In a delightful conversation with the author of The Power of Make-Believe: Parenting trough Pretend Play, we asked questions about parenting, her inspiration to write the book, and how her book can be of help to modern parents.
Here’s what the author had to say!
The Power of Make-Believe || Shouger Merchant Doshi
What inspired you to write this topic?
I was inspired to write on this topic for several reasons. I definitely believe that the power of communication is one that has taken me far in life and the ability to speak well and write well is something that can benefit you in any given situation or in any career one may opt for. If there is one gift you can give your child – let it be that of a good vocabulary. And to engender that, I came up with fun ways to increase my communication with my son. Pretend play was one of the foremost ways to do that. I also felt like there wasn’t enough material out there on how play is so beneficial for children and how adults should engage in pretend play specifically with children. Moreover, I wanted to detail activities that I was doing with my son that were edutainment – educational but yet entertaining and the casual nature of it made it fun and light.
What research went into writing this book?
I researched lauded professionals and experts in the field and looked up important studies such as the Meredith Rowe study which details how the quantity and quality of words impact your child’s development and the Root-Bernstien study that shows a positive relation with creative performance when as a child you dwell in make-believe worlds. There is also substantial research to show a nexus between pretend play and higher academic / career achievement and accomplishment which I looked into and mentioned in the book to show mothers that play is as good, if not better than pedagogic learning.
You wrote, ‘Caring for a child is not an easy job.’ What gaps have you observed in the modern parenting style?
Being a parent is not easy – parenting involves many processes – you have a million tabs open in your brain and a million to-do lists. Caring for a child involves being a teacher, being a doctor, being a class monitor, playdate organizer, a driver, chef, student, playmate, nanny… and much much more. Needless to say, it takes up a lot of your brain space and time and sometimes we lose sense of ourselves. Many Indian mothers tend to believe that being there for their children at all hours of the day and maybe folding on their personal goals and ambitions is the best way to be present. I am of the opinion that one must receive a sense of self validation or achievement professionally or personally outside of being a mother or else one feels a shift in identity.
You mentioned in your book that ‘children need to develop a variety of skill sets to optimize the process of their growth.’ What, according to you, are the three most important life skills parents can inculcate during their children’s early development?
I think children learn their own set of skills and find out what they are good at over time. It is our job as parents to identify their strengths and help them hone those skills, should they be inclined. However, what is in our control is to ensure
a) independence and self-reliance,
b) enhanced communication skills (vocabulary and dialogue) and problem solving skills and
c) empathy, kindness and generosity (treating other children and adults well).
These are skills we can inculcate in our children through play, books and good conversation.
How do you think your book will help parents in the Covid-19 crises?
The Power of Make-Believe is about getting back to the basics. Through lockdowns and our children being unvaccinated, we are more at home now than we ever were. These activities are meant to be enjoyed and planned with excitement and the best part of all is the process not the outcome. I definitely think parents will enjoy the activities in the book and hopefully will take time out to do them. The curated books list at the end of the book is based on topics that you may want to have with your child such as racial diversity, cultural diversity, LGBTQ rights, acceptance of a sibling, nanny separation, and other such important topics. I feel a book can really help spark a good conversation between parents and child and the books mentioned are tried and tested by a bibliophile herself.
Bookworms can sometimes have too much on their plate, have sore eyes or just be in a situation where reading is impossible. But you know what? Don’t let that get you down because we’ve got the perfect answer to your prayers. Be it while doing chores or travelling or simply being too tired to read, audiobooks will have your back. Here are ten of the newest audiobooks we’ve just released. We’re certain you won’t want to hit pause on any of these!
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Corporate Divas||Sonia Golani
Corporate Divas
Eighteen extremely talented and determined women have balanced the home and the boardroom with equal aplomb, setting standards in the corporate world for all to follow. Corporate Divas offers inspiring insights into what motivates and sustains India’s leading corporate women. Through a series of in-depth conversations, this book reveals the unconventional styles and the secret mantras they use to achieve phenomenal success in their professions. A riveting and an uplifting listen, it is an indispensable resource for anyone striving to build the right attitudes for success in today’s highly competitive global environment.
The Vijay Mallya Story||K. Giriprakash
The Vijay Mallya Story
Giriprakash’s book, titled The Vijay Mallya Story, is an intriguing story of the life of Vijay Mallya, an Indian industrialist with a history of ground breaking success. He was given numerous titles, like the King of Good Times, The Liquor King of India, King of Good Thrones, and many more. The making of this industrial tycoon, his success story, the story of his decline with the downfall of Kingfisher, and a lot of important events from his life are presented in the book.
