“Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them. And it's much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world!”

― Neil Gaiman

Isn’t this so true? It’s the season of gifting and in case you haven't been able to figure out the best gift for the little ones in your family yet, try including some books. Of course, there is a different joy in receiving toys or chocolates as gifts but books have their own charm when it comes to gifting. Wondering which books to gift this holiday season? Well, there are many options to choose from, I suggest to try out based on the interest of your little one. While you must be knowing the popular titles on your own, here’re some Indian titles that I came across this year and quite liked these for my little one. I think these will make great gifts for children of different age groups.

1. Boskys Panchatantra: 

Now there is a Panchtantra by Gulzar, this I wasn’t even aware of :-). The intro of this book by the "Nanu" Gulzar for his grandchild Samay is quite sweet. It’s a collection of some of the best-known stories from the Panchatantra and the first chapter is about the history of Panchatantra tales. This will make for a good read-aloud book for kids below 6 years age and self-reading for 6 to 10 ones. Definitely worth giving a try.

2. Alone In The Forest: 

A story of adventure and courage, this book pretty much presents the saying - where there’s a will, there’s a way - in a story format. It’s about a young boy Musa, who sets off alone to collect wood from the forest near his home. During his journey, he loses his way. Would he be able to reach his home back? You can read it to know more. What’s the best about this book? The illustrations! Absolutely stunning and very Indian, this book has been illustrated in the Gond form of art by the very famous Gond artist, Bhajju Shyam. My 6-year-old kept on looking at the pictures again and again and I think this will be a good read for 5 to 7 years old.

3. The Magic Of The Lost Temple: 

Were you a fan of R. K. Narayan books while growing up? If yes, chances are you might like the books by Sudha Murty too. At least to me, her stories remind me of books by R.K. Narayan - full of innocent anecdotes from regular day to day life. The Magic Of The Lost Temple is about Nooni, a city girl who is very surprised at the unexpected pace of life in her grandparent’s village in the state of Karnataka. Packed with many interesting twists and turns, this book not only makes a great read for kids but it’s worth giving a try for elders too. I had recently gifted this to few girls in the age bracket 8 to 11 years and all of them absolutely loved it.

4. Mala’s Silver Anklets: 

Looking for something for younger kids below 5? You may give some of the titles from Tulika Publishers a try. They have many interesting titles and I recently came across Mala’s Silver Anklets by Annie Besant. Packed with gorgeous illustrations by Nancy Raj, this is a cute book about a naughty little girl Mala who tries to scare everyone in her family. What happens after she starts wearing an anklet? Read it to know more :-).

5. Dhooli’s Story, Air: 

Would you like to give something around science but presented in story format? Dhooli’s Story might be the answer for you. It’s about Dhooli, a tiny speck of dust, that flits and floats in the air with her friends, who flies past clouds and aeroplanes and ends up watching rainbows in the sky. This book focusses on air and at the end of the storybook, there are some interesting scientific facts about air and the layers of the atmosphere above us. This book by Tulika Publishers is one of the five books in the series, First Look Science, that was visualized by design students in a classroom project with Srishti, Bengaluru, other four are on - Space, Water, Earth and Earth’s Surface. It’s a good book for read-aloud for below 5-year old and self-reading for 5 to 8-year ones. The information on the last two pages of books can be actually useful for above 8 too.

Do give these books a try but as I always say, these are some of the books that the mommy me enjoyed reading with her little one. It may happen that your junior won’t like some or all the books from this list and that’s perfectly fine. Every child has his/her own preferences, let’s just respect their choices and read them what they want.

Before I go, one fun fact about me :-) - I just love painting bookmarks, you can see some of my hand-painted bookmarks here. When I gift someone books, I try to include these little hand-painted love along with those. I have been trying to encourage my little one also to do the same. So, this Christmas vacation me and my 6 year old created some Christmas-theme bookmarks for his friends. After making one or two, he got hooked on to these and made many on his own. Have a look at these easy and quick hand-painted bookmarks ideas, perhaps the junior at your end might enjoy doing these too. In case you liked this video, feel free to share it with the mommies who are looking to creatively engage their little ones during vacation time. 

Thank you for reading this post. Have a great holiday season and very happy 2018! 

book blogger · Book Review · Books · Children book · Children book India · christmas · handpainted bookmarks

Few children books by Indian authors to try this holiday season

“Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them. And it's much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world!”

― Neil Gaiman

Isn’t this so true? It’s the season of gifting and in case you haven't been able to figure out the best gift for the little ones in your family yet, try including some books. Of course, there is a different joy in receiving toys or chocolates as gifts but books have their own charm when it comes to gifting. Wondering which books to gift this holiday season? Well, there are many options to choose from, I suggest to try out based on the interest of your little one. While you must be knowing the popular titles on your own, here’re some Indian titles that I came across this year and quite liked these for my little one. I think these will make great gifts for children of different age groups.

1. Boskys Panchatantra: 

Now there is a Panchtantra by Gulzar, this I wasn’t even aware of :-). The intro of this book by the "Nanu" Gulzar for his grandchild Samay is quite sweet. It’s a collection of some of the best-known stories from the Panchatantra and the first chapter is about the history of Panchatantra tales. This will make for a good read-aloud book for kids below 6 years age and self-reading for 6 to 10 ones. Definitely worth giving a try.

2. Alone In The Forest: 

A story of adventure and courage, this book pretty much presents the saying - where there’s a will, there’s a way - in a story format. It’s about a young boy Musa, who sets off alone to collect wood from the forest near his home. During his journey, he loses his way. Would he be able to reach his home back? You can read it to know more. What’s the best about this book? The illustrations! Absolutely stunning and very Indian, this book has been illustrated in the Gond form of art by the very famous Gond artist, Bhajju Shyam. My 6-year-old kept on looking at the pictures again and again and I think this will be a good read for 5 to 7 years old.

3. The Magic Of The Lost Temple: 

Were you a fan of R. K. Narayan books while growing up? If yes, chances are you might like the books by Sudha Murty too. At least to me, her stories remind me of books by R.K. Narayan - full of innocent anecdotes from regular day to day life. The Magic Of The Lost Temple is about Nooni, a city girl who is very surprised at the unexpected pace of life in her grandparent’s village in the state of Karnataka. Packed with many interesting twists and turns, this book not only makes a great read for kids but it’s worth giving a try for elders too. I had recently gifted this to few girls in the age bracket 8 to 11 years and all of them absolutely loved it.

