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Category: Specials

This fall’s book haul

Posted on by malika

Yes, we have made it to September, said goodbye to ‘hot girl summer’ and prepared ourselves for the lazy season. But before you go asking people to wake you up when September ends, you have to see all the amazing book releases you’d miss if you chose the Sleeping Beauty life. Our latest literary haul has the potential to keep you occupied until next fall. If you take our advice into consideration, we’d suggest you settle down with a strong cup of your favourite caffeinated beverage instead, because you’re going to want to stay awake for this months reading recommendations.

 

The Elephant in the Womb||Kalki Koechlin

The Elephant in the Womb

Motherhood is the greatest job in the world…right?

In this unique graphic narrative, we finally have that candid, funny and relatable book on pregnancy and parenting that mothers, expectant mothers, and anyone even thinking about motherhood have been waiting for. Actor and writer Kalki Koechlin opens up about so much that we don’t talk about-the social stigma of abortions and unmarried pregnancies, the toll that pregnancy takes on a body, the unacknowledged domestic labour of women, the emotional rollercoaster of giving birth, bouts of postpartum melancholy, the unsolicited parenting advice from every corner, and of course the innumerable moments of joy and delight in bringing a real little person into this very weird world.

With whimsy and compassion, with uproariously funny art and spellbinding honesty, The Elephant in the Womb blends the deeply private with the blazingly political. It’s an eye-opener for anyone who has ever thought that pregnancy was all about the glow and that motherhood was all about fulfilment. From fixing broken parts to enduring untimely farts, Koechlin’s nuanced prose-gorgeously illustrated by Valeriya Polyanychko-tells us the bare-faced truth about the physiological discomfort and manic expectations that make it a bittersweet experience.

With a combination of personal essays and think-pieces, journal entries captured in real time, reflections and anecdotes, this is the motherload!

 

The Blind Matriarch||Gokhale Namita

The Blind Matriarch

The blind matriarch, Matangi-Ma, lives on the topmost floor of an old house with many stories. From her eyrie, she hovers unseeingly over the lives of her family. Her long-time companion Lali is her emissary to the world. Her three children are by turn overprotective and dismissive of her. Her grandchildren are coming to terms with old secrets and growing pains. Life goes on this way until one day the world comes to a standstill-and they all begin to look inward.

This assured novel records the different registers in the complex inner life of an extended family. Like
the nation itself, the strict hierarchy of the joint-family home can be dysfunctional, and yet it is this home that often provides unexpected relief and succour to the vulnerable within its walls.

As certainties dissolve, endings lead to new beginnings. Structured with the warp of memory and the weft of conjoined lives, the narrative follows middle India, even as it records the struggles for individual growth, with successive generations trying to break out of the stranglehold of the all-encompassing Indian family.

Ebbing and flowing like the waves of a pandemic, the novel is a clear-eyed chronicle of the tragedies of India’s encounter with the Coronavirus, the cynicism and despair that accompanied it, and the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

 

On a Wing and a Prayer||Kushal M Choksi

On A Wing and a Prayer

What would you do if your life turned upside down overnight?

Witnessing the devastation of 9/11 before his eyes and narrowly escaping death, Kushal’s life was never going to be the same again. Suddenly, all his pursuits felt meaningless and he felt a void within him like he had never felt before-until one day, when he reluctantly decided to spend an afternoon with a spiritual master in New York City.

From being a Wall Street trader immersed in the material world to embarking on a quest to find answers to life’s biggest questions, Kushal Choksi writes about his doubts, struggles and revelations on a spiritual path as a left-brained sceptic.

On a Wing and a Prayer is one such (true) account of one man finding himself on a fifteen-year long journey shadowing the spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

The Lovers of Rampore||Ashok Chopra

The Lovers of Rampore

In The Lovers of Rampore, Ashok Chopra delves into the many mysterious forms of love thus introducing a mystic quality to the everyday lives of his characters. From the thrills of lust to the joys and fears of genuine commitment, to the exploration of desire and dispassion that exist in all relationships, this is the story of love in all its different manifestations.

Raja Rajvendra Veer Bahadur Singh married Rani Padmakshi Devi Singh, a woman thirty-three years younger to him, after losing his first wife. Theirs is a love built on respect, trust and the desire to support each other against all odds. In Rampore, their son, the dashing Yuvraj, is curiously averse to the very ideals his parents’ marriage embodies, choosing instead the path of instant gratification. In Mumbai, we’re introduced to Vikram Desai-an enigmatic architect whose principles, charm and persona change the course of all those whom he interacts with.

Ashok Chopra weaves a contemporary Bayeux tapestry of richly detailed stories which are mature, slow-burning and strum with a quiet passion that cuts across class, gender, and age, fundamentally altering the way we perceive love. In doing so, he also challenges society’s archaic understanding of the bonding between people.

 

10 Steps to the Boardroom||G.S. Rattan

10 Steps to the Boardroom

There is no linear path to reach the top. In today’s day and age, when there is so much competition and nepotism that is being spoken about, one has to wonder: Does talent and merit have a chance? In my opinion, they do. So how does one knock on the door of success and reach the boardroom?