Vijay Mallya is a name that has been heard with relation to a lot of important and prime events, be it through his presence in Indian parliament, being an owner of IPL team Royal Challengers, Bangalore, or being an industrialist. Giriprakash has included lesser-known facts and stories from the professional events of Mallya’s life in this book. Mallya had three decades of success with numerous businesses. The book not merely includes the professional life of Mallya but also of his childhood events, the business acumen he was born with, and how he shared his relationship with his father. The book explains how his skills and the business-dealing abilities got him a long period of unmatched success, while the fall of Kingfisher has been a break in his reign.
The author has done in-depth research on Mallya’s life, and the major and minor events of his business life with some interesting details of his young days are all
Roses Are Blood Red||Novoneel Chakraborty
Roses Are Blood Red: Even True Love Has a Dangerous Side
“I’ll gift you a love story that every girl desires, but few get to live.”
He’d told me once. And boy, did he stick to his words! Vanav Thakur is the most perfect boyfriend that any girl can have. He ticks every box you can ever have for your Mr. Right. Trust me on this. He cares for me, respects me, never objectifies me, never says no to me for anything, understands me, is progressive, and has no shadow of any male chauvinism in him. Sometimes, I wonder if I really deserve him. My parents, like me, had no option but to accept him as my boyfriend. Everything was hunky-dory, and I thought I would be that one girl who would never have any relationship hiccup until I stumbled upon the reason behind his perfection.
I’m Aarisha Shergill, and my life is about to get ripped apart because I should have known some things should be left alone.
Is love capable of healing the deep wounds that love itself creates within you?
Mysteriously thrilling in its essence, Roses Are Blood Red is the haunting story of a passion and eternal love.
The Mind of a Consultant ||Sandeep K. Krishnan
The Mind of a Consultant
Management consulting is seen as a glamorous profession. Behind the mystique are the consultants who put in extraordinary effort, synthesize great problem-solving skills, and display fine personal attributes that enable them to capture the attention and respect of their clients. This book opens up to that world through the story of Samanta Thomas, a character based on countless excellent consultants, through whom we get inside the very mind of a consultant and their journey. As you traverse the journey of a management graduate growing to a partner in a top consulting firm, The Mind of a Consultant helps you understand various key skills that makes a successful consultant. The real-life experiences of consulting leaders bridge the gap between concepts and practical insights.
Problem-solving, management models, financial acumen, client management, leadership, networking, and work-life integration – this book hands you the tools to professional career success in a hands-on and easy-to-understand manner.
Life in the Uniform||Amit Lodha
Life in the Uniform: The Adventures of an IPS Officer in Bihar
Amit Lodha is a decorated IPS officer holding the rank of inspector general. But before he rose the ranks in the service, he was an IIT graduate who was struggling to find his true purpose.
In this book, Lodha tells us how he turned his life around and studied for the UPSC exams. He also tells us how he trained to be an officer and had the most memorable beginning to his career, in Bihar. Punctuated with his signature humour and adventure-packed stories on everything from solving a kidnapping to handling a mob, Life in the Uniform gives us a chance to experience an IPS officer’s life through his own eyes.
My Olympic Journey||Digvijay Singh Deo, Amit Bose
My Olympic Journey
Chronicling the stories of 50 of India’s leading Olympians for the first time ever in one comprehensive edition, Digvijay Singh Deo and Amit Bose bring you the games through the eyes of some of the best sportspersons in the country. These first-person accounts of Olympic medalists from 1948 till 2012, such as Balbir Singh, Leander Paes, Karnam Malleswari, Abhinav Bindra, and Sushil Kumar, and pioneers like Milkha Singh, P. T. Usha, and Anjali Bhagwat, reveal their hopes, superstitions, grit, and challenges. Their experiences and interactions are sure to make you laugh and shed a tear and, most importantly, open your eyes to the struggles they had to endure to reach the Olympics.
These personal stories give a close-up view of what it means to represent India at the most prestigious sporting event in the world, making you a part of the soaring glory and shattering disappointment that only an Olympic Games can deliver. With photos from the personal archives of each athlete, this is a front-row seat to the privileged Olympic experience.