4. Mala’s Silver Anklets: 

Looking for something for younger kids below 5? You may give some of the titles from Tulika Publishers a try. They have many interesting titles and I recently came across Mala’s Silver Anklets by Annie Besant. Packed with gorgeous illustrations by Nancy Raj, this is a cute book about a naughty little girl Mala who tries to scare everyone in her family. What happens after she starts wearing an anklet? Read it to know more :-).

5. Dhooli’s Story, Air: 

Would you like to give something around science but presented in story format? Dhooli’s Story might be the answer for you. It’s about Dhooli, a tiny speck of dust, that flits and floats in the air with her friends, who flies past clouds and aeroplanes and ends up watching rainbows in the sky. This book focusses on air and at the end of the storybook, there are some interesting scientific facts about air and the layers of the atmosphere above us. This book by Tulika Publishers is one of the five books in the series, First Look Science, that was visualized by design students in a classroom project with Srishti, Bengaluru, other four are on - Space, Water, Earth and Earth’s Surface. It’s a good book for read-aloud for below 5-year old and self-reading for 5 to 8-year ones. The information on the last two pages of books can be actually useful for above 8 too.

Do give these books a try but as I always say, these are some of the books that the mommy me enjoyed reading with her little one. It may happen that your junior won’t like some or all the books from this list and that’s perfectly fine. Every child has his/her own preferences, let’s just respect their choices and read them what they want.

Before I go, one fun fact about me :-) - I just love painting bookmarks, you can see some of my hand-painted bookmarks here. When I gift someone books, I try to include these little hand-painted love along with those. I have been trying to encourage my little one also to do the same. So, this Christmas vacation me and my 6 year old created some Christmas-theme bookmarks for his friends. After making one or two, he got hooked on to these and made many on his own. Have a look at these easy and quick hand-painted bookmarks ideas, perhaps the junior at your end might enjoy doing these too. In case you liked this video, feel free to share it with the mommies who are looking to creatively engage their little ones during vacation time. 

Thank you for reading this post. Have a great holiday season and very happy 2018! 

Winters, Christmas, New Year & Holidays - now can there be any better time to laze around in sun curled up with a good book? And since this is a vacation time where many are traveling outside, how about a book for children that's around travel and adventure?

So the first book that me and little one are reading this winter vacation is - MOANA by Disney

Moana is destined to take over as chief of Motunui one day. But when danger threatens her island, she sets on a mission to save her people. Will Moana be able to unlock the mystery of the sea and discover her life's true destiny? Well, that's for you and your little one to find out through this interesting book by Disney. 

So, here's my quick take on this book:

• The story is quite fascinating, I am sure younger kids would love this adventurous tale of princess Moana.­
• Its not gender specific and suitable for both boys and girls. My son who is in general a big fan of superheroes quite liked it.
• Visually very, very rich. I mean the pages are literally treat to the eyes, something that totally helps in keeping the attention of kids intact to the pages.
• It has a very good message for kids around traveling, exploring and finding your destiny on your own.  It's dreamy but at the same time not very old generation fairy tale type of book.

I strongly recommend this book for kids below 10 year age group. And in case your child loved reading this book, you can make him / her watch the movie too that got released earlier this year or vice versa. After all what's a vacation without some good movies :)

The book is available for purchase on both amazon and flipkart and I am sure it will be available for rent in your nearby library too. So, what are you and your little ones reading this winter break? Do let us know in the comment section. 

book · Book Review · Children book · disney · disney books · Moana · winter vacation

MOANA - Books to read to your children this winter vacation

Winters, Christmas, New Year & Holidays - now can there be any better time to laze around in sun curled up with a good book? And since this is a vacation time where many are traveling outside, how about a book for children that's around travel and adventure?

So the first book that me and little one are reading this winter vacation is - MOANA by Disney

Moana is destined to take over as chief of Motunui one day. But when danger threatens her island, she sets on a mission to save her people. Will Moana be able to unlock the mystery of the sea and discover her life's true destiny? Well, that's for you and your little one to find out through this interesting book by Disney. 

So, here's my quick take on this book:

• The story is quite fascinating, I am sure younger kids would love this adventurous tale of princess Moana.­
• Its not gender specific and suitable for both boys and girls. My son who is in general a big fan of superheroes quite liked it.
• Visually very, very rich. I mean the pages are literally treat to the eyes, something that totally helps in keeping the attention of kids intact to the pages.
• It has a very good message for kids around traveling, exploring and finding your destiny on your own.  It's dreamy but at the same time not very old generation fairy tale type of book.

I strongly recommend this book for kids below 10 year age group. And in case your child loved reading this book, you can make him / her watch the movie too that got released earlier this year or vice versa. After all what's a vacation without some good movies :)

The book is available for purchase on both amazon and flipkart and I am sure it will be available for rent in your nearby library too. So, what are you and your little ones reading this winter break? Do let us know in the comment section. 

A photo posted by Kanupriya Sindhu (@kanupriyasindhu) on Jun 12, 2016 at 4:45am PDT

There are books and then there books you wish would never end. 

Before We Visit The Goddess is one such book. The kind of book that makes you sad once it ends, you know that feeling of emptiness when a good book ends, yes exactly that one! You wish the story could continue forever, you're so engrossed in the plot and so absorbed in the characters that you literally find them to be real and part of your daily life. Sabitri, Bela & Tara - how real were they! Hats off to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni for giving us such gems one after another.

I have been a great admirer of her writing ever since I read Sister Of My Heart and Oleander Girl few years back. I have read almost all of her books now and each book of hers is a masterpiece in itself. Varied plots with intricate story lines, but what I like most about her books is the protagonists. They are someone with whom you can relate to, someone real. Before We Visit The Goddess is also yet another literary treasure by the author that tells us the story of a family over three generations. It's a must read for those who love to read good story around human relationships and emotions.

Here's my quick take on the book:

• Poignant story line that touches your heart somewhere deep within.
• Genuine plot that highlights the imperfect yet connected family ties. No unnecessary fictitious perfect-happy-family kind of drama at all.
• Brilliant characterization, you can almost imagine a Sabitri or Tara living around you, inside you.
• Powerful writing that actually presents the complexity of human emotions in a very beautiful way.
• Captivating read, not even once I actually lost interest anywhere in the book. A story spread across three generations and two continents but towards the end, it was like all pieces of a scattered puzzle finally put together.

Overall a book that I strongly recommend, totally worth the time and money. And as always, I will be eagerly waiting for the next book by this author, she is just terrific and brilliant and.... well, for her I think I will actually run short of adjectives :).

This book is available at both amazon and flipkart and I didn't buy a kindle version of this book. I actually bought a hard copy as books like these are meant to be a part of your home library collection :). 

