Publish with Us

Follow Penguin

Follow Penguinsters

Follow Penguin Swadesh

© 2020 Penguin India

Category: Specials

7 Asian Women who Fearlessly Pursued their Dreams

Posted on by Penguin India

Through the ages strong, inspirational women and girls have risen in response to uncertainty and injustice. Fearless chronicles the journeys and stories of such amazing and strong women – demonstrating that one girl can change everything.

If you were looking to be inspired today, read about these 7 asian women who fearlessly pursued their dreams:

Shukria Khanum

Shukria Khanum was a female aviator – one of the first of her kind in Pakistan. She obtained a commercial pilot’s license despite women not being allowed to fly commercial planes at the time. She subsequently became a flight instructor  because she never gave up on her dream!.

Majida Rizvi

She was the first ever female judge of a Pakistani High Court and had a reputation for integrity and impartiality. Even after retirement Majida has continued to fight for gender equality and human rights in Pakistan.

Shamim Ara

Shamim began her career as an actress and subsequently became one of Pakistan’s leading ladies. But her true talent was producing and directing. She mastered what was at the time the male dominated area of cinema and she changed how women were portrayed in Pakistani cinema.

Zubeida Mustafa

Zubeida was an influential journalist at a time where there were very few women involved in the profession. She worked for Pakistan’s most influential and circulated daily, Dawn. Her stellar writing quality and persistence led her to a long and successful career in journalism.

Ameena Saiyid Obe

Ameena pursued her love of books by starting her own publishing company, Saiyid Books as well as working as Managing Director of Oxford University Press in Pakistan where she grew the company exponentially. She also cofounded the Karachi Literature Festival and is lauded for promoting the love of reading in Pakistan.

Shahida Malik

Shahida was the first high-ranking two-star female general in the Pakistani Army. Although she faced challenges and opposition from her male colleagues, she did not let it stop her and she went on to serve as the Deputy Commander and Inspector General of the Pakistan Army Medical Corps.

Quratulain Bakhtiari

Quratulain is a community activist, educationist and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. She has worked extensively with refugees and her efforts have led to the establishment of thousands of schools.

These are but a few examples of the tenacity and strength displayed by women in overcoming challenges and pursuing their dreams. You can read further about these women and many more in Fearless

From picture books to Hook Books: Why your child needs Hook Books!

Posted on by Penguin India

The Hook Books are early chapter books for very young readers, aged five and above (for being read to) and six and above (for reading independently). Written by award-winning and most-loved writers for children, and illustrated in exuberant colour by some of India’s best illustrators, these stories are set largely in non-urban settings.

Why Hook Books? Sayoni Basu, editor of the Hook Books explains why you and your child should be reading these.

Who’s There? || Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, Anupama Ajinkya Apte

It is an accepted fact that every child reads at a different pace. Reading levels and grade targets and lexile levels work up to a point, but children’s actual reading abilities vary widely within these levels and frequently fall outside them on either side. This is especially true in India in the case of books in English—English might be the first, second or third language, and is introduced at different ages.

The challenge for authors and publishers is to therefore create books which can work for wide age groups. Books which are both simple and complex: with a vocabulary that works for kids of five and six, who are graduating from picture books to books with more words, yet with a story that would interest a reader who may be a lot older.

My Daddy and the Well || Jerry Pinto, Lavanya Naidu (Illustrator)

This was one of our goals in the Hook Book series.

The longer we work in children’s publishing, the more clearly we realise the impossibility of linking age group to reading ability. So we wanted to create books that satisfy the metro parents’ desire to fast-forward their child’s reading achievements, and yet allow children the pleasure of reading well-written stories that appeal to them.

Hey Diddle Diddle || Anushka Ravishankar, Priya Kuriyan (Illustrator)

The second goal we set ourselves is to have a diversity of experiences in these books. Many of our readers live in cities and are in many ways deracinated. Living within an urban bubble and interacting only with other children like themselves, it is easy for them to lose touch with the the fact that despite belonging to the same country, we are diverse in the way we look, the way we live, the religious practices we follow, and social habits. So one of our goals in this series was also to try to bring together stories of small towns from different parts of the country. This is done subtly, through the names of the characters and the lives that are depicted and through visuals. There is no explicit mention or discussion, but it brings the lives of people who are ‘different’ into the world of the reader.