Ground Scorching Tax||Arun Kumar
Ground Scorching Tax
On 1 July 2017, Goods and Services Tax (GST) became a reality. The government hailed it as the biggest tax reform of independent India which would herald a new freedom for the nation and unify it with ‘One Nation One Tax’. Some of the claims made by the government were that GST would bring about ease of doing business; increase tax collection; lower inflation; increase GDP growth by one to two percent; and check the black economy.
More than a year later, we have more questions than answers.
Why did the economy slow down?
Is the government likely to collect more taxes?
Why have prices continued to rise?
Why has Malaysia withdrawn GST?
Turns out that problems with GST are both transitional and structural. To correct for these, there have been a few hundred notifications and orders from the government which have added to the confusion.
In this book, well known economist Arun Kumar explains the reality behind GST. Known for not pulling any punches, the author explains why GST is a double-edged sword for the common man, why it will increase inequality across sectors and regions, why it will hurt small businesses – everything the government does not want you to know.
Shadow City||Taran N. Khan
Shadow City
When Taran N. Khan first arrived in Kabul in the spring of 2006 – five years after the Taliban government was overthrown – she found a city both familiar and unknown. Falling in with poets, archaeologists, and filmmakers, she begins to explore the city, and, over the course of several returns, discovers a Kabul quite different from the one she had expected.
Shadow City is an account of these expeditions, a personal and meditative portrait of a city we know primarily in terms of conflict. With Khan as our guide, we move from the glitter of wedding halls to the imperiled beauty of a Buddhist monastery, slip inside a beauty salon and wander through book markets. But as these walks take us deeper into the city, it becomes clear that to talk of Kabul’s various wars in the past tense is a mistake.
Part reportage and part reflection, Shadow City is an elegiac prose map of Kabul’s hidden spaces – and the cities that we carry within us.
Across the Line||Nayanika Mahtani
Across The Line
A tale of borders and beliefs shaped by the games people play.
The year: 1947. New Delhi. Cyril Radcliffe’s hands are clammy, partly from the heat but mostly from the enormity of the task assigned. Mopping the sweat off his brow, he picks up his pen, draws a deep breath – and a dark line.
Rawalpindi. A barbaric frenzy of rioters fills the streets, disrupting a game of pithoo between Toshi and her brother, Tarlok, shattering their lives unimaginably.
The year: 2008. Rawalpindi. Cricket-crazy Inaya is sneaking out behind her father’s back for net practice when she discovers that she is not the only one in her family keeping a secret.
New Delhi. Jai accidentally stumbles upon an old, hidden away diary in his kitchen. The date of its last entry: August 17, 1947.
As Jai and Inaya’s unlikely worlds collide, another story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives.
Karma||Sadhguru
Karma
A much-used word, karma is loosely understood as a system of checks and balances in our lives, of good actions and bad deeds, of good thoughts and bad intentions. A system that seemingly ensures that at the end of the day one gets what one deserves. This grossly oversimplified understanding has created many complexities in our lives and taken away from us the very fundamentals of the joy of living.
Through this book, not only does Sadhguru explain what karma is and how we can use its concepts to enhance our lives, he also tells us about the sutras, a step-by-step guide to navigating our way in this challenging world. In the process, we get a deeper, richer understanding of life and the power to craft our destinies.
Menaka Raman’s fascinating book about the launch of India’s first ever rocket, Topi Rockets From Thumba, has charmingly beautiful illustrations made by Annada Menon.
In a delightful chat, the duo shared about their ideas, inspirations, and experiences of writing and illustrating the book.
Questions for Menaka Raman, Author
What inspired you choose this theme and instance from history?
The iconic photograph of the two scientists pushing the nose cone of the rocket on the back of a bicycle the starting point of this book for me. I just found something so moving about the image and when I started reading the story behind it I was hooked. I had to no more!
Topi Rockets from Thumba || Menaka Raman, Annada Menon, Illustrator
What research went into writing this book?
So much research! This was my first attempt at creative nonfiction and I was so nervous. I wanted to make sure I got all the facts straight and the timelines right. Plus, the more I read about Dr. Sarabhai and the amazing team of scientists behind this historic moment, the greater a sense of responsibility I felt I wanted to convey what Dr Sarabhai was like, why people were so drawn to him and of course his infectious enthusiasm. My starting point was Amrita Shah’s biography of Dr Sarabhai and then I went on to read Lavanya Karthik and Shamim Padamsee’s children’s biography of Dr APJ Kalam, ISRO A Personal History by R.Aravamudan and From Fishing Hamlet to Red Planet by Dr. UR Manoranjan Rao. Articles, papers and interviews with people who worked at ISRO were all key to my research. I also wanted to get things like the names of the characters right, so I reached out to friends for help and advice on that!