This book takes you through the crucial ten steps you need to climb as you progress in your career to reach the top via the author’s own personal journey. Each chapter deals with one specific quality that a CEO is required to have and is accompanied with a worksheet next to it that will help you chart your growth. Peppered with wisdom and experience, each story will help you understand the implications of your decisions and the right career stage that one should look at making a move. An absolute must-have for anyone looking to make a mark in their corporate career.

 

The Battle of Rezang La||Kulpreet Yadav

The Battle of Rezang La

On 18 November 1962, the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, fought a Chinese attack at Rezang La Pass in Ladakh, India. The company comprised 120 soldiers and was led by Maj. Shaitan Singh. Of these soldiers, 110 were martyred in the attack.

The Indian search party, which visited the battlefield on 10 February 1963, made a startling discovery-the frozen bodies of the men who had died were still holding guns in their hands, having taken bullets on their chests. One PVC (Param Vir Chakra), eight VCs (Vir Chakras), four SMs (Sena Medals) and one M-in-D (Mentioned-in-Dispatches) were awarded to the soldiers of the Charlie Company, making it one of the highest decorated companies of the Indian Army to this day. The valour of the Charlie Company not only successfully stopped China’s advance, but it also resulted in the Chushul airport being saved, thereby preventing a possible Chinese occupation of the entire Ladakh region in 1962. According to reports, a total of 1300 Chinese soldiers were killed trying to capture Rezang La. The Charlie Company was an all-Ahir company, and most of the soldiers who fought the battle at 18,000 feet came from the plains of Haryana. The Battle of Rezang La is their story.

 

Yogiplate||Radhavallabha Das

Yogiplate: The Basics of Sattvik

Ayurvedic diet varies by body type, a person’s nature, their lifestyle and the food they grew up eating. Nobody knows that better than Radhavallabha Das, who cooked for thousands of devotees and monks at the ISKCON ashram in Mumbai and the adjoining Govinda’s restaurant.

In Yogiplate, he teaches us how to identify our unique body type, lists the vegetables, fruits, grains and spices that will suit us, and e xplains how sāttvic food nourishes the body, mind and inner soul. Written in a conversational style, Radhavallabha shows us how to pair the correct ingredients, avoid the ones that are harmful to us, and focus on the oil, salt and water that we use for cooking.

This book will teach you how to tailor a unique diet that will form the foundation of a happy and healthy life.

 

The Unforgiving City and Other Stories||Vasudhendra

The Unforgiving City and Other Stories

From the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi winner Vasudhendra comes a powerful collection of stories that shock, move and amuse by turns. As the characters struggle to find their feet in a fast-changing India, they mirror our unspoken dilemmas, torn loyalties and the loss of innocence.

In the extremely popular ‘Red Parrot’, an innocuous image from childhood returns to haunt a man when he visits his idyllic hometown. In ‘Recession’, the desire for a child leads a couple down unexpected paths. In other stories, a young woman in love rethinks her future when buried family secrets are suddenly revealed; a boy learns that insomnia may be the symptom of something more ominous; lonely apartment residents discover the thrills and perils of social media.

Deftly crafted with gentle wit and a lightness of touch, each gripping story exposes the deepest contradictions of modern life. The fluid translation retains the flavour and nuances of the original Kannada, creating a rich reading experience.

 

Sita||Bhanumathi Narasimhan

Sita

Sita, the beloved princess of Mithila, is one of the most revered women in Indian history; so well known, yet probably the least understood. At every crossroad of her life, she chose acceptance and grace over self-pity. Her life was filled with sacrifice yet wherever she was, there was abundance. It was as if she was carved out of an intense longing for Rama, yet she had infinite patience. In every situation she reflected his light and he reflected her love.

In her, we find someone who is so divine yet so human.

In this poignant narration, Bhanumathi shows us the world through the eyes of Sita. We think what Sita thinks, we feel what she feels, and for these few special moments, we become a part of her. And perhaps, through this perspective, and Sita’s immortal story, we will discover the true strength of a woman.

 

Passionate About Baking||Deeba Rajpal

Passionate about Baking: Everything Chocolate

A home baker for over 20 years, food stylist and photographer Deeba Rajpal put her passion to the test when she decided to blog about her adventures in the kitchen. Soon, her simple yet delectable dessert recipes accompanied by beautiful, evocative imagery struck a chord with people across the globe, turning her blog, Passionate about Baking, into one of the most popular blogs in the country.

Inspired by her blog, this book is a collection of some of her most loved chocolate dessert recipes for every kind of indulgence. With healthy, tasty yet easy-to-make chocolate delights — from tarts, tea cakes and cupcakes to cookies, traybakes and cakes for special occasions — and simple tips and tricks, Deeba shows you how working with chocolate can be oh so fun!