A Quiet Girl || Paro Anand, Toposhi Ghoshal (Illustrator)

The third goal is an educational value addition. We strongly believe that reading should be for pleasure and pleasure only, but we are sadly aware that a lot of the world does not share this view. And because we want our books to sell, we have given in to market pressure and created one exercise for each book. These exercises are carefully chosen to fit in with what children learn at school, so parents and teachers will be happy. But we also wanted to make these as enjoyable as possible for the child. And instead of quizzing kids about what is in the book, we use the story as a starting point for the child to explore the nuances of language and its usage.

So the Hook Books tick many boxes: they are attractive, well-written, fun to read, and are also educational, diverse and carefully crafted. We hope they will be an exciting and groundbreaking new series in the Indian children’s market.

 

It’s not a book, it’s a hook!

The Curious Case of Havaldar Hook – An Interview

Posted on by Penguin India

 

Havaldar Hook is the endearing mascot of the Hook Books, a new series for early readers for ages 5 and up. To get to know him better, we posed some questions and he very merrily indulged, with honesty and humour.

 

Q: You are a humble havaldar, but you now have a series named after you. How do you feel?

 

A: I’m not ‘a’ havaldar, my name is Havaldar, because my father thought that I would grow up and become a policeman. But I wanted to become a teacher. So I’m very happy that there is a such a fun series in my name. I love books.

 

Q: But, HH, you wear a police uniform. 

 

A: I wear the uniform because it makes my father happy. I believe that it’s all about one’s parents.

 

Q: You have asked a lot of questions at the end of the book. Do you believe all books should be educational? Can’t children just read for fun?

 

A: I’ll tell you a secret. The questions are not for the children. They are for the adults. Heh heh heh.  The children will be happy with the marvellous stories and illustrations. So I thought, let’s give the parents and teachers something to be happy about. Still, I made sure that the questions are not like textbook questions, so children can have fun with them too.

 

Q: If you could give our readers one piece of advice what would it be?

 

A: Never let your parents decide what you should do in life. Also, if your parents give you a silly name, you can change it officially. Sadly, no one told me this, so I’m stuck with the name Havaldar. It makes me very sad, because most children run away when they hear the words: ‘Havaldar is coming!’

 

Q: One slightly personal question:  how did your nose come to match your surname: Hook?

 

A: (preens in pride.) The Raja of Naakpur bestowed the surname Hook on my great-great grandfather in honour of this nose! All the Hooks in history since then have proudly sported this nose. The Raja had just come back from London, otherwise we’d probably have been called the Aakadas.

 

Q: Finally, Havaldarji, what would you like to change your first name to?

 

*Havaldar Hook went silent and thoughtful at this point and we are still waiting for an answer to this question.

Here are the Hook Books

 

Reasons to Add ‘Timeless Tales from Marwar’ to your Reading List!

Posted on by Penguin India

Rajasthan’s history is brimming with stories and folklore that span centuries. These are tales that bind Rajasthani folk culture and its history and are passed down generation to generation.

At the forefront of Rajasthani storytelling is Vijaydan Dehta who has also been called the ‘Shakespeare of Rajasthan’. In Timeless Tales from Marwar, Vishes Kothari translates his works from Rajasthani and offers some of the oldest and most popular fables from the Thar Desert region.

Not convinced? Here are reasons you and your child should add this book to your TBR:

Introduce Indian folklore to your child

Timeless Tales from Marwar compiles some of the most popular folklore and stories from the much- celebrated Batan ri Phulwari- ‘Garden of Tales’- a fourteen-volume collection written over a span of nearly fifty years!

The book has a magical narrative style

‘The tale of a tale.
The mischief of mischief.
There were three villages.
Two abandoned, and one,never settled only.
In which lived three potters.
Two fools, and one knew not about making pots only.’

