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Using the familiar trope of a grandfather who loves to talk of the past, three stories centred around the tiger are narrated to the child, who is both the grandson and the reader. Two of the stories have a germ of historical fact, around which a tale is built. The third one is the old tiger myth of the Sunderbans retold. The royal, dignified, lone tiger, awe-inspiring, terrifying as well as fascinating, shines through all three stories.
Those two words are acronyms for two groups of extremely feisty and gutsy elderly people, not quite like the soft sweet cuddly grandmas and grandpas one sees in most children’s books. These elders don’t cook your favourite food or tell you stories about gods. They get out there and get things done. The little child caught in this storm is only looking for some peace and quiet in this retirement community, but that is not what he gets.
Big environmental issues like mining are not easy to make interesting for children. This book manages to do just that, because the reader identifies with the young protagonist who is not initially very aware or interested in such things, but when he is confronted with a stark reality he actually gets involved in a scheme for deflecting the impending environmental crisis in his home village and surroundings.
History Hunters: Chandragupta Maurya and the Greek Onslaught
History meets science fiction meets classic adventure story in this exciting time travel tale of a group of children and an unlikely pet finding themselves in a world 2000 years ago. Bringing the era of Alexander and the Mauryan rulers alive through the eyes of the children, it is an unusual and gripping journey through history, while also keeping the pace fast and tense, until the end.
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!
If you see patterns in clouds and creatures in the sun and moon, then you’ll love this picture book. It draws images in words and the illustrations offer various interpretations. The beautiful images, borrowing from various folk-art forms, are done in bold strokes and often challenge the words on the page. All the animals in the forest are allegorical, even the sun! Meant for all age groups, this picture book is a magical journey into our own imagination.