Of course at the end of it all I had so much research notes that I had to decide what to keep in the story! That was hard!
How did you decide to compare the ‘nose cone’ of rocket with ‘topi dosa’?
When I first saw the photograph of the nose cone on the cycle, it really struck me ‘Wow! This looks like a topi doas!’ I must have been hungry at the time!
Are you planning to write another book on similar theme?
I would absolutely love to! Now that I’ve had a taste of it, my antennae are up for other great stories like this!
Questions for Annada Menon, Illustrator
What intrigued you about the story of Topi Rockets from Thumba at first? What made you illustrate it?
When I was offered to illustrate for the book I already was in the zone of being intrigued by the topic of outer space. I follow and have also read a book by the astronaut Chris Hadfield. He increased my curiosity of space and to this day does. Though I was aware of Dr. Sarabhai , I didn’t know details of his endeavours. His story and drawing it from the perspective of Mary, the charatcer in the book, was a lovely way to celebrate his work. I guess apart from that the idea of drawing rockets excited me. It poked the child in me to have fun on the journey of illustrating the book.
How did you finalise the style of art for this book? What other styles were your options?
This was actually finalised with the help of my art director, Antra. We actually wanted to go for a very textured yet slightly detailed approach to the illustrations. I like that the book has 2 spreads that are based on Mary’s imagination. The pages consist of what a rocket would like according to Mary to how a rocket is fighting a storm. I had to make sure these pages stood out from the raw look of the other pages to show the simplistic environment of Thumba. I actually didn’t ponder over too many style options. From the author to the editor, they wanted some of my existing approaches if drawing to flow into it. Hence I just went with my gut to execute it.
How different or similar was the first draft to the final version?
Well, the ideas from 90% of the sketch / draft stage were carried forward to the final stage. I think anything that changed while illustrating are mostly the technical aspects of the book. Since it is a STEM book we had to make sure scientific elements were accurate . I also had to make sure that the people of Thumba and the place itself looked close to what it may have been during the 1960s . There aren’t too many image references to these from the mentioned time. The tricky part is most of these images are black and white so representing or reimagining them in color was a fun experience.
What do you think is special about the illustrations in this book?
I actually don’t know if this a ‘blow one’s own trumpet’ kind of question (chuckles). Well, I guess what I can say about the illustration that it has been drawn with a lot of innocence and curiosity. The book is meant to subtly introduce a child to the beauty of space and a brief introduction to Dr. Sarabhai’s contribution to India’s space program. Since it is a light read the illustrations are meant to compliment the same. Also, in a subtle way the illustrations are an ode to nature’s elements water, earth , wind and fire (3 elements depicting Thumba and 1 depicting a rocket). I guess for me these little things make it special.
Asoca-often spelled Ashoka-was hailed as Ashoka the Great, the emperor who ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent and was pivotal in the spread of Buddhism from India to other parts of Asia in the third century BC. But his life as emperor was not always led by non-violence. History has it that he masterminded one of the biggest and deadliest wars ever fought, and it was the insurmountable grief he experienced at the sight of the people dying and dead on the battleground that made him turn to Buddhism and take a vow of ahimsa.
Who was the man, and who was the king? What were his demons, and what gave him strength? Asoca: A Sutra, drawn from research and portrayed with energy and complexity, transports the reader to the era of the Mauryan dynasty with atmospheric vividness and insight.
Here are 5 memorable characters from Irwin Allen Sealy’s historical novel
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Asoca||Irwin Allen Sealy
Asoca – The nonconformist, mighty emperor of the Mauryan empire. A contrarian by nature, he is stubborn but thoughtful. He may not the most good-looking man, but for his mother he is her ‘little rhizome.’
‘From early childhood words were a game, and the pleasures of this game were those of reshaping the world… Rule your speech and you rule the world. My voice owed a little to every person and place I had known and admired, but the mix was mine alone.’
‘The hardest part, I found, was sitting there at all once all your factotums had left: alone with empire, imagining the extent of it off to one side and then the other way and then forward and backward on every side till you felt yourself positively abandoned.’
‘Every kingdom needs an honest, fearless man…to show up both the charlatan who seizes power and the incumbent who has lost his way.’