Before We Visit The Goddess · Book Review · Books · Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni · fiction · Indian Authors · Oleander Girl · Sister of my heart

Before we visit the Goodess - Book

A photo posted by Kanupriya Sindhu (@kanupriyasindhu) on Jun 12, 2016 at 4:45am PDT

There are books and then there books you wish would never end. 

Before We Visit The Goddess is one such book. The kind of book that makes you sad once it ends, you know that feeling of emptiness when a good book ends, yes exactly that one! You wish the story could continue forever, you're so engrossed in the plot and so absorbed in the characters that you literally find them to be real and part of your daily life. Sabitri, Bela & Tara - how real were they! Hats off to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni for giving us such gems one after another.

I have been a great admirer of her writing ever since I read Sister Of My Heart and Oleander Girl few years back. I have read almost all of her books now and each book of hers is a masterpiece in itself. Varied plots with intricate story lines, but what I like most about her books is the protagonists. They are someone with whom you can relate to, someone real. Before We Visit The Goddess is also yet another literary treasure by the author that tells us the story of a family over three generations. It's a must read for those who love to read good story around human relationships and emotions.

Here's my quick take on the book:

• Poignant story line that touches your heart somewhere deep within.
• Genuine plot that highlights the imperfect yet connected family ties. No unnecessary fictitious perfect-happy-family kind of drama at all.
• Brilliant characterization, you can almost imagine a Sabitri or Tara living around you, inside you.
• Powerful writing that actually presents the complexity of human emotions in a very beautiful way.
• Captivating read, not even once I actually lost interest anywhere in the book. A story spread across three generations and two continents but towards the end, it was like all pieces of a scattered puzzle finally put together.

Overall a book that I strongly recommend, totally worth the time and money. And as always, I will be eagerly waiting for the next book by this author, she is just terrific and brilliant and.... well, for her I think I will actually run short of adjectives :).

This book is available at both amazon and flipkart and I didn't buy a kindle version of this book. I actually bought a hard copy as books like these are meant to be a part of your home library collection :). 

A photo posted by Kanupriya Sindhu (@kanupriyasindhu) on Jul 1, 2016 at 11:32pm PDT

Just finished reading this book with a smile on my face. If your roots are from any small Indian town or you have lived in one during your growing up years, then this book is surely going to bring a smile on your face.

It was quite a pleasant surprise when my childhood friend Rakhi Anand pinged me about her debut novel - Life of Angela and when she mentioned it being based on school life, I was all the more keen to pick it up. And I am glad I grabbed a copy of it as the book reminded me of my growing years in many ways :). Here's my quick take on the book:

• It's simple & real, no wannabe portrayal of cool, hip student life.
• Presents the inner turmoil of a fatherless middle class teenager girl beautifully, the pressure on her to do well in academics, get a well paying job so that she can support her family, her struggle and challenges due to her introvert personality - all of these have been presented quite genuinely.
• Has an important message for students who try to give up life due to academic pressure. Life is much more than just scores in board exams and if you believe in yourself, there is always a beautiful destination waiting for you ahead.
• Engaging plot presented in a very crisp and easy language.

Overall it's a book that's definitely worth a read. And for a change, it's an Indian fiction that's not on romance at IIT / IIM campus :) or about a girl who is dying to get married just because she has entered in her 30s!

Do give it a try, it's available on Amazon as well as on Flipkart.

Rakhi: Kudos to you for your effort. Wish you good luck for your future books. 

book blog · book blogger · Book Review · Books · fiction · indian books · indian fiction · life of angela

Life of Angela: Book

A photo posted by Kanupriya Sindhu (@kanupriyasindhu) on Jul 1, 2016 at 11:32pm PDT

Just finished reading this book with a smile on my face. If your roots are from any small Indian town or you have lived in one during your growing up years, then this book is surely going to bring a smile on your face.

It was quite a pleasant surprise when my childhood friend Rakhi Anand pinged me about her debut novel - Life of Angela and when she mentioned it being based on school life, I was all the more keen to pick it up. And I am glad I grabbed a copy of it as the book reminded me of my growing years in many ways :). Here's my quick take on the book:

• It's simple & real, no wannabe portrayal of cool, hip student life.
• Presents the inner turmoil of a fatherless middle class teenager girl beautifully, the pressure on her to do well in academics, get a well paying job so that she can support her family, her struggle and challenges due to her introvert personality - all of these have been presented quite genuinely.
• Has an important message for students who try to give up life due to academic pressure. Life is much more than just scores in board exams and if you believe in yourself, there is always a beautiful destination waiting for you ahead.
• Engaging plot presented in a very crisp and easy language.

Overall it's a book that's definitely worth a read. And for a change, it's an Indian fiction that's not on romance at IIT / IIM campus :) or about a girl who is dying to get married just because she has entered in her 30s!

Do give it a try, it's available on Amazon as well as on Flipkart.

Rakhi: Kudos to you for your effort. Wish you good luck for your future books. 

Just finished yet another book by an Indian author and I am wondering what it was actually! Calling it a book or story would be such a slur as it was nothing but nonsense after nonsense printed  in black & white. And I also wonder why do I even waste my time in completing such shit pieces of work, damn this very irritating habit of mine that doesn't let me leave things half way. But what's worse is to realize that this book came highly recommended in most of the reading sites and I wonder how? Well, book marketing has surely picked up in India, isn't it? Incentivize few reviewers, spend some marketing money and voila you have words after words spread across media in favor of some crap piece of work. Being a marketer as well as blogger, I am also aware of the dynamics of how it works. There is no harm in marketing any good product, anything new needs a bit of push but unfortunately I think in case of something as precious as books, going this far is really irking me a lot now.

My words might be sounding rude but I am actually quite disappointed with my last 5 reads. If you all remember, I have been a big supporter of Indian fiction and have always proudly mentioned my preferences for Indian stories and authors but I think it's time for me to change my preferences now. Whether you believe it or not, last few of my reads have all been centered around either of the two themes - a 30 something career oriented girl desperately trying to get hooked on to a man, takes all possible measures to woo any / all kind of men and finally settles down with the one who has money and all. In the last book that I read, the main character slept with 7 men in a period of 6 months, lost her job, but is perfectly fine to lose her job as long as she finds a good catch (read man). Now in which city / culture in India, unmarried women date & sleep with 7 men in 6 months? After few pages, I was feeling sick of reading that book and being a woman felt pathetic to realize that the book was written by a woman only! All of it look such desperate, forced projection of so called "modern", "new-generation" Indian women. And the second theme, wait... do I need to tell you about the second theme? It's the same - a boy at IIT meets a girl and it's love at first sight, blah blah & some more blah. Uffff, I know I am picking up wrong books but then all these have been picked after recommendations on Twitter, Goodreads etc. I definitely was looking for some light reads or romantic fiction but in the name of comedy or romance, all I could get my hands on was racy sex, almost porn content and comedies which were disgusting to the core.

