustard plants that grew up with unrelated plants tended to help each other as much as they tell the story of her self-discovery. A book for all children who love asking questions about the world and themselves.
Chitty – A Dog and Her Forest Farm
Chitty is a dog who is taken from the streets of Pune to a life in a forest farm in the Western Ghats. We are introduced to her world at the farm, her growing years, her adventures and her deep, abiding relationship with Serow. The illustrations bring this green, wet, funny, scary world alive. The sensitive portrayal of Chitty’s passing is a mediation on the nature of life that is such a rare opportunity for children to relate to it in writing.