 

Good Genes Gone Bad||Narendra Chirmule

Good Genes Gone Bad

The field of biotechnology has evolved over the past four decades, developing medicines which are curing diseases. But this journey of success has been tough and arduous, built upon the shoulders of major failures.
Good Genes Gone Bad highlights seven such colossal failures in drug development-all of which culminated in the development of novel drugs-weaving together various analogies through the stories and thus allowing the reader to understand complex biological phenomena. These stories include treatment of medical conditions such as genetic clotting disorder (haemophilia), childhood-diarrhoea (rotavirus vaccine), preventing HIV infection, activation of the immune systems to treat cancer, gene therapy for treatment of diseases caused by gene-defects/mutations, cell therapy for treatment of leukaemias, and finally the success of Biocon’s approval of the first biologic drug for breast cancer.
Written by the former R&D head of Biocon, India’s largest pharmaceutical company, Good Genes Gone Bad is a fascinating look at the complex world of medicine and drug development, providing the readers with a sense of magnitude of challenges and the extent of difficulty that it takes to make novel medicines.

 

Economist Gandhi||Jaithirth Rao

Economist Gandhi

The Political Economy of the Mahatma, Its Roots and Relevance.

This book is a refreshing take on Gandhi’s economic philosophy. It provides insights into the hidden facet of Gandhi’s personality, and his thoughts on economics and capitalism. The book captures aspects of Gandhi’s thinking usually missed by those who are sure they know Gandhi.

This is probably the first book on Gandhi that claims that Gandhi was not against business and capitalists. In fact, the author maintains that Gandhi was a Baniya by caste, and this is what explains Gandhi’s positive approach towards business, trade and wealth.

 

 

 

Kathmandu Dilemma||Ranjit Rae

Kathmandu Dilemma

The first two decades of the new millennium have witnessed a dramatic socio-political transformation of Nepal. A violent Maoist insurgency ended peacefully, a new constitution abolished the monarchy and established a secular federal democratic republic. Nevertheless, political stability and a peace dividend have both remained
elusive. Nepal is also buffeted by changing geopolitics, including the US-China contestation for influence
and the uneasy relationship between India and China.

As a close neighbour, India has been deeply associated with the seminal changes in Nepal, and the bilateral relationship has seen many twists and turns. Partly a memoir, this book examines India’s perspective on these developments, in the context of the civilizational and economic underpinnings of the India-Nepal
relationship, as well as issues that continue to prevent this relationship from exploiting its full potential. Though there are several Nepalese accounts that deal with this subject, there are few from an Indian point of view. Kathmandu Dilemma fills this gap.

 

A Thousand Cuts||T.J. Joseph

A Thousand Cuts: An Innocent

In 2010, T.J. Joseph, a professor of Malayalam at Newman College, Kerala, framed an innocuous question for an internal examination that changed his life forever. Following a trumped-up charge of blasphemy, members of a radical Islamist organization set upon him in public, viciously maiming him and chopping off his right hand. His memoir, told with amazing restraint and wry humour, is the moving tale of his life and family as they went through hell and beyond. Here’s the extraordinary story of a man who survived dismembering only to be betrayed by his
own Church. Let alone stand by him, it robbed him of his livelihood and isolated him from his community, driving Joseph’s long-suffering wife to melancholia and eventual suicide. Joseph’s story is one of fortitude, will power, forgiveness and compassion, told with rare wit that will make readers chuckle through their tears.
This is a tale that will leave the reader seething, weeping and smiling by turns.

 

Eternal Echoes||Sadhguru

Eternal Echoes

Beautifully designed, Eternal Echoes is a compilation of poems by Sadhguru between the time period of 1994 and 2021. These poems cover every aspect of his life and travels. There are poems on nature, environment, human nature, the experiences, and resonances he has felt during these three decades and many more. These poems seem simple at first. However, as one reads, one begins to understand the hidden layers within. The words and meanings linger on…

This book is a very special collector’s item for all the followers of Sadhguru that they can savour for years to come. It is also perfect as a gift to loved ones

Getting to know A.A. Jafri

Posted on by malika

A.A. Jafri was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. He is an economist by day and a writer by night. Of Smokeless Fire is his first novel.

We caught up with him and asked him a few questions that really intrigued us. Keep reading to find out his answers.

~

Of Smokeless Fire FC
Of Smokeless Fire||A.A. Jafri

Of Smokeless Fire was your first published book, was it also your first attempt at writing one?

I started writing from a very early age, first with poetry and then short stories in Urdu. Initially, I think it was an exercise in self-discovery, a stream of consciousness experience without much structure or order. This novel was the first time I wrote in a serious, sustained way. So, yes, this is my first attempt at writing with the hope of getting my work published.

 

How was writing this book as an experience for you? Do you plan on writing and publishing more works in the future?

For me, writing Of Smokeless Fire has been a joyous journey. It has given me a sense of perspective, a place to give voice to my thoughts, memories, and reflections. Writing this novel has also been an incredibly cathartic experience, providing me with the means to revisit Pakistan’s complicated history and delve into the aftermath of the partition of India that my parents’ generation experienced. By creating and recreating characters and situations, it has helped me frame some uncomfortable questions.

As for the future, I’m writing a prequel to Of Smokeless Fire, imagining the life Noor ul Haq, one of the novel’s protagonists in the story, led in pre-partition India. What made him who he was? And why was the sense of belonging and displacement so pronounced in his life? While my present novel, among other things, explores the relationship between Noor and his son Mansoor, the prequel examines Noor’s relationship with his father.

 

You’re an economist who deals with facts and figures all day, what compelled you to write fiction?