These stories will warm your heart

Detha wrote ‘Because I was so completely unsuccessful with love, I became very talented at writing love stories.’ His stories, like ‘The Leaf and the Pebble’ explore the connections of friendship and love that is familiar to everyone. These stories will leave you feeling hopeful and are sure to warm your heart!

  Gain invaluable life lessons

Vijaydan Detha’s stories bind together human relationships, Indian wildlife, ghosts and the universe at large in an attempt to harness valuable life lessons.

Disguised within interesting and adventurous writings about the stars in ‘Aahedi, the Hunter’ or snakes in ‘Naagan, May Your Line Prosper’, there are lessons and advice about life which any reader can benefit from!

Read well written stories,explore heartwarming and adventurous tales and learn a few life lessons with the Timeless Tales from Marwar!

 

On hope and healing

Posted on by Penguin India
by Tanu Shree Singh

‘Last three years have been a struggle after Mom passed away. Darkless brought a sense of calm to me. That I am okay. That I will be okay,’ a woman my age wrote in a few days back.

‘I read this to my boy. After we turned the last page, he gave me the tightest hug though he had been at loggerheads with me the entire day!’ said another.

And then there have been the responses at various sessions with kids:

‘Dying scares me.’

‘I am scared that my pet dog won’t come back from hospital.’

‘My Dadi is too sick.’

Darkless || Tanu Shree Singh, Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

The conversations amaze me, stump me, but mostly worry me since most of the children also confess that they have never talked to anyone about it.

It has been more than four months since the book came out and never had I anticipated that it would reach people across age groups, across fears and across life situations. It is surreal and humbling at the same time. And when someone somewhere reaches out to let me know that the book helped them reach out or find inner peace, it makes all the phases of uncertainty before it came out totally worth it.

People often ask if any personal tragedy or fear prompted me to write Darkless. Although, all of us have our own bags full of fears and worries, this book didn’t come from that bag. It came out of a telephone conversation with a friend, Vaani Arora, who was working on some story based on the concept of light and dark as part of a STEM series. I saw light as something that seemed bright and colorful when the heart felt light. And when clouds of uncertainty, fear or worries visited, everything got dark. The story continued long after she hung up. I wrote it and sent it to a number of places only to be handed one rejection after another. Most thought that it was too dark or made no financial sense and so on.

I forgot all about it too for a couple of years. And then out of the blue I sent it to Pickle Yolk Books. Rest as they is a mad slice of history. We all put our hearts into the books – Sandhya with her sensitive illustrations, Richa with her impeccable editing and ideas and finally Sohini for putting her faith in the book. And then the hunt for the right title began! We brainstormed different options and out of the blue, Parag from Penguin said ‘Darkless’! We literally pounced at it. I have always maintained that books are a product of good teamwork and this one is a perfect example of that.

Darker emotions are often brushed under the carpet, more so when it comes to children, since we assume that they do not feel the depth of it or that they need to be protected from them. We hide them from uncomfortable situations and questions. We do that thinking that we are keeping them safe from whatever life throws at them. The truth is that somewhere, we are in denial. We don’t want to face the realities ourselves, mostly out of uncertainties and fears, and so rather than befriending and eventually accepting our own demons, we choose to ignore. The children, meanwhile, deal with their own solitary clouds in whatever way they can. Sometimes they accept the cloud as a part of themselves.

What we – the grown-ups – forget is that kids are just regular people. They experience all emotions as adults do, with similar intensities. The sessions that I have done so far around the book have been an eye-opener. From first graders to teenagers, all start the conversation about anxiety, stress and fear with innocuous things like worms, lightning, and bad dreams, and soon quiet conversations around deeper, bigger fears follow; things that they normally do not talk to anyone about. From fear of dying, being left alone, to anxiety around a sick family member and even the mortal fear of losing them – everything tumbles out. When asked what they do when they are gripped by these worries, most had little to say. They mostly kept quiet, mostly buried it.