What happened to the good writers and stories? What happened to healthy comedies? And what happened to pleasant love stories? With a heavy heart I think I have decided to not read any Indian author book for next few months except the mythology ones. I agree, mythological stories these days are quite well written and engaging for sure. But for other genre, I am going to stick to non-Indian writers for now . I am also thinking of trying my luck with Hindi Classics. I have really not read much of Hindi literature and I think it's time for me to delve into some old gems.

If I find something really good, I will get back to you with my review of the same. Until then, if you have any recommendation for good  fiction, do let me know of the same. By the way, which site do you refer to for book recommendations these days? Any pointers please? Any site which is not heavily influenced by paid media yet? Look forward to your suggestions please :)

Book Review · Books · fiction · goodreads · hindi books · hindi literature · indian literature · indian writing

Where to find good book recommendations?

Just finished yet another book by an Indian author and I am wondering what it was actually! Calling it a book or story would be such a slur as it was nothing but nonsense after nonsense printed  in black & white. And I also wonder why do I even waste my time in completing such shit pieces of work, damn this very irritating habit of mine that doesn't let me leave things half way. But what's worse is to realize that this book came highly recommended in most of the reading sites and I wonder how? Well, book marketing has surely picked up in India, isn't it? Incentivize few reviewers, spend some marketing money and voila you have words after words spread across media in favor of some crap piece of work. Being a marketer as well as blogger, I am also aware of the dynamics of how it works. There is no harm in marketing any good product, anything new needs a bit of push but unfortunately I think in case of something as precious as books, going this far is really irking me a lot now.

My words might be sounding rude but I am actually quite disappointed with my last 5 reads. If you all remember, I have been a big supporter of Indian fiction and have always proudly mentioned my preferences for Indian stories and authors but I think it's time for me to change my preferences now. Whether you believe it or not, last few of my reads have all been centered around either of the two themes - a 30 something career oriented girl desperately trying to get hooked on to a man, takes all possible measures to woo any / all kind of men and finally settles down with the one who has money and all. In the last book that I read, the main character slept with 7 men in a period of 6 months, lost her job, but is perfectly fine to lose her job as long as she finds a good catch (read man). Now in which city / culture in India, unmarried women date & sleep with 7 men in 6 months? After few pages, I was feeling sick of reading that book and being a woman felt pathetic to realize that the book was written by a woman only! All of it look such desperate, forced projection of so called "modern", "new-generation" Indian women. And the second theme, wait... do I need to tell you about the second theme? It's the same - a boy at IIT meets a girl and it's love at first sight, blah blah & some more blah. Uffff, I know I am picking up wrong books but then all these have been picked after recommendations on Twitter, Goodreads etc. I definitely was looking for some light reads or romantic fiction but in the name of comedy or romance, all I could get my hands on was racy sex, almost porn content and comedies which were disgusting to the core.

What happened to the good writers and stories? What happened to healthy comedies? And what happened to pleasant love stories? With a heavy heart I think I have decided to not read any Indian author book for next few months except the mythology ones. I agree, mythological stories these days are quite well written and engaging for sure. But for other genre, I am going to stick to non-Indian writers for now . I am also thinking of trying my luck with Hindi Classics. I have really not read much of Hindi literature and I think it's time for me to delve into some old gems.

If I find something really good, I will get back to you with my review of the same. Until then, if you have any recommendation for good  fiction, do let me know of the same. By the way, which site do you refer to for book recommendations these days? Any pointers please? Any site which is not heavily influenced by paid media yet? Look forward to your suggestions please :)

Mentioned it earlier, saying it again – one Indian publishing house that keeps on bettering itself with every new release is FunOkPlease. Not to follow the rut, this team has surely managed to create its own niche in children's book industry. And I get surprised at their choice of story lines - distinct and pertinent always! Be it Toto the Auto or Alphabet Dress-Up or Brown Like Dosas Samosa and Sticky Chikki, each one is truly a gem in itself.  I got this book few weeks back and the gorgeous cover design actually brought a smile on my face. In a world that's obsessed with 'fair & lovely', it was good to see the main character of the story 'brown & bold'.  Many, I mean really many reasons why I loved this book but here are top 5 on why your child should definitely read it:

• It's very relevant to Indian culture where we have varied skin tones but somehow the epitome of beauty has always been attributed to the fair ones. This obsession for fairness is so deeply ingrained in our society that at times I get shocked to observe it in younger girls too. In a world biased towards the lighter tone, here comes Samaira who is happy and content with her brown skin tone and would not exchange it with whiter shade for anything. So proud of you Samaira, may the youngsters understand the deep message that you're trying to communicate!
• Like all other FunOkPlease books, its visually very rich but must say that this has additional charm as compared to the earlier ones. Maybe it's the fairy land or those yum food, the illustrations in this books are sure to grab attention of your little ones.
• Presentation is excellent, I mean what better way to communicate the beauty of brown skin to kids than associating it with chocolate or milkshake :)? Such an important message but presented in such a fun way.
• Its dreamy yet different, no stereotyping of fairies coming to save your lives, rather Samaira fighting it out, expressing her views in her own unique way.
• Simple and easy to understand. Whether you read it out to younger kids or let the elder ones read on your own, the language is very kid friendly and engaging.

Still need more reasons? Ok, so here goes the most important one - it's from the house of FunOkPlease, an Indian publishing house that's trying to come out with quality content for Indian kids. Lets support them by reading their books and spreading the word if you like their content. I as a mother surely love their books. My 3 year old now knows the story of it page by page :). In fact, last weekend during one of my story telling sessions in a neighburhood library, I actually narrated this book to kids. Later, two moms came to me and asked who is the author and where can they buy this book? One of them mentioned that her daughter doesn't like to go out and play basket ball as she thinks it will "tan" her skin. And that girl is not more than 10 years old, yes just 10 :(.

More power to Samaira and her likes, may they remain as beautiful and unique always!