Behind facts and figures, there are always stories of human beings—how people live, how they scrape a living, and how they die. I have always questioned the way professional economists have dealt with human problems. My interest in economics has always been related to issues of poverty and economic development. John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath about how families got uprooted by the Great Depression. Charles Dickens’s Hard Times is about the social and economic conditions of the early industrial age and how it dehumanized workers. Fiction sometimes explains economics better than professional economists. I often imagine the “what-ifs” of policies. Although my novel raises questions about alienation and belonging, I hope it also reveals deep-seated economic issues and issues of class and gender in our society. I’m compelled to write the human interest behind these issues.

 

Is the story in fact, purely fiction, or are there bits and pieces drawn from life and experience? 

I can’t envision any story as solely fiction; it has to emulate lived experiences and invent replications. My novel is, of course, a fabrication, but it also draws from people I met or knew or heard about, the conversations I eavesdropped on, the fleeting encounters with strangers, the myths I grew up with, the rumors that circulated. I have tried to retrieve all those memories—real or fantastic—and applied them to a concocted reality, imagining the what-ifs and trying the why-not. The change of fortunes in Joseph’s and Mehrun’s lives—the servants’ children—in Of Smokeless Fire is fictitious but inspired by stories of real people who broke out of the cycle of grinding poverty.

 

The lines from the Qur’an that serve as an epigraph to Part I of the book are rather significant. What made the ‘djinn’ so central to your plot while you conceptualised your story?

I grew up listening to stories about djinns and reading about their existence in the Qur’an. I knew many who believed in a literal interpretation of djinns, while others explained them metaphorically. Opinions about the sacred often become such a steadfast belief that no amount of fact or logic can shake that certainty. Even followers from the same faith have conflicting views about such beliefs. It is like you are speaking a different language in the chaos of contrasting opinions. I felt that such disjunctions needed to be told in a story. So often, disparate explanations create an interesting plot, bringing in contradictions, contempt, and cruelty. I wanted to capture all that in my novel.

In my story, Noor explains what the word djinn means. It is something hidden, the part of everyone’s self that’s concealed, even from our own selves. According to him, one needs to discover that reality. He tells his son that if he finds his inner djinn, he will find his true self. My book explores the internal struggle that one has with oneself.

All about history: An interview with the queen of children’s historical fiction, Devika Rangachari

Posted on by ronjini

Devika Rangachari is an award-winning author of several historical fiction books for children. Her book Queen of Fire came out in April this year. It brings to vivid life the interior life of Lakshmibai, the nineteenth-century queen of Jhansi, thrust into a position she does not desire but must assume, and of her son, who is cowed by the challenges he has to face but determined to live up to his mother’s courage.

We recently got the chance to ask her some questions about her enthusiasm for writing for children and the challenges involved, how she decides on her protagonists and her favourite historians. Read on to find out her answers!

 

  1. Queen of Ice, Queen of Earth, and now, Queen of Fire, we are sensing a pattern here. Is there a specific reason why we see you writing about queens in Indian history? How do you decide who’s going to be the protagonist of your next book? 

 

A word about these three books, to begin with. Queen of Ice is the story of Didda who ruled Kashmir in the tenth century for around fifty years despite being physically lame. Her rule formed part of my doctoral research on gender in early medieval north India. Didda’s powerful and competent rule notwithstanding, she has been virtually removed from historical narratives of Kashmir due to the gender bias that exists in the writing of history. Alternatively, she has been vilified for daring to challenge patriarchal stereotypes and follow her ambition. Queen of Earth, on the other hand, deals with Prithvimahadevi who ruled the Bhaumakara dynasty of Odisha in the ninth century. Her reign formed part of my post-doctoral research on gender in early medieval Odisha. Prithvimahadevi

managed to hold her own over a rival populace and, additionally, employed clever tactics to justify her rule, indicating her political shrewdness and sagacity. In a similar vein to Didda, however, she has either been made invisible in historical accounts of Odisha or criticised for her rule. I wanted to enable my young readers to know about these important women from the past whom they are unlikely to get to know about through their textbooks or any other source.

Queen of Fire, which deals with Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, is slightly different because it aims to resurrect the real woman behind the name. In most accounts of this valorous queen, she is treated almost like a goddess and no weight is given to her emotions, thoughts or fears. Nor is her relationship with her adopted son, Damodar, given any importance. I have, however, examined both these aspects in my book.

While the stories of all these women are extremely inspiring, there is no specific reason for my current focus on queens. It is just something that happened organically. If I decide that the story of a particular woman from history, culled from my academic research, is interesting and engrossing, then she becomes the protagonist of my next book. At least, that is how it has been so far!

 

  1. Writing historical fiction involves a lot of research, and the task gets more complex when the subject needs to be adapted for a younger audience. What has been your experience like writing historical narratives for children? Could you also shed some light on your research process? 

 

The challenge in writing historical fiction for children is that history is a subject that most of them dread, in any case, and, therefore, I have to make my writing enjoyable and gripping while, at the same time, maintaining a balance between historical fact and fiction. The aim is to draw my readers into the world of history and enable them to discover for themselves how exciting it really is. In addition, I have to ensure that I do not drown the narrative in facts and what could be construed as dry details. Historical accuracy is essential but the writing should convey the elements of the past in a painless and palatable manner. I have, however, immensely enjoyed the process of writing historical narratives for young readers.