Through this book, I hope to give the quiet ones a way forward, some tools to deal with the grief, a small step out of their own worry clouds. We need these conversations on fears, on worries, on friends like Ani’s who don’t give up, on the importance of being in the present, and being gratefully aware of the good things in life, no matter how small they are; just like the dust fairies that Ani loved to spot.

‘Ma’am,’ a little girl approached me after a recent session and asked, ‘can I please hug you?’ I received one of the warmest hugs in a long time. ‘I get scared of having no friends too,’ she whispered. ‘But I will be okay, thank you.’ Moments like these make all the drafts that I wrote, all the words I let go of, and the ones I stood by while we made the book, totally worth it.

My hope for this book is not multiple editions or a position in bestsellers’ list. My hope for it is that it helps a child rekindle hope and allows some grown-up somewhere to shed some happy tears and heal.

7 Essentials of Writing a Letter

Posted on by Penguin India

The art of letter writing emerged long before phone calls or long text messages. Past generations will know well the anticipation that came with sending and receiving letter – a process that could sometimes take months. Perhaps it is this anticipation that made letters so special – it meant communication from a loved one or old friend that were miles away.

Letters have since been known to change lives, bring together lover or reconnect old friends. With Love explores the art of letter writing and encourages us to take it up ourselves.

So, whether you are writing to a friend, a long lost love or even family, here are 7 things essential for writing a letter, to keep in mind:

A warm greeting

The way you begin your letter is a great segue into what you are writing. Thinking about how to start your letter is the equivalent of saying ‘hello’ in person – make it familiar and personal. You could start with a fond nickname or word that you and the receiver use to call each other. It helps remind the person of the fondness they share with you and makes it feel like you’re right there greeting them!

Write about fond memories

No matter the content and purpose of the letter, context is always important and appreciated. Whether it’s reminding the receiver of where you met, or reminiscing over a fond memory that you share, mention a memory before proceeding to the main body of your letter.

Be concise

Although letters are great for free flowing thought and expression it is important not to drag them out too much or else the point of your letter will come across jumbled and confusing. Think about what you want to say and the best way in which to say it without dragging it out.

Work on your penmanship

It doesn’t matter how a letter looks – embellishments and decoration is at the discretion of the writer. It is however, to have clear and legible handwriting in order for the reader to understand what is written – if not, they will just be lost words!

Remember to mark the date of writing

Although it may not seem important at the time, noting the day, date and month (sometimes even the time!) is a handy element of a letter that helps place when the letter was intended to be read and how much time has passed since it was written!

Ask questions

Letters are a good place to express your thoughts, but they are ultimately about communication. Remember to address your reader and ask questions about them or their thoughts – this shows that you are interested in what they think and also prompts a response to your letter! Whether it is asking for an opinion, advice or simply asking how they are doing, be sure to include a question or two toward the end of your letter.

End on a positive, personal note

Ending your letter is the last thing you can write to your reader until your next one. Try and make it personal to them, ending with a note of love or friendship!

These are some essential tips on writing a letter if you are inspired by the letters in With Love. Give letter writing a go today and send some to old friends or family!

From Vidya Balan to Sachin Tendulkar: Leaping Across Borders and Beliefs

Posted on by Penguin India

Jai is fourteen and dreams of owning a café in Delhi. Inaya is fifteen and dreams of playing cricket for Pakistan.

In Across the Line, Jai and Inaya’s unlikely worlds collide, and an equally unlikely story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. And a story that transcends borders, beliefs, and timelines.

We are having a look at some of our favourite people, who have taken this journey penned down by Nayanika Mahtani:

Vidya Balan: “A compelling and uplifting story…”

One of India’s favourite actresses, Vidya Balan has lauded the story for its earnestness and emotive power.

*

Sachin Tendulkar: “…what unites us bigger than what divides us.”

We were delighted to hear that our favourite cricketer lauded the story too!

*

Asif Farrukhi: “…this book lights a candle of hope and peace.”

We are also extremely happy to see some love coming across the border!

