Ruskin Bond has written a string of unforgettable tales – stories about nature and animals, and the bond formed between humans and the wild. As we celebrate Ruskin Bond’s 83rd birthday, here are some of his lesser-known great writings.
Vagrants in the Valley
This book catches up with our favourite Rusty as he plunges not just into the cold pools of Dehra but into an exciting new life, dipping his toes into adulthood. At once, thrilling and nostalgic, this heart-warming sequel is Rusty at his best as he navigates the tightrope between dreams and reality, all the time maintaining a glorious sense of hope.
The Day Grandfather Tickled a Tiger
Grandfather had brought home Timothy, the little tiger cub, from the forests of the Shivaliks. Timothy grew up to be a friendly tiger, with a monkey and a mongrel for company. But some strange circumstances lead grandfather to take Timothy away to a zoo. Will they ever meet again? This a heart-warming story of love and friendship!
Rusty Runs Away
Rusty’s world is turned topsy-turvy when his father and grandmother pass away in quick succession. The twelve-year-old is sent away to boarding school by his guardian, Mr Harrison. Restlessness, coupled with an ambition to travel the world, compels him to run away from his rather humdrum life at school. But the plan fails, and he is soon back in Dehra, with his strict guardian. Rusty is now seventeen. He rebels and leaves home again, this time for good.
The Tree Lover
His mesmerizing descriptions of nature and his wonderful way with words—this is Ruskin Bond at his finest. Read on as Rusty tells the story of his grandfather’s relationship with the trees around him, who’s convinced that they love him back with as much tenderness as he loves them.
Dust on the Mountain
When twelve-year-old Bisnu decides to go to Mussoorie to earn for his family, he has no idea how dangerous and lonely life in a town can be for a boy on his own. As he sets out to work on the limestone quarries, with the choking dust enveloping the beautiful mountain air, he finds that he longs for his little village in the Himalayas.
Which is your favourite Ruskin Bond story? Tell us as we celebrate the bond of stories with Mr Bond!
Category: Children’s Features
Children’s Features articles
A Trip Down Memory Lane: 6 Classics to Relive Your Childhood
Some of our most unforgettable books were the ones we read in our childhood. Perhaps it was our unfettered imaginations, or the ease with which we learned things, or perhaps that pure, creative mind that absorbed all stories and made those books memorable throughout our lives.
And now, more than ever, in our chaotic lives, is a good time to return to our glorious reading memories
Here are six classics that will take you on a trip down memory lane!
The Wizard of Oz
When a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas, Dorothy, a little girl from a neighbourhood, is whisked away with her dog to the magical land of Oz. She thinks she’s lost forever and that’s when she embarks on an enchanting adventure.
Malgudi Days
The fun that Swami and his friends have in the sleepy little town of Malgudi made Malgudi not just a place but an emotion. It meant hopping on a joyride and getting off at the Malgudi Railway Station, to enjoy a fascinating world.
Sherlock Holmes
How can we forget our beloved detective who possesses unique powers of deduction and sets about inspecting complex cases, wearing his famous hat and smoking his pipe? We can’t help but tag along, as Sherlock Holmes conducts thrilling investigations, be it the foggy streets of Victorian London or the beautiful English countryside.
The Jungle Book
A heart-warming story of a friendship between a boy man and the jungle, The Jungle Book tells a story of a ‘man-cub’ being saved from the jaws of an evil tiger and adopted by a pack of wolves. As Mowgli grows, our excitement grows with him and his escapades in the Seeonee jungle.
Around the World in Eighty Days
The candidate: A daring traveller. The challenge: To travel across the world in just eighty days!
As the race against the clock begins, we are taken on a thrilling trip through exotic lands and dangerous places. Sometimes aboard a train, sometimes riding an elephant, it’s an exciting hustle to win the bet.
Heidi
A charming story of the love for a place and for one’s grandparents, in this classic we are mesmerised by the joys experienced by Heidi, living in the Alps with her grandfather. When her strict aunt sends her away to the city, Heidi yearns to return to the happiness of life with her grandfather.
Is there a memory of a book you would like to share? Do you have a beloved classic that you would want to talk about? Tell us – we would LOVE to know!
Decoding the Panchatantra: 6 Little-Known Facts About the Evergreen Animal Fables
Originally composed in Sanskrit, the Panchatantra is one of the oldest collections of fables in the world. Devised for the purposes of teaching three dull-witted sons of a king, it strives to convey the principles of kingship and some valuable life lessons.