Reading out Brown Like Dosa in a story telling event in my neighborhood library

                                                              

The book is available for online purchase at amazon and flipkart

Book Review · Books · brown like dosa samosas and sticky chikki · Children book review · children books india · fairness obsession in india · fun ok please

5 reasons why your child should read Brown Like Dosas Samosa and Sticky Chikki

Mentioned it earlier, saying it again – one Indian publishing house that keeps on bettering itself with every new release is FunOkPlease. Not to follow the rut, this team has surely managed to create its own niche in children's book industry. And I get surprised at their choice of story lines - distinct and pertinent always! Be it Toto the Auto or Alphabet Dress-Up or Brown Like Dosas Samosa and Sticky Chikki, each one is truly a gem in itself.  I got this book few weeks back and the gorgeous cover design actually brought a smile on my face. In a world that's obsessed with 'fair & lovely', it was good to see the main character of the story 'brown & bold'.  Many, I mean really many reasons why I loved this book but here are top 5 on why your child should definitely read it:

• It's very relevant to Indian culture where we have varied skin tones but somehow the epitome of beauty has always been attributed to the fair ones. This obsession for fairness is so deeply ingrained in our society that at times I get shocked to observe it in younger girls too. In a world biased towards the lighter tone, here comes Samaira who is happy and content with her brown skin tone and would not exchange it with whiter shade for anything. So proud of you Samaira, may the youngsters understand the deep message that you're trying to communicate!
• Like all other FunOkPlease books, its visually very rich but must say that this has additional charm as compared to the earlier ones. Maybe it's the fairy land or those yum food, the illustrations in this books are sure to grab attention of your little ones.
• Presentation is excellent, I mean what better way to communicate the beauty of brown skin to kids than associating it with chocolate or milkshake :)? Such an important message but presented in such a fun way.
• Its dreamy yet different, no stereotyping of fairies coming to save your lives, rather Samaira fighting it out, expressing her views in her own unique way.
• Simple and easy to understand. Whether you read it out to younger kids or let the elder ones read on your own, the language is very kid friendly and engaging.

Still need more reasons? Ok, so here goes the most important one - it's from the house of FunOkPlease, an Indian publishing house that's trying to come out with quality content for Indian kids. Lets support them by reading their books and spreading the word if you like their content. I as a mother surely love their books. My 3 year old now knows the story of it page by page :). In fact, last weekend during one of my story telling sessions in a neighburhood library, I actually narrated this book to kids. Later, two moms came to me and asked who is the author and where can they buy this book? One of them mentioned that her daughter doesn't like to go out and play basket ball as she thinks it will "tan" her skin. And that girl is not more than 10 years old, yes just 10 :(.

More power to Samaira and her likes, may they remain as beautiful and unique always!

Reading out Brown Like Dosa in a story telling event in my neighborhood library

                                                              

The book is available for online purchase at amazon and flipkart

I think I have read a short story collection after really long and that too thankfully turned out to be good, something that I enjoyed throughout. India Unlimited – as the book cover rightly says is a collection of short stories from a nation that’s caught between hype & hope. Authored by Kulpreet Yadav, this book has 31 short stories set against the backdrop of evolving India.

Enthralling, Engrossing & Enjoyable - my 3 word reaction for this book would be these! Even though I’m not very much of a short story person but still managed to finish the whole book over a weekend. Interest in one story led to another and so on. Things that I loved about this book:

• Intense emotions presented in such a simple language.
• Poignant plots, some of the stories never looked like initially could be concluded in a short story, but they did and that too beautifully.
• Variety of themes, I mean this book actually presents gamut of varied emotions in 191 pages.

It’s difficult to decide whether I liked Billu’s story in A Familiar Stranger more or Ram’s emotion from The City of Mirrors but amongst all if I have to go for one, I think I would pick the first story of Not the only Peanut Seller Who Hasn’t Heard of Osama Bin Laden – it’s nice and simple and emotional or The Beautiful People which is again simple yet very hard-hitting. Did I not like anything about this book? Nothing very strongly but yes, definitely found 2-3 stories to be quite vague.

Overall, a book that I enjoyed and surely recommend as a quick read for your weekend. Even if you are not much into short stories but enjoy reading stories about human emotions, then you’re definitely going to enjoy it. Do give it a try.

You can read more about the author Kulpreet Yadav at his website and this book is available for INR 159.00 (as on today) at Amazon.

*This post is based on review copy sent by the author. Opinions expresses in this post about the book are solely mine.

book · Book Review · India Unlimited · indian writing · Kulpreet Yadav

India Unlimited: Book Review

I think I have read a short story collection after really long and that too thankfully turned out to be good, something that I enjoyed throughout. India Unlimited – as the book cover rightly says is a collection of short stories from a nation that’s caught between hype & hope. Authored by Kulpreet Yadav, this book has 31 short stories set against the backdrop of evolving India.

Enthralling, Engrossing & Enjoyable - my 3 word reaction for this book would be these! Even though I’m not very much of a short story person but still managed to finish the whole book over a weekend. Interest in one story led to another and so on. Things that I loved about this book:

• Intense emotions presented in such a simple language.
• Poignant plots, some of the stories never looked like initially could be concluded in a short story, but they did and that too beautifully.
• Variety of themes, I mean this book actually presents gamut of varied emotions in 191 pages.

It’s difficult to decide whether I liked Billu’s story in A Familiar Stranger more or Ram’s emotion from The City of Mirrors but amongst all if I have to go for one, I think I would pick the first story of Not the only Peanut Seller Who Hasn’t Heard of Osama Bin Laden – it’s nice and simple and emotional or The Beautiful People which is again simple yet very hard-hitting. Did I not like anything about this book? Nothing very strongly but yes, definitely found 2-3 stories to be quite vague.

Overall, a book that I enjoyed and surely recommend as a quick read for your weekend. Even if you are not much into short stories but enjoy reading stories about human emotions, then you’re definitely going to enjoy it. Do give it a try.

You can read more about the author Kulpreet Yadav at his website and this book is available for INR 159.00 (as on today) at Amazon.

*This post is based on review copy sent by the author. Opinions expresses in this post about the book are solely mine.

Ok, I’m late in doing this post about “Alphabet Dress-Up” book by FunOkPlease. Got it few weeks back by the publishers but got the time to check it only last weekend. And man, was I really impressed? Yes and a big YES! I immediately thought to jot down my feedback on this book as its one fantastic piece that deserves more and more mentions all across. I can’t tell you how impressed I’m with this “FunOkPlease” group. Every book that they come out with is actually better than the previous one. Simply put, to me this is one publishing house that just outperforms its own creativity with its each new launch. 