*

Asma Said Khan: “A much needed book at a time when hatred of the ‘other’ has become endemic…”

Some more love from even farther beyond!

*

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy: “…a tribute to all the unsung heroes who have fought silent battles even after the Partition.”

 

Across the Line is about the Partition and the human impact of borders that still lingers amongst us today. It makes for a must-read story in today’s times with its message of unity and love across borders and beliefs.

 

 

“Happy, Happy You Make Me!” – Meet Alicia’s Dearest George!

Posted on by Penguin India

There’s a reason they say February is the month of love. Thanks to Alicia Souza, and her (PDA-aversive) husband, George, we have had the corniest and loveliest and mushiest February so far (who could have thought we had it in us?).

Our favourite illustrator is admitting her love in artistic style! Amidst all the cuddles and kisses and the banter of married life, our biggest takeaway from her latest book Dearest George is how much these two lovebirds mean to each other.

Call it a post-valentine’s hangover, but we decided to revisit what George means to Alicia!

He is family. Period.

We have said this before and we will say it again – this is our favourite family portrait!

*

Admit it, Alicia – You Love the (Closeted) Romantic!

We know the whole point of penning down this book was to prove to the world that George is, after all, as mushy as all of us.

*

Heart of Gold AND a Nice Beard – What’s not to Love?

We totally feel the shared love for food, to be honest.

*

The Momo Cuddles.

Isn’t companionship about those special lazy mornings, after all?

*

He is Versatile.

George is a complete package, we have to say. #HusbandGoals, much?

*

The Perfect Cure for Bad Days.

Nothing compares to the person that can make you smile on bad days – we know how difficult that is!

*
He Makes her HAPPY. 

Do we need to say more?

George makes Alicia happy – and us too, because this book wouldn’t exist without him!

February is incomplete without celebrating love, and with this post, we are also thanking George for bringing so much love into Alicia’s life and ours!

Perks of Being a Daydreamer!

Posted on by Penguin India

Have you ever found yourself in worlds far away from the one in which you live? Well then, you and Daydreamer Dev have a lot in common.

The Absolutely True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev by Ken Spillman chronicles three of Dev’s fantastic adventures thought up by his colourful imagination. Dev’s flights of fancy land him in challenging environments all over the globe in iconic locations which challenge his skills and teach him about the vast world that awaits.

So you see, daydreaming can teach us a great many things about life! Here are some reasons why being a day dreamer is the best:

 

Anything is possible

In day dreams you are the writer of your story – anything is possible, no mountain is too high, no river too wide, no obstacle too big for you to face! Dev travels to the highest peak, the densest forest and the sandiest land in the world with no hesitation, and so can you – in day dreams or in your real life!

*

It keeps the imagination alive

Dev’s day dreams of places and people he hasn’t ever seen keeps his colourful imagination in practice. It is only through imagination that some of the greatest discoveries of our world have come about! Day dreams keep the imagination and dreams alive so that one day we can turn these dreams to reality!

*

Teaches you about the world

Like Dev’s fantasies about the faraway places, day dreams allow us to imagine different places, people and cultures that exist beyond our own worlds! The world is large and diverse and daydreams allow us to enter worlds we dream to be in.

*

You are never bored

When you daydream, no task is too boring and no afternoon too long – whether you’re sitting on a Kwality Carpet like Dev or spending a lazy afternoon in a park, you won’t be bored for long with your imagination there to help you!

There’s no time for moaning and groaning about being bored when all you have to do is imagine a great new adventure for yourself – just like Dev!

*

Daydreams give you hope and goals

The best part of daydreams is that they give you hope to make those dreams come true! They allow you to set goals for yourself, to imagine a world where you have achieved them, so you can achieve them in your own life!

Dev daydreams about winning a medal at the Olympics, swimming across oceans, flying solo around the world and maybe even crossing the Sahara. And one day he might do all these things in real life too!

So, the next time you hear parents or teachers complaining about your daydreaming ways, remind them that a world without day dreams would be far less exciting!