My research process involves studying the original sources pertaining to the historical period or personality I am writing on. These could range from texts and inscriptions to coins, buildings and other archaeological material. For instance, the Rajatarangini, a Sanskrit text written by a poet, Kalhana, in the twelfth century is pivotal as a source for Didda’s reign, along with some coins and inscriptions that she issued. In Prithvimahadevi’s case, the sources are even more meagre, principally featuring two inscriptions that she issued and some references to her in contemporary sources. In Rani Lakshmibai’s case, though, there is plentiful information, ranging from memoirs to letters to archival documents. Historical sources become more difficult to come by the further back in time one goes. There are significant gaps in our knowledge of the early medieval queens, for instance, and a lot of guesswork is involved in order to fill these.

 

  1. Are there some women in Indian history whom you feel particularly moved by, but have not written about yet?

 

There are several—royal and non-royal—who played important roles in the polity and society of the early medieval period but have not received the acknowledgement that they deserve in the historical narrative. Apart from some powerful women in Kashmir, there are others in the south who have not really been the subject of much research or writing so far. I would like to write about many of these.

 

  1. When you are not writing and researching, what would we find you occupied with?

 I love reading, so I would be curled up with a book.

 

  1. Who are your favourite historians on Indian history?

 There are several but I will mention only two of them. Prof. Nayanjot Lahiri, my doctoral supervisor, is a well-known archaeologist who has, in addition, managed to encapsulate her research—such as on the Indus valley civilisation and on the discipline of history, as a whole—into extremely readable books for the general reader. Another historian that I greatly admire is Prof. Upinder Singh who has also successfully managed to write about the Indian past in a very accessible, engrossing manner for the layman reader, particularly on the ancient and early medieval time spans.

 

  1. What are some of your favourite historical retellings?

I grew up reading Jean Plaidy who has written an enormous range of historical fiction. Her works made me develop a real love for history. I also enjoyed Hilary Mantel’s works of historical fiction, especially her trilogy on Thomas Cromwell and the Tudor court under Henry VIII of England, and Philippa Gregory’s writing.

 

The sad fairy-tale becomes a reality in Samina Mishra’s Jamlo Walks

Posted on by malika

Samina Mishra’s Jamlo Walks, though filled with beautiful and colourful illustrations, in not a happy story, but it contains an extremely important message, the dissemination of which is imperative for the future generation. In many ways, it is reminiscent of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories. Not Little Mermaid or Ugly Ducklingwhich have been glorified or retold with happy endings. It is more like the Little Match Girl, which is a lesser known tale about a girl who tries to sell matchsticks on New Year’s Eve, but cold and unsuccessful, she collapses, a victim to lack of empathy, much like Jamlo.

Jamlo Walks is a book meant to bring awareness to its young readers who span from ages seven to nine, of the plight of other children and people not very different from themselves, but who are faced with completely different circumstances.

Here is a glimpse into the author’s mind to give you some insight into how and why she created this sad, yet beautiful story.

~

Jamlo Walks front cover
Jamlo Walks||Samina Mishra

Where do ideas come from? There are no clear answers to this question but certainly, some ideas come from what we experience and observe. Jamlo Walks came to me sometime in April last year. I don’t think I actively decided to write the story – the first draft just came in one sitting. I think it came as a response to the vulgar inhumanity that was on display last year – and continues to be even now. The working class, in conjunction with caste, has always been treated differently but what we have seen in the pandemic has been naked and ugly like never before. The stark images of the migrants walking through the night, out of Delhi on the Yamuna bridge, the middle class apathy on social media, the way domestic workers were treated at colony gates, police thrashing common citizens… Jamlo’s story was reported as one casualty in this series of unending tragedies. It was heartbreaking. It made me think of what these experiences means for all children – how are they to think about these stark divides across different childhoods, would they go on to continue institutionalizing this inhumanity… So, I think the first draft just came out of a need to respond to all this.

 

Once an idea arrives in its own mysterious way, our job as creative practitioners is to wrestle with it and hone it. We have to make choices and take decisions about what we want to do with it and shape the work. That was perhaps more of a challenge with this one because of the content. Picture books are generally seen as books for young readers and though we know that that is not true, putting this story out threw up questions around readership for me. Was the story too grown-up? Was the form of the story something children could understand and respond to? It was important that I try and answer these questions for myself. For me, it’s a picture book that I hope children across ages will read, that will prompt them to reflect.

 

While I was writing and rewriting, trying to make it a story that could be shared with the world, the thing that was important to me was to make Jamlo a person, a layered character, and not just the girl we read about in the news reports. This was not easy given the pandemic. My practice is very connected to being on the ground, getting out, talking to people. But here I was – in lockdown – without access to details on the ground that normally build context in my work. So I tried to imagine the inner world of the child, for Jamlo and for the other children in the story. I hope that works. I hope that readers find a bit of themselves in Jamlo and/or the other kids. And I hope that Jamlo is remembered so that we do not witness another such incident.