The book written by “Nalini Sorensen” and illustrated by “Shraddha Pimputkar” is a brilliant visual treat for kids! The whole alphabet series is presented in the form of dress-up options with a puzzle on each page to find another word with that same alphabet that’s there on the page. Total fun, isn’t it? But that’s not all. There are many other things that I loved about this book as a Mom. Here goes the list of few of them:

• Interesting yet engaging! Not only the bright, colorful illustrations draw attention to the pages, those puzzles actually keep you glued on to the book for long. A good fun exercise for kids!
• Unique! When I say unique, it’s actually unique. Trust me on that! These days, since I often browse books for the little one, I have actually got a chance to see many other alphabet books including the ones from international brands but this one is indeed different. 
• Attention to details! 13 characters are girls in that book and 13 boys. Now how cool is that! Isn’t it? And the professions have been depicted in a way that breaks the gender stereotypes. For e.g., the astronaut in the book is a girl and the teacher is a boy.
• Stimulates imagination! It’s not only about bright colors and cute characters, it actually lets you imagine and opens up possibilities to think of other professions as dress up options from things around you. In this age of fancy digital screens & high-tech apps, anything that lets kids imagine of possibilities with day-to-day regular things is such a welcome change. The book also comes with a flash card game at the end and all of this at Rs. 199/-!

Overall, a book that I totally recommend as a Mom. My toddler has yet not reached the stage of understanding different professions shown in this book but I have added this book in my ‘read-out-loud’ list to teach him alphabets and different words that’s possible with each alphabet. In case you’ve a kid at home who is at alphabet or word learning stage, then do check out this book. I’m actually quite confident that you will love it! 

To know more FunOkPlease, click here and to buy this book online at Flipkart, click here. 

Alphabet Dress-Up · book · Book Review · Children's Book · Kids books · Kids Books India

Alphabet Dress-Up: Children’s Book

Ok, I’m late in doing this post about “Alphabet Dress-Up” book by FunOkPlease. Got it few weeks back by the publishers but got the time to check it only last weekend. And man, was I really impressed? Yes and a big YES! I immediately thought to jot down my feedback on this book as its one fantastic piece that deserves more and more mentions all across. I can’t tell you how impressed I’m with this “FunOkPlease” group. Every book that they come out with is actually better than the previous one. Simply put, to me this is one publishing house that just outperforms its own creativity with its each new launch. 

The book written by “Nalini Sorensen” and illustrated by “Shraddha Pimputkar” is a brilliant visual treat for kids! The whole alphabet series is presented in the form of dress-up options with a puzzle on each page to find another word with that same alphabet that’s there on the page. Total fun, isn’t it? But that’s not all. There are many other things that I loved about this book as a Mom. Here goes the list of few of them:

• Interesting yet engaging! Not only the bright, colorful illustrations draw attention to the pages, those puzzles actually keep you glued on to the book for long. A good fun exercise for kids!
• Unique! When I say unique, it’s actually unique. Trust me on that! These days, since I often browse books for the little one, I have actually got a chance to see many other alphabet books including the ones from international brands but this one is indeed different. 
• Attention to details! 13 characters are girls in that book and 13 boys. Now how cool is that! Isn’t it? And the professions have been depicted in a way that breaks the gender stereotypes. For e.g., the astronaut in the book is a girl and the teacher is a boy.
• Stimulates imagination! It’s not only about bright colors and cute characters, it actually lets you imagine and opens up possibilities to think of other professions as dress up options from things around you. In this age of fancy digital screens & high-tech apps, anything that lets kids imagine of possibilities with day-to-day regular things is such a welcome change. The book also comes with a flash card game at the end and all of this at Rs. 199/-!

Overall, a book that I totally recommend as a Mom. My toddler has yet not reached the stage of understanding different professions shown in this book but I have added this book in my ‘read-out-loud’ list to teach him alphabets and different words that’s possible with each alphabet. In case you’ve a kid at home who is at alphabet or word learning stage, then do check out this book. I’m actually quite confident that you will love it! 

To know more FunOkPlease, click here and to buy this book online at Flipkart, click here. 

After reading “Chanakya’s Chant” by Ashiwn Sanghi earlier, I was quite looking forward to his new book “The Krishna Key”. To add to that, the video ad of the book made me all the more excited about it. So, was it a delight or a dud for me? Actually neither! At times, the book was too gripping whereas at others I lost interest due to too many details. When I say ‘too many’, it was actually ‘too many’. But I have to give credit to the author for the kind of research he has done to write this book. Absolutely brilliant! It’s simply amazing and praiseworthy to note that in this age of shortcuts or quick-lits, someone has actually put in this kind of effort to write a book like this. Kudos to Mr. Sanghi for the same!

Now coming down to the book, its yet another intriguing thriller fiction that interweaves mythology and reality. Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age, the Kaliyug. In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. Only, he is a serial killer. In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret, Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind. 'The Krishna Key' tries to provide a logical alternative explanation of the Vedic Age that could be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller addicts alike.

Well-researched, Fascinating but Overloaded! These are the three words that come to my mind if I have to describe this book crisply. The start of the book was quite good; first day when I had picked it up, it seemed to be one of those unputdownable ones. But as the story unfolds, it isn’t. If the blogosphere said that it’s like an Indian Da Vinci Code, it actually is! And I didn’t mind reading one, as personally speaking I have come across very few Indian fiction that has presented thriller in a captivating way. This book definitely manages to do that to an extent. Except that I feel that at places, over stretching could have been avoided to keep the interest intact. If you try to relate to fact with fiction, or go into the mode of relating current with history then trust me it will leave you super confused. So, just read it as it is. Language was good and flow smooth but the length of the book with 464 pages of storytelling was something that I think could have been definitely relooked at. 

Overall a good read but start reading it with moderate expectations. If you get into comparative mode with the author’s first two books, then you might have higher expectations leading to disappointment. If not for anything else, read it for the kind of information that this books provides on mythology and history.

So, have you read this book? What has been your view on it? Do share the same in the comments section.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Ashwin Sanghi · Book Review · Books · Chanakya's Chant · The Krishna Key

The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

After reading “Chanakya’s Chant” by Ashiwn Sanghi earlier, I was quite looking forward to his new book “The Krishna Key”. To add to that, the video ad of the book made me all the more excited about it. So, was it a delight or a dud for me? Actually neither! At times, the book was too gripping whereas at others I lost interest due to too many details. When I say ‘too many’, it was actually ‘too many’. But I have to give credit to the author for the kind of research he has done to write this book. Absolutely brilliant! It’s simply amazing and praiseworthy to note that in this age of shortcuts or quick-lits, someone has actually put in this kind of effort to write a book like this. Kudos to Mr. Sanghi for the same!

Now coming down to the book, its yet another intriguing thriller fiction that interweaves mythology and reality. Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age, the Kaliyug. In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. Only, he is a serial killer. In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret, Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind. 'The Krishna Key' tries to provide a logical alternative explanation of the Vedic Age that could be relished by conspiracy buffs and thriller addicts alike.