Uncle K – The shrewd strategist of Mauryan legacy, the creator of the immense Arthashastra, Asoca’s Uncle K is always by the King’s side. The King’s chief advisor, Uncle K talks like a book and his eyes, ears and mind are everywhere.
“Crooked as his name portends, bent in every part, twisted from hairpiece to toenails, this aged crow makes blackness look grey. Guile is younger—the hills are younger—than Kautilya, maker and keeper of kings.”
“The arch-monarchist for whom the kingdom was more important than his tenure as prime minister, than his own position as kingmaker, than life itself.”
Bindusara, the Dotted – He is the handsome Mauryan King, the man of virtues who prefers reconciliation to war. He grew up to rule—and to rue the day he was born.
‘My father Bindusara was a handsome man. Good looks were important to him, and they reappeared in his firstborn like vindication. Susima was a mirror in which he saw his chief virtue displayed, and father and son took it less as a gift of nature than as a divine right: it was a mark of approval, even, you would think, accomplishment.’
‘Father, whose sword leapt from its scabbard in the course of every rousing speech, whose lusty verses were applauded in the gardens at the annual festival, and whose concubines lived in terror of a visit on any given night, this man was crying.’
Madhumitta – Her name implies nectar of the gods. She is Asoca’s Queen Bee, his anchor, the woman he loved and desired.
‘The look in her eye said she would serve the truth. Such assurance burns in the elect; it is what creates disciples. Her determination awed me. Service was to me an abstract concept, a secular, almost departmental thing. For Madhumitta it was an article of faith.’
‘Madhumitta, dear wife, I cannot believe you have forgotten me in your nunnery. I have forgotten nothing, not the tender abstraction on your forehead, not the soft broom in your gentle hand of a morning, not the silent reproof to an erring child or errant husband, not the loving kindness you spread through that house you ruled.’
Susima – The eldest son of Bindusara, heir apparent of the empire. The apple of everyone’s eyes, he become Asoca’s arch-rival in his quest for the throne.
‘He [Susima] was, truth be told, the noblest of us all. He didn’t lie or cheat or push and shove and scramble. But then, he didn’t have to. He carried himself as if the crown were a settled thing.’
‘Susima, ultimate theoretician, wrapped in birchbark scroll for armour. He was still the master of the cool shot, born of meditation and intellect; I was the poor guerilla. A Susiman universe was the opposite of mine.’
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Asoca: A Sutra leaves the reader breathless with the full-bodied richness of Sealy’s prose, his trademark whimsy and his imaginative modern reconstruction of that enigmatic and brilliant ruler of the Indian subcontinent.
Covid might have taken away one of our most beloved authors, Subhadra Sen Gupta this year, but when schools reopen and children are back to their libraries, we could meet her again. In every children’s library in India, there’ll always be a corner that would sound like the shrieky excitement and the giggly wonder of kids and it would forever belong to the writer who said she wrote stories for the best readers in the world – children.
Since decades now, she is one of the ‘most issued’ authors in our school libraries along with J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl. Her books were the first few that introduced children of India to literature that was based in the environment they belonged to. Her characters had names like ours, lived in cities like ours and had a life that we could relate to, unlike the western culture that had been dominating children’s and adult literature in India. Most importantly, Sen Gupta made history interesting for so many of us!
She took us through historical times with stories of unknown and unsung characters like a young maid of a princess during the Mauryan period or a dhobi who learnt to sing from Tansen under the reign of Akbar. The author introduced a literary culture that revolutionized writing in the day! Inculcating the thought that every story matters, whether it is the tale of a king or a pawn, interweaving genres together so children can learn about history through interactive storytelling or to make the habit of reading genuinely fun- Sen Gupta did it all!
While some of her most recounted stories are The Story of the World’s Worst Cook, Goodbye Pasha Begum and Mystery of the House of Pigeons, she went on to do something quite remarkable and extraordinary. She wrote The Constitution of India for Children and created a handbook in a fun and digestible format, explaining the most important document of our nation and even addressed issues like the participation of women in the drafting of the constitution.
Unfortunately, the literary icon passed away in May of this year due to Covid-19, at the age of 68, with probably more interesting stories and books inside her, waiting to be inked on paper.
However, we do have one last gift from her to the world and we’d love to share it with you! Told through the portraits of children growing up in the villages, towns and courts of our country, Let’s Go Time Travelling Again is Subhadra Sen Gupta’s sequel to the series and a vivid glimpse into our past.