‘We need to see inclusion as a basic human right’ – Lavanya Karthik

Posted on by ashmita

We have adored Adil ever since we got our hands on the book. We chatted with Lavanya Karthik, the author of When Adil Speaks, about her creative process, favourite books, and more!

 

How did Adil come into being?

LK: Adil was a little glimmer of an idea in my head for a long while. I wanted to explore the idea of communication in a picture book. I wanted to address the idea of diversity, as well as look at the little things that make us all the same – fear of not being accepted, shyness, wanting to be heard and seen.  And I was fascinated by sign language. I realised I could do all of this in one book and, slowly and steadily, these ideas developed into ‘Adil’.

 

What was your creative process behind a children’s book on inclusivity?

Front cover of When adil speaks
When Adil Speaks||Lavanya Karthik

LK: While the central character is disabled, I did not want that to be the focus of the book. Rather, it is his personality that stands out – he is fun, popular, a great athlete. I wanted this book to be about communication, and finding ways to connect. And what better way to connect than through art!

This book then evolved quite organically, as I imagined how the story of Adil and his friend would develop, and how they would figure out a way to ‘speak’ without words.  Comics seemed the obvious choice; whenever I visit schools or conduct workshops, I find that kids – from the quietest ones to the noisiest, from municipal schools and elite private institutions – love drawing comics. They dive right in, drawing themselves as superheroes, confronting demons, making great speeches. filling up pages and pages with art and ideas.  Then they would gather around, inspecting each other’s comics. What better way to make friends!

 

If you had to recommend a reading list on inclusivity for children (or adults!), which books would you add to it?

LK: This would really be a very, very long list! To narrow it down to a very short one,

Picture Books

  • I Didn’t Understand by Mini Shrinivasan
  • Guthli Has Wings by Kanak Shashi
  • My Travelin’ Eye by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

 

Middle Grade

  • El Deafo by Cece Bell
  • Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel
  • Simply Nanju by Zainab Suleiman

 

YA

  • Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
  • There Will be Lies by Nick Lake
  • Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner

 

Inclusivity and the idea of embracing difference is still a severely stunted conversation in the country. Do you think some level of sensitivity training should be mandatory, particularly for people working in educational institutions?

LK: I think we need to see inclusion as a basic human right and not as an act of benevolence. We need schools and playgrounds, systems and processes that can be accessed by everyone, and that acknowledge diversity, not enforce sameness. Sensitivity training is definitely important as a first step to enabling this.

 

February? More like Fab-ruary!

Posted on by ashmita

February may be the shortest month, but that doesn’t mean our list of new reads won’t be long! Here are some brand-new delights to make this month fabulous for you and the little ones:

front cover Gopal's Gully
Gopal’s Gully||Zarin Virji

 

Gopal’s Gully

by Zarin Virji

When Gopal’s mother dies, his uncle brings him to Mumbai to get a job because he has few prospects as a Dalit boy in a UP village. Gopal is cast into the unfamiliar world of Squatters Colony, where he has no family or friends. He gets his first job at the bicycle shop owned by the sage Chacha and rapidly makes friends with the strange and diverse people who live in the community – Chacha’s friendly daughter-in-law, the neighbourhood thug Raja, the three-legged Tiger and beautiful Ayesha. And he learns that when disaster strikes and lives fall apart, he too has a family in the gully.

 

 

 

Eeks Series

by Arthy Muthanna Singh & Mamta Nainy

front cover Eeks I saw an ant
Eeks I saw an ant||Arthy Muthanna Singh, Mamta Nainy

 

 

Eeks! I Saw an Ant!

Ants are small but that’s not all! Enter the jaw-dropping world of ants and explore some fascinating facts about one of the most hard-working critters of the insect kingdom!

 

 

 

front cover Eeks I Saw a Cockroach
Eeks I Saw a Cockroach||Arthy Muthanna Singh, Mamta Nainy

 

 

 

Eeks! I Saw a Cockroach!

Whether cockroaches fill you with dread or wide-eyed wonder, there’s no denying the fact that they are some of the most amazing creatures of the insect universe. So, dash right into their wonderful world, find out everything about them and be prepared to be super surprised!

 

 

front cover Eeks! I Saw a Bee
Eeks I Saw a Bee||Arthy Muthanna Singh, Mamta Nainy

 

 

Eeks! I Saw a Bee!

What’s the buzz about bees? What do they do all day? Why are they important? Find out everything about bees in this buzzing book and discover the big ways in which these little  insects contribute to our environment.

 

 

front cover Eeks I Saw a Mosquito
Eeks I Saw a Mosquito||Arthy Muthanna Singh, Mamta Nainy

 

 

Eeks! I Saw a Mosquito!

Mosquitoes are mostly known as tiny troublemakers. But there are lots of interesting facts about these delicate insects. Read this book to find out about their many species, sizes, diets, homes and-most importantly-why they bite!