You can catch up with Dev in Ken Spillman’s The Absolutely True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev to join him in more fantastical adventures around the world.

Meet the Winged Angels And Beaked Devils from Stork-pur!

Posted on by Penguin India

On a tranquil moonlit night, the echoing silence of Rose Garden is broken only by the cooing voices of a pair of doves and the chatter of a white-headed squirrel. The shrill, talkative Lovey and the gentler, melodic Dovey are telling Shikar all about the daring escapade that brought the beloved squirrel into their lives. They speak of days of rip-roaring adventures when the doves, as scout birds on a mission, wreaked havoc with the plans of the villainous master of the ill-famed bird commune named Stork-pur.

Shikar listens breathlessly, hanging on to every word of the electrifying tale. As the saying went, ‘If it is a good story you want, it is to the Rose Garden you must fly.’!

Who were these spirited and compassionate birds that fought evil with courage and saved a baby squirrel from a horrid end?

Read on to meet the magnificent Rose Garden birds and their devilish foes – 

Kabul

In the bird world, skybirds like Kabul are the police who maintain law and order amongst birds. Kabul’s maternal instincts override her usually rational and sagacious approach when she sees the adorable little Shikar in mortal danger. Throwing caution to the wind, Kabul swoops in to protect Shikar-

 ‘She announced her presence with a battle screech. There was a blur of wings and we saw a bird hurl itself into the midst of the squirrels. The squirrels scattered, but they regrouped, as Kabul turned and faced them again. The squirrels chattered loudly. They huddled together, ready to take on the furious bird.’

Lovey and Dovey

Doves Lovey and Dovey were known to be utterly identical in their appearance, opinions and instincts. Determined to do justice to the mission entrusted to them, the like-minded doves prepare themselves to take on all danger-

‘Dovey glanced at me. ‘We’re not turning back, are we?’

I laughed. ‘Not a chance. Not even if the skies come crashing down on us. We are scouts. You remember what they taught us? The very first thing?’

 I turned to look at Dovey. He stared right back at me.

We both recited together: ‘You don’t need to be a hero to be a scout. But you sure need to be brave.’

Mike

Shrewd and nimble, Mike the shrike manages to take advantage of the only moment when Kabul lets her guard down in her super secret conversation with the doves. Armed with damaging information, Mike sets off to create trouble for the birds-

‘It has to be Mike. The shrike saw us with Kabul. It’s Mike who has passed on the information that we are scouts.’

I nodded. ‘Yes, it is Mike. I don’t see how the stork could possibly know otherwise. Mike is somehow involved—not just with this, but with Kabul’s disappearance too.’

Chorus

The only bird who could charm the master with the magic of his melodious songs, Chorus- The whistling thrush- enjoyed the special privilege of unrestricted access to the prison caves in Stork-pur. Creating illusions with his songs, Chorus offered moments of relief and joy to those trapped within the ugly reality of Stork-pur-

‘Chorus too had a job, he said. He was the commune singer. His job was to cheer the workers. No matter their rank, he would sing to them when they were down. Any bird at Stork-pur could ask him for a song. Even prisoners like us. He had sung for Kabul and would sing for us too if we desired so.’

The Master of Stork-pur

The evil creator of Stork-pur was the king bird who aspired to become the undisputed ruler of all birds.. With a halo of villainy surrounding his very presence, the master’s long, coiled black neck and cold, beady eyes could strike terror in the heart of the mightiest birds-

‘Yet, there was something about this stork. It wasn’t his ghastly looks that you noticed when you first saw him. What struck you instead was his bearing. There was this imperious emperor like air about him. It showed in the way the stork held his neck, in the casual swagger of his walk, and in the disdainful manner he brushed past the crouching ospreys.’

 With an injured Kabul in captivity and enemy birds hot on the heels of the exhausted doves, would Regal- The Golden Eagle- emerge from the shadow of legend and rumour to vanquish evil and restore peace and happiness to the bird world?

Step into the world of Stork-pur to find out!

error: Content is protected !!