Let’s Go Time Travelling Again || Subhadra Sen Gupta
How did Indian mulmuls make it into Cleopatra’s wardrobe? Who popularized the Mahabharata in households across the country? Did our ancestors really identify Jupiter and Saturn without even a telescope?
Find the answers to these and many other unusual questions about the India of yesterday. Go time travelling through the alleys of history and explore the many occupations that have existed through time – from dancers and playwrights to farmers and doctors. Sift through snapshots of the rich life led by ordinary Indians and discover unexpected titbits about language, food and culture.
This last book by our beloved author is replete with fascinating stories, information, and trivia about our ancient civilizations, kingdoms, and people.
The vividly illustrated stories of Teejan Bai and Satyajit Ray in Lavanya Karthik’s Dreamers Series are inspiring for young kids. Karthik’s stories and artworks are perfectly synced with the high and low notes of Teejan Bai’s life and have captured the most significant shots of Satyajit Ray’s life. Both of them are acknowledged and appreciated for their unique talents.
Get your children hooked to the pages of Dreamers Series and let them get inspired to hone their skills. Here’s a glimpse of the younger selves of Teejan Bai and Satyajit Ray.
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The Girl Who Loved To Sing: Teejan Bai
The Girl Who Loved To Sing: Teejan Bai || Lavanya Karthik
Once again, Teejan sneaks out after her chores for lessons with her grandfather.
Brijlal gives her her first tanpura.
‘Become your characters! Become your story!’
‘Feel the music!
‘Feel the story!
‘Feel it come alive!’
Teejan sings!
‘Don’t just sing—become the song!
‘Become the characters in it!’
Teejan cannot eat, she cannot sleep! All she can think of is song.
She forgets her chores; she ignores her siblings, until one day,
Ma catches her singing . . .
Teejan runs away.
The Boy Who Played with Light: Satyajit Ray
The Boy Who Played with Light: Satyajit Ray || Lavanya Karthik
There was light in the new home we made.
In the eyes of the family that welcomed us.
In the stories that Ma told me every night.
In the notebooks I filled with drawings, just like Baba once did.
But . . .
The shadows were always there.
They loomed in corners, watching me.
They crouched under tables, muttering and hissing.
I tried to describe them to my family.
My cousins chuckled. ‘Manik will be a writer like his baba!’
The shadows lurked in doorways.
They followed me through the house.
I thought my drawings might help.
‘What an imagination!’ Ma smiled. ‘Manik will be an artist like his baba!’
I raced through the house, up the stairs, down the corridors. The shadows followed!
‘Manik!’ my aunt called out, through the haze of the afternoon heat. ‘Play quietly! We’re trying to sleep!’
I dodged!
I dived!
I ducked!
The shadows kept pace!
Until . . . An open door!
. . .
They were stories, waiting for me to notice them.
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Read The Girl Who Loved To Sing: Teejan Bai and The Boy Who Played with Light: Satyajit Ray from Lavanya Karthik’s ‘Dreamers Series’ to know what happens in the lives of these two great personalities and how did they become as the world knows them today.
In this book about the launch of a rocket from Thumba, Menaka Raman’s story and characters are sure to tap on the creative nerves of young kids. The first time when Mary heard that a rocket will be a launched from Thumba, her excitement knew no bounds. She was bitten by an inquisitive bug and had a list of questions to find the answers of. She waited and hoped to see the rocket go up in Space every day.
Here’s an extract for those who, like Mary, are eager to know about India’s first ever rocket launch.
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Topi Rockets from Thumba || Menaka Raman
January 1963
Every morning, a rickety old bus would arrive in Thumba from Trivandrum and drop off a group of men.
Everyone would come out of their homes and shops, wondering what was inside the many boxes the men carried into the church, watching them as they cycled from here to there or walked together in pairs.
Mary watched too, but her friends at school did not care.
‘So what?’ said George Thomas.
‘Big deal!’ dismissed Thomas George.
‘Who cares?’ shrugged Shoshakutty.
‘I can launch a rocket all by myself!’ boasted Chacko.
‘Why does Dr Sarabhai need so many people to launch just one rocket then?’ Mary wondered.
One day, Mary and her amma were on their way to the market when she saw a car pulling up outside the church. She caught sight of a tall man unfolding himself from the back seat, and knew immediately who it was.
Mary ran right up to him once again.