 

 

 

 

front cover The Very Glum Life of Tootoolu Toop
The Very Glum Life of Tootoolu Toop||Stuti Agarwal

The Very Glum Life Of Tootoolu Toop 

by Stuti Agarwal

‘To every witch, wizard and glum, I’m Tootoolu Toop, a ten-year-old, fully trained witch of the Oonoodiwaga tribe from the Darjeeling mountains. Like every other ordinary human who wants to live a life of magic, us witches and wizards want to experience the non-magical world too (I do for sure). For me, the ‘ordinary’ world is nothing short of an adventure. So I have left my tribe to live life as a glum.

This is my story.’

Tootoolu is on the run. From her mundane life of stirring grasshopper’s legs into potions and  her underground home where her tribe has been in hiding for 569 years. Will Tootoolu find what she’s looking for-best friends, books and a chance to be who she truly is?

 

front cover The Snow Leopard Adventure
The Snow Leopard Adventure||Deepak Dalal

 

A Vikram–Aditya Story: Snow Leopard Adventure

by Deepak Dalal

Vikram and Aditya are back in magnificent Ladakh. Having finally freed their young friend Tsering from the hands of dangerous men, they’ve set themselves up for an even great challenge: to locate the the grey ghost of the Himalayas, the snow leopard. The boys join a team of ecologists and explorers in their search for this immensely rare and beautiful creature of the wild. But high up in the Himalayas, amidst daunting mountains and dark valleys, everyone has just one question on their mind: how do you study an animal you cannot find? Journey in search of the elusive Snow Leopard with an enthralling tale set in one of India’s most splendid destinations.

 

 

front cover A Vikram–Aditya Story: Lakshadweep Adventure
A Vikram–Aditya Story: Lakshadweep Adventure||Deepak Dalal

A Vikram–Aditya Story: Lakshadweep Adventure

by Deepak Dalal

Far out in the Arabian Sea, where the waters plunge many thousands of metres to the ocean floor, lie a chain of bewitching coral atolls-the Lakshadweep Islands. Vikram and Aditya dive into lagoons with crystal-clear water and reefs that are deep and shrouded in mystery. But when they stumble upon a devious kidnapping plot, their idyllic holiday turns into a desperate  struggle for survival. Forced out into the sea in the eye of a raging storm, they endure a shipwreck, only to be marooned on a remote coral island. Journey through these breathtaking islands with a tale of scuba diving and sabotage, set in one of India’s most splendid destinations.

 

 

 

front cover The Desolations of Devil's Acre
The Desolations of Devil’s Acre||Ransom Riggs

The Desolations of Devil’s Acre

by Ransom Riggs

The last thing Jacob Portman saw before the world went dark was a terrible, familiar face.

Suddenly, he and Noor are back in the place where everything began – his grandfather’s house. Jacob doesn’t know how they escaped from V’s loop to find themselves in Florida. But he does know one thing for certain: Caul has returned. After a narrow getaway from a blood-thirsty hollow, Jacob and Noor reunite with Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children in Devil’s Acre. The Acre is being plagued by desolations – weather fronts of ash and blood and bone – a terrible portent of Caul’s amassing army.

Risen from the Library of Souls and more powerful than ever, Caul and his apocalyptic agenda seem unstoppable. Only one hope remains – deliver Noor to the meeting place of the seven prophesied ones. If they can decipher its secret location. Jacob and his friends will face deadly enemies and race through history’s most dangerous loops in this thrilling page-turner, the final adventure in the beloved Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

 

front cover How To Change Everything
How To Change Everything||Naomi Klein

 

How To Change Everything

by Naomi Klein

‘Young people are not just part of the climate change movement. They are

leading the way. Will you be one of them?’

Forget everything you think you know about climate change. Klein presents her urgent message about saving the environment by asking three simple questions: Where are we? How did we  get here? What happens next? From the Great Barrier Reef to Hurricane Katrina to school environmental policies to Greta Thunberg – climate change impacts every aspect of the world you live in. How to Change Everything will provide readers with clear information about how our planet is changing, but also, more importantly, with inspiration, ideas, and tools for action. Because young people can help build a better future. Young people can help change everything.

 

front cover The Hatmakers
The Hatmakers||Tamzin Merchant

 

The Hatmakers

by Tamzin Merchant

Cordelia comes from a long line of magical milliners, who weave alchemy and enchantment into every hat. In Cordelia’s world, Making – crafting items such as hats, cloaks, watches, boots and gloves from magical ingredients – is a rare and ancient skill, and only a few special Maker families remain. When Cordelia’s father Prospero and his ship, the Jolly Bonnet, are lost at sea during a mission to collect hat ingredients, Cordelia is determined to find him. But Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Ariadne have no time to help the littlest Hatmaker, for an ancient rivalry between the Maker families is threatening to surface. Worse, someone seems to be using Maker magic to start a war. It’s up to Cordelia to find out who, and why.

 

 

front cover Darklands
Darklands||Arnav Das Sharma

Darklands

by Arnav Das Sharma

India is reeling from an environmental catastrophe-water has replaced oil as the most valuable commodity and our cities have become nightmarish places infested with gangs, secretive corporations and powerful religious figures. An advanced form of technology enables the manufacture of humans in laboratories. In this dystopia, Haksh, born in a lab, does what he shouldn’t have: he falls in love with a human.