Nilanjana Roy, author and journalist, notes in her introduction to the refreshing new translation of the Panchatantra: “Stories are alive and they like to travel.” In fact, the more brilliant the stories the wider their reach. And therein lies the magic of the Panchatantra – it has hopped down and affected numerous centuries and generations!
Here are six little-known yet brilliant facts about the Panchatantra!
Who wrote the Panchatantra?
Vishnusharma was renowned far and wide for his learning and his skill as a teacher, and was therefore given the task of educating the sons of the king and making them fit to rule. He was eighty years old at the time yet accepted the challenge, and devised the stories of the Panchatantra to teach the princes the rules of kingship and the principles of government.
When was the Panchatantra composed?
The exact date of its composition is uncertain. We do know, however, that it was translated into Pahlavi in 550 CE. Thus, we know with certainty that the Panchatantra must have been composed before this date.
Where was the Panchatantra composed?
We do not know the exact location of this city, or even if it was a real place. The Panchatantra only states, rather vaguely, that Mahilaropya was the capital city of ‘a kingdom in the south’.
The Structure of the Panchatantra
The original Panchatantra is a mixture of verse and prose. The stories are narrated mainly in prose, but the lessons derived from the tales are usually given in verse form. Panchatantra takes its audience into a series of stories, deeper and deeper, from one level to the next.
Characters in the Panchatantra
The author has used a device to make it easy for his audience to understand the nature of his characters, and that is their names. He has given his characters, whether human or animal, names that highlight certain aspects of their appearance or behaviour. Thus, we have Pingalaka the lion, whose name means ‘one who is red–gold’, named for his fiery coat!
Translations and Retellings
The subject matter of the Panchatantra and its delightful tales made it a very popular text. Its stories, carried far and wide by travellers and merchants, spread rapidly across the world.
Want to soak in the magic of the Panchatantra? Relive the joy of this enduring classic, translated brilliantly from the original by Rohini Chowdhury and now in a classic keepsake edition – here!
5 Quotes from Winnie-the-Pooh that Define Life
Life may not always be straight as an arrow – in fact, it rarely is. Sometimes, it is like a pretzel – twisted and confusing. Sometimes, it is like a roller-coaster – alternating between the crests and troughs.
These heartwarming views on life from the classic Winnie-the-Pooh by AA Milne show that often the solutions lie in the simplest of things!
Here’s celebrating AA Milne’s birthday with these short, easy . . . and delicious takes on life!
Keep calm and flow on!
Come out of corners – corners are despicable!
What’s life without a friend that’s as sweet as honey!
And, finally, isn’t love the stuff life is made of?
And here’s to the creator of the fantastic Winnie-the-Pooh – Happy Birthday, A.A. Milne!
14 Life Rules Your Teen Should Know About
There are some things that children should be learning in school, but don’t and not all of them have to do with academics. As a modest back-to-school offering, here are some basic rules, for your kids, from Lina Ashar’s amazing guide through the complicated teen years – Drama Teen, that may not have found their way into the standard curriculum.
In Drama Teen, Lina Ashar explores concepts from both sides of the fence. Helicopter parenting, parent–teen conflicts and ways to resolve them and the habits that lead to a successful life are among the topics discussed here. She also explores ways to minimize the pain and trauma the ‘drama-teen’ phase can cause both to the teens and their parents. Packed with practical advice, tips, what-not-to-dos and activities, Ashar expertly guides you to keep your cool through those complicated years.
Lina Ashar is the chairperson of Kangaroo Kids Education Ltd (KKEL), a leading education chain, which has schools such as Kangaroo Kids, Billabong High International School, and its newest affiliate, Brainworks.
Get your copy of Drama Teen today!
5 Gems from the Quran that you MUST read!
Bestselling author Anita Nair is out with her new book – the first ever collection of stories from the Quran. It features endearing characters like Muezza, the prophet’s favourite cat and Baby Jaan, a djinn in the form of a baby camel. The book has gorgeous artwork which makes it a must to show off on your shelves.
Our interest was captured from the beginning where a friendship is struck as Baby Jaan listens to Muezza’s mesmerizing tales. We couldn’t keep the enlightening nuggets of the Islamic lore all to ourselves so here are a few gems to take you through the coming week.
Has it grabbed your attention yet? Look no further, get your copy of this beautiful book here: http://bit.ly/GetMuezza
Anita Nair is a widely acclaimed novelist and the recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, 2012. Muezza and Baby Jaan is her latest book.