‘Dr Sarabhai! When is the rocket going to be ready? Why is it taking so long? My friend Chacko can launch a rocket all by himself. Why do you need so many people?’
Dr Sarabhai’s eyes lit up.
‘Mary, you remind me of myself when I was your age. Always asking questions! Let me try and answer yours.’
It’s taking time because India’s friends from around the world are sending us things we need for the rocket launch. We have to wait for them to arrive and only then can we start to put things together. And I need the help of hundreds and hundreds of hands and minds to do it.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States is sending us a NIKE APACHE ROCKET. They are also training our scientists at their centres in America.
March 1963
Days, weeks and months came and went. Mary turned ten. Ouso made her ayala fry, Amma stitched her a new dress and her brother gifted her his old bicycle.
Some days, Mary would cycle by the church to see if she could catch sight of the rocket.
But there was no rocket.
Mary studied hard for her exams, praying they would not launch the rocket while she was writing her maths paper.
They didn’t.
She spent the summer holidays learning swimming in the lazy blue sea.
Nothing.
Mary celebrated Palm Sunday, Easter Friday and Onam.
Mary was disappointed.
But her friends at school were not.
Sometimes, Mary wished she was one of the pigeons that sat on the rafters high up on the ceiling of the church so that she could see what was happening inside.
September 1963
By now, Mary knew some of the serious men who worked in the church. She knew where they were from and what they ate for breakfast. She discovered they were not so serious after all. And since Dr Sarabhai wasn’t always there to answer her questions, she had started asking them instead.
Mary: What are the parts of a rocket?
Scientist 1: A rocket has four main parts: the nose cone, fins, rocket body and engine. The nose cone carries the main cargo or payload of the rocket.
Mary: How do you launch a rocket?
Scientist 2: Rockets burn fuel in the engine and this creates exhaust. The hot exhaust comes out very fast in one direction pushing the rocket in the opposite direction! WHOOSH!
**
To know the answers to Mary’s numerous questions about Space and rockets, read Topi Rockets from Thumba.
Grandparents play an important part in a child’s worldview. But our favourite childhood allies grow old and sick and may at times get confused and stop to recognize us! Xerxes is facing the same challenge where his main ally Grandpa is not himself and he is having to solve the complex problems in his life, right from bullies at school to the growing tension at home, all alone.
*
‘So, did it work?’
‘It worked, Grandpa, I not only found my essay; I found my badge, too!’
He tried to go in to hug him but Grandpa put out his walking stick and barred his way.
‘You have to pay me! Now give me something sweet.’
Xerxes stopped short.
‘It’s the rule. If Ratan Bhagat worked, you’ve to give me something sweet.’
‘I don’t have anything. Later.’
‘No. Now. That’s what it means, Ratan Bhagat ni khan. Khan as in something sweet.’
Xerxes dashed out again and tried to get in through the side door into the kitchen. But Grandpa raced there and banged it shut.
‘Grandpa, if you let me into the kitchen, I can give you a sweet.’
When Sonji came in she found Grandpa holding the door fast against Xerxes.
‘Papa, what’re you doing? Let him inside.’
Grandpa suddenly started yelling.
‘Help! Help me! There’s a thief!’
Sonji calmed him down and took him to his room. Then she confronted Xerxes.
‘Don’t ever do that again, Xeroo! You know that Mamavaji’s old and gets confused. Why in the world were you coming in through the kitchen?’
Xerxes was about to blurt out all that had happened, but then held his tongue as he realized he’d have to admit he’d been very forgetful.
*
Bringing Back Grandpa is a touching and funny story of the confusions of growing up and tackling challenges and of how children are affected when there is illness and tension at home.
Look out! It’s Butterfingers again, and in smashing form!
There’s a lot going on in Green Park School. Ozymandias, a black cat, walks into classrooms and there’s a buzz about a badminton tournament that is to be played on Friday the thirteenth.
Sponsored by Brijesh K. Singh, an eccentric multimillionaire who loves badminton and hates superstitions, this tournament is good news for sports-crazy Amar Kishen, aka Butterfingers, and his friends.
Badminton practice begins, but can it be smooth sailing with talk of scams, superstitions and suspicions? Butterfingers sure has a lot on his hands!
Here’s an excerpt from Smash It, Butterfingers that will take you into the wild, whimsical world of Amar.