Darklands is a coming-of-age novel about violence and transgression, and above all, love: both all-consuming and redemptive. Dark and bleak, it heralds journalist Arnav Das Sharma as a major new voice in Indian YA fiction.

 

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Revamp those bookshelves! It’s going to be an exciting month for the young ones (and the older ones!)

A (w)hOle world of wonderful adventures

Posted on by ashmita

The hOle Books are incredibly fun and delightful. Full of beautiful illustrations, they bring to life the lives of young protagonists who face challenges and emerge more well-rounded. There are a million reasons to pick up any of these books. Here are a few:

 

front cover The Clockwala's Clues
The Clockwala’s Clues||Varsha Seshan

 

The Clockwala’s Clues

by Varsha Seshan

Varsha Seshan’s The Clockwala’s Clues will keep you glued to its pages. Jasmine and Sheba want to get stray puppies off the street by encouraging people to adopt them. But Sheba has a problem managing her time, and her father is going to send her off to learn time management over the summer. Who will adopt the puppies then? How will Jasmine manage this feat on her own?

This quick read is more than the adventures of two girls. It is also a fantastic look into solving real parenting issues in creative ways, ways that do not punish children for their excitement and innocent curiosities, but enable them to approach things as challenges.

 

front cover Chumki and The Elephants
Chumki and the Elephants||Lesley D. Biswas

 

 

Chumki and the Elephants

by Lesley D. Biswas

It is a universal fact that Chumki’s Dadi loves sooji ka halwa. So Chumki is naturally stunned when her Dadi feeds her the entirety of the portion given to her. But in the midst of this domestic confusion, some elephants escape from a nearby reserve. Dadi remembers the last time that the elephants came; now that they are here again, will it help her regain her memory?

Lesley D. Biswas’s adorable story works with some serious themes under the surface – a beloved grandmother who is losing her memory, forgetting her own granddaughter’s name cannot be easy to tackle, but Biswas integrates this wonderfully into the story.

 

 

front cover the chirmi chasers
The Chirmi Chasers||Arefa Tehsin

The Chirmi Chasers

by Arefa Tehsin

Nanka’s father Doonga wants to host an inter-school sitola match, which is highly unconventional for everyone he knows. If they win, they will be able to use the sports facilities of Madhopur High to train their students.

If they lose, he will quit his job.

Having picked a rag-tag team of four unlikely players, Doonga proceeds. But will they win?

This is a story not simply about an exciting match with high stakes but also a great exercise on building a team. It shows us that a team can be formed out of unlikely people, that any time people come together to do something and put their mind to it, anything is possible.

 

 

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Share these wonderful books with your young ones; few things are more precious than discovering new worlds with your little readers.

Timeless classics from your favourite storyteller

Posted on by ashmita

Sudha Murty’s stories are eternal. We finish the books, we keep them back in the shelves, but we can never forget the wonder inspired by her stories and the fascinating characters she crafts. Here are some of her timeless classics that we keep returning to:

 

front cover How The Onion Got Its Layers
How The Onion Got Its Layers||Sudha Murty

 

 

How the Onion Got Its Layers

 

Have you noticed how the onion has so many layers? And have you seen your mother’s eyes water when she cuts an onion? Here is a remarkable story to tell you why.

India’s favourite storyteller brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Dotted with charming illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty.

 

 

 

front cover Grandma's Bag of Stories
Grandma’s Bag of Stories||Sudha Murty

 

Grandma’s Bag Of Stories

 

Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals.

Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun?

 

front cover The Daughter From A Wishing Tree
The Daughter From A Wishing Tree||Sudha Murty

 

The Daughter from a Wishing Tree

 

Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras?

Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman?

The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies.

India’s much-loved and bestselling author Sudha Murty takes you on an empowering journey -through the yarns forgotten in time-abounding with remarkable women who will remind you of the strong female influences in your life.

 

front cover The Magic of the Lost Temple
The Magic of the Lost Temple||Sudha Murty

 

The Magic Of The Lost Temple

 

City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents’ village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends.

Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.

Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable.

 

 

front cover Grandparents' Bag of Stories
Grandparents’ Bag of Stories||Sudha Murty

Grandparents’ Bag of Stories

 

It’s 2020 and children are stuck indoors as the novel coronavirus finds its way into India. A nationwide lockdown is announced and amidst the growing crisis, Ajja and Ajji welcome their grandchildren and Kamlu Ajji into their house in Shiggaon.

From stitching masks, sharing household chores, preparing food for workers to losing themselves in timeless tales, the lockdown turns into a memorable time for the children as they enter the enchanting world of goddesses, kings, princesses, serpents, magical beanstalks, thieves, kingdoms and palaces, among others. The myriad stories told by their grandparents become the biggest source of joy, making the children compassionate, worldly-wise and more resilient than ever.

Following the trail of the best-selling Grandma’s Bag of Stories, India’s favourite author Sudha Murty brings to you this collection of immortal tales that she fondly created during the lockdown period for readers to seek comfort and find the magic in sharing and caring for others. Wonderfully woven in her inimitable style, this book is unputdownable and perfect for every child’s bookshelf!

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Our bookshelves have an entire section dedicated to Sudha Murty. That’s just how our young readers like it! What about you?

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