Well-researched, Fascinating but Overloaded! These are the three words that come to my mind if I have to describe this book crisply. The start of the book was quite good; first day when I had picked it up, it seemed to be one of those unputdownable ones. But as the story unfolds, it isn’t. If the blogosphere said that it’s like an Indian Da Vinci Code, it actually is! And I didn’t mind reading one, as personally speaking I have come across very few Indian fiction that has presented thriller in a captivating way. This book definitely manages to do that to an extent. Except that I feel that at places, over stretching could have been avoided to keep the interest intact. If you try to relate to fact with fiction, or go into the mode of relating current with history then trust me it will leave you super confused. So, just read it as it is. Language was good and flow smooth but the length of the book with 464 pages of storytelling was something that I think could have been definitely relooked at. 

Overall a good read but start reading it with moderate expectations. If you get into comparative mode with the author’s first two books, then you might have higher expectations leading to disappointment. If not for anything else, read it for the kind of information that this books provides on mythology and history.

So, have you read this book? What has been your view on it? Do share the same in the comments section.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Few days back I had written about Toto Series by this new age Indian publisher FunOkPlease. I got to read yet another gem by them – “366 words in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi & Kolkata” and once again I am compelled to write my feedback about them. These guys definitely deserve a big shout out for their effort! Absolutely laudable and worth a mention! Undoubtedly their content is different and when I say different it’s actually different. Practical, innovative and engaging to the core! I can’t tell you how impressed I’m by this 366 words series.

 ‘366 words’ showcases the vibrant cities of Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi & Kolkata to its readers in a very creative and interesting way. Each book revolves around one city and presents the history, culture, food, festivals and important landmarks through beautiful illustrations. This book is meant for kids of any age group. For younger kids (< 5 years), it can be used as picture talk book to learn one new word each day. For bit older kids (6-8 years), it can be used to help them learn and identify places and interesting facts about their city. For older kids (> 8 years), it can be used as an informative and comprehensive guide of their city and surroundings.

Loaded with information, presented in style, these books have enough activities to keep your little ones engaged - be it the ones like 'find-the-objects-in-each-picture' or 'identify-the-images' at the end of  books, each page has been designed keeping kids of different age groups in mind.

A sample page from "366 words in Bengaluru"

Though the book does not mention it but I must say that this book is not only meant for kids rather even grown ups can benefit from it easily. The first two pages on history and background of city are so informative. Things like “how did Bengaluru get its name” or “how payasa combines all flavors of life in one single recipe” from ‘366 words in Bengaluru’ are some of the knowledge nuggets which I definitely loved to read.

In nutshell, this series is a must if you’re looking to enrich your kid’s knowledge about your city. In fact as per me, it would be interesting if schools in their curriculums can include such books. I read all four in their series and I think I can safely say that I have not come across any similar Indian book that presents such important insights in such a fun way. Loved it and strongly recommend it to parents in my network. It’s one of those must-have books for your junior’s library.

Do check out more about their new collection here.

366 words in Bengaluru · Book Review · Books · Children book review · children books india · Delhi · fun ok please · Kids books · Kolkata · Mumbai

“366 words” series by FUNOKPLEASE

Few days back I had written about Toto Series by this new age Indian publisher FunOkPlease. I got to read yet another gem by them – “366 words in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi & Kolkata” and once again I am compelled to write my feedback about them. These guys definitely deserve a big shout out for their effort! Absolutely laudable and worth a mention! Undoubtedly their content is different and when I say different it’s actually different. Practical, innovative and engaging to the core! I can’t tell you how impressed I’m by this 366 words series.

 ‘366 words’ showcases the vibrant cities of Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi & Kolkata to its readers in a very creative and interesting way. Each book revolves around one city and presents the history, culture, food, festivals and important landmarks through beautiful illustrations. This book is meant for kids of any age group. For younger kids (< 5 years), it can be used as picture talk book to learn one new word each day. For bit older kids (6-8 years), it can be used to help them learn and identify places and interesting facts about their city. For older kids (> 8 years), it can be used as an informative and comprehensive guide of their city and surroundings.

Loaded with information, presented in style, these books have enough activities to keep your little ones engaged - be it the ones like 'find-the-objects-in-each-picture' or 'identify-the-images' at the end of  books, each page has been designed keeping kids of different age groups in mind.

A sample page from "366 words in Bengaluru"

Though the book does not mention it but I must say that this book is not only meant for kids rather even grown ups can benefit from it easily. The first two pages on history and background of city are so informative. Things like “how did Bengaluru get its name” or “how payasa combines all flavors of life in one single recipe” from ‘366 words in Bengaluru’ are some of the knowledge nuggets which I definitely loved to read.

In nutshell, this series is a must if you’re looking to enrich your kid’s knowledge about your city. In fact as per me, it would be interesting if schools in their curriculums can include such books. I read all four in their series and I think I can safely say that I have not come across any similar Indian book that presents such important insights in such a fun way. Loved it and strongly recommend it to parents in my network. It’s one of those must-have books for your junior’s library.

Do check out more about their new collection here.

I had mentioned it in one of my earlier posts about an Indian kids content website where I had landed up just by chance. After browsing through few pages, I decided to give their iPad app a try and man did I like it? Oh yes, a lot! Loved the freshness of the content so much that ordered some of their books as well and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Content was indeed interesting with appealing illustrations.

I’m speaking of “Fun OK Please”, a new age children’s book publishers based out of Mumbai. They focus on contemporary Indian content for children in the age group of 3-10 years and offer stories set in modern context. Relatable characters, practical messages and their made for India philosophy are some of their key differentiators which attracted a mom like me to check out their whole collection for my little one. I read four books from their 'Toto and Pattu' series and absolutely loved it. 

Toto’s stories are all about adventure and having fun while also solving problems and helping others. Toto is a lovable, cheeky little autorickshaw who lives in Mumbai with his driver Pattu. Toto, by character is brave, kind and a do-gooder. He loves to help others and make new friends. Involving people, animals, vehicles and objects, Toto’s stories aim at building character and developing positive self esteem in children.

What I loved about this series:

• Unlike the typical bedtime stories or fairytales, Toto stories are set in real cities with a backdrop of our day-to-day lives.
• Messages are practical and pertinent to current generation kids. Morals taught are not preachy but realistic with an added punch of fun.
• Problems addressed are more of what kids face in their regular lives like hazards of watching TV continuously or repercussion of feelings like jealousy and insecurity amongst friends.
• Presentation is interesting with rich visuals that will appeal to younger kids for sure.
• Each book comes with an activity section at the end making the books more engaging and fun for kids.

In nutshell, Toto series is all about being “practical yet fun” and “interesting yet informative” at the same time. It’s something that I surely look forward to offering it to my little one when he grows up. As of now also, he loves listening to the Toto song on iPad app. So, all you parents looking out for some good Indian kiddie content, do check out this collection by Fun Ok Please. Two of my friends have already bought the series and their kids loved it! 

You can check more about them at their site or on their Facebook page.

Book Review · Books · Children book review · children books india · fun ok please · Graphic Books · toto and pattu

Fun Ok Please: Something interesting for your little ones

I had mentioned it in one of my earlier posts about an Indian kids content website where I had landed up just by chance. After browsing through few pages, I decided to give their iPad app a try and man did I like it? Oh yes, a lot! Loved the freshness of the content so much that ordered some of their books as well and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Content was indeed interesting with appealing illustrations.

I’m speaking of “Fun OK Please”, a new age children’s book publishers based out of Mumbai. They focus on contemporary Indian content for children in the age group of 3-10 years and offer stories set in modern context. Relatable characters, practical messages and their made for India philosophy are some of their key differentiators which attracted a mom like me to check out their whole collection for my little one. I read four books from their 'Toto and Pattu' series and absolutely loved it. 

Toto’s stories are all about adventure and having fun while also solving problems and helping others. Toto is a lovable, cheeky little autorickshaw who lives in Mumbai with his driver Pattu. Toto, by character is brave, kind and a do-gooder. He loves to help others and make new friends. Involving people, animals, vehicles and objects, Toto’s stories aim at building character and developing positive self esteem in children.

What I loved about this series:

• Unlike the typical bedtime stories or fairytales, Toto stories are set in real cities with a backdrop of our day-to-day lives.
• Messages are practical and pertinent to current generation kids. Morals taught are not preachy but realistic with an added punch of fun.
• Problems addressed are more of what kids face in their regular lives like hazards of watching TV continuously or repercussion of feelings like jealousy and insecurity amongst friends.
• Presentation is interesting with rich visuals that will appeal to younger kids for sure.
• Each book comes with an activity section at the end making the books more engaging and fun for kids.

In nutshell, Toto series is all about being “practical yet fun” and “interesting yet informative” at the same time. It’s something that I surely look forward to offering it to my little one when he grows up. As of now also, he loves listening to the Toto song on iPad app. So, all you parents looking out for some good Indian kiddie content, do check out this collection by Fun Ok Please. Two of my friends have already bought the series and their kids loved it! 

You can check more about them at their site or on their Facebook page.

Most of us would have read / watched “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling at some point of our lives, then why did I pick this book again? No, no my little one is too young for story book reading as of now, its my own love for graphic novels and comic books which makes me pick up these even if the story is read earlier in text books or elsewhere. So, when Campfire sent a mail for reviewing their new titles, I immediately picked up few for review and one of those was “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling. Having read their books earlier, I was sure that their presentation would definitely have something new to offer. And man, wasn’t I right! It’s yet another beautiful visual treat by the Campfire team. Loved it, absolutely loved it!

The plot remains same – It’s about the adventurous journey of a little boy Mowgli who escapes certain doom at the hands of the tiger Shere Khan and lands up in a jungle amongst the wolf pack. With time he grows up in jungle and is taught the ways of living a jungle life. Though as he grows he faces lots of conflicts, the biggest one being finding his real identity amongst pack of wolves or humans – neither of whom is willing to accept him as of one its own. Yes, it’s the same story but you have to go through this book to understand why it is an interesting read for kids and adults who like reading visual books. Here’s my quick take about the book:

• As I mentioned earlier, it’s a visual treat! Have to say this about the graphic team of Campfire – your presentation is class apart, really love the way stories get illustrated at your end. 
• Language is simple and can be easily understood by kids of reading age group.
• Length of the book is also apt, neither too long for kids to lose interest nor too short for grown ups to miss their attention. 101 pages of total fun!
• Like most Campfire books, even this one comes with some interesting trivia about “Rudyard Kipling”, “The Jungle Book” story and movie at the end.
• There is a cute poster of Mowgli and his fun at the end of the book .

From my side, it’s a thumbs-up for this book. I've read their one more title during my pre-baby era and will be posting a review of it soon. Would love to read more books from Campfire and yes waiting eagerly for the little one to grow and see if he develops the taste for reading or not. Totally up to his interest level but if he does, Campfire books would definitely be on my recommendation list for him.

Book Review · Books · campfire · Graphic Books · Indian Comics · rudyard kipling · the jungle book

The Jungle Book by Campfire

Most of us would have read / watched “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling at some point of our lives, then why did I pick this book again? No, no my little one is too young for story book reading as of now, its my own love for graphic novels and comic books which makes me pick up these even if the story is read earlier in text books or elsewhere. So, when Campfire sent a mail for reviewing their new titles, I immediately picked up few for review and one of those was “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling. Having read their books earlier, I was sure that their presentation would definitely have something new to offer. And man, wasn’t I right! It’s yet another beautiful visual treat by the Campfire team. Loved it, absolutely loved it!

The plot remains same – It’s about the adventurous journey of a little boy Mowgli who escapes certain doom at the hands of the tiger Shere Khan and lands up in a jungle amongst the wolf pack. With time he grows up in jungle and is taught the ways of living a jungle life. Though as he grows he faces lots of conflicts, the biggest one being finding his real identity amongst pack of wolves or humans – neither of whom is willing to accept him as of one its own. Yes, it’s the same story but you have to go through this book to understand why it is an interesting read for kids and adults who like reading visual books. Here’s my quick take about the book:

• As I mentioned earlier, it’s a visual treat! Have to say this about the graphic team of Campfire – your presentation is class apart, really love the way stories get illustrated at your end. 
• Language is simple and can be easily understood by kids of reading age group.
• Length of the book is also apt, neither too long for kids to lose interest nor too short for grown ups to miss their attention. 101 pages of total fun!
• Like most Campfire books, even this one comes with some interesting trivia about “Rudyard Kipling”, “The Jungle Book” story and movie at the end.
• There is a cute poster of Mowgli and his fun at the end of the book .

From my side, it’s a thumbs-up for this book. I've read their one more title during my pre-baby era and will be posting a review of it soon. Would love to read more books from Campfire and yes waiting eagerly for the little one to grow and see if he develops the taste for reading or not. Totally up to his interest level but if he does, Campfire books would definitely be on my recommendation list for him.