**
Amar was superstitious when it came to sports, for he believed one should leave nothing to chance. Cricks in the neck were normal after he had watched important matches, because his heroes, with great timing, unerringly went for match-turning shots just when he was in an awkward position. There was an occasion when he had just looked over his shoulder to locate the potato chips, when Nadal, his tennis idol, hit his first winner at a French Open final. Amar had watched the rest of the match frozen in the same pose, head held at an uncomfortable 45-degree angle, afraid to move lest it triggered off a series of unforced errors. He couldn’t turn his neck properly for a week, but so what? All in a good cause.
But now here were Sindhu and Saina before him. Was he dreaming? He rubbed his eyes again. Sindhu turned to him and offered him a plate on which medals glinted, dazzling his eyes. Saina held out another plate.
‘Do you want to wear my world champion gold medal?’ Sindhu asked, dangling it and flashing her trademark broad smile.
Amar couldn’t believe he had heard her right. Elbowing Kiran aside, he said, ‘Yes, please,’ in an awed tone, stretching out his right hand to accept the plate on which she had dropped the medal.
‘No, no, take my Olympic bronze medal first,’ Saina said, holding out her plate. Confused, he looked from one plate to the other, accepted both and promptly dropped them.
‘Butter!’ yelled Kiran, dismayed. ‘You’ve done it again!’ Amar’s uncanny ability to drop things had given him the nickname Butterfingers, and he never allowed anyone to forget his formidable reputation with regular demonstrations of his slip-grip methods.
‘Oops, sorry!’ His most used phrase escaped his lips as the plates rolled merrily in two different directions, scattering the medals about. Bzzzzzzzz!!! The medals turned into a thick cluster of bees and mosquitoes that made a beeline for him. He took to his heels in horror with Kiran panting behind him. Sindhu and Saina, meanwhile, had jumped up in rage and, brandishing their racquets that had been resting against the stone like battle axes, gave chase.
‘Help! Help!’ Amar thrashed his arms about to protect himself and dodge the dangerously swinging racquets, only to find the fast-multiplying insects coming closer and forming a dense hood about his face, from which he struggled to escape . . .
‘Ummph! Mmph!’ Amar woke up breathless as he tried to break free from the sheet that he had managed to wrap tightly about his neck and over his head in his sleep. He flailed his hands about like the tentacles of an octopus until a lucky tug finally secured his release. Gasping, he surfaced and began to breathe in large gulps of air. ‘Whew!!’ he muttered. ‘What a nightmare. But I actually saw Sindhu! And Saina! And I thought I glimpsed Lin Dan in the background. Get lost, you!’
He brushed away a mosquito that sang around his head. Parched, he croaked, ‘Water! Help, I’m dying of thirst!’
**
Join Amar on his hilarious adventures as he defies luck with his madcap schemes. Let the game begin!
As the little ones step into the ninth month of the year, we know they need some good company to welcome the no-melting-no-freezing September. So, look nowhere else! We wholeheartedly sign up to accompany them, match their enthusiasm for reading, and give them a chance to taste the different flavors of imagination. Our books promise to stay by their bedside, on their study table, and make just enough space to be warmly packed in their already stuffed vacation bags. The vibrant covers of the books will have the kids googly eyes even before they begin reading the diverse stories.
Here’s our specially curated list of books that will get your children hooked and will transport them to the fantastical realms while they complete the plethora of engaging activities. It’s time to get them ready to cross the whirlpool of mazes and traverse through the wild alleys to meet mermaids and unicorns.
Boy, Bear
Boy, Bear || Adithi Rao
For ages: 5+ years
Boy and Bear have grown up together on the streets of Mumbai. Baba is a madari. But now that Baba is gone, how are Boy and Bear to survive?
The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India. The gorgeous illustrations and short exercises are sure to enhance their reading experience.
Shoo, Crow!
Shoo, Crow! || Kavitha Punniyamurthi
For ages: 5+ years
The crows of Rajipuram are eating up all the corn in the fields. Can Velu and Akif find a way to shoo them away?
The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India, gorgeous illustrations and short exercises to enhance the reading experience.
The Great Indian Mathematicians
The Great Indian Mathematicians || Gaurav Tekriwal
For ages: 10+ years
India’s mathematicians have made significant contributions over the last 5000 years. From the ever-popular Aryabhata, widely recognized for revolutionizing the number system and Shakuntala Devi, universally admired for her fast mental calculations to pioneers forgotten by time, like Baudhayana, who explained the Pythagoras’ theorem nearly 3000 years ago, the figures included in this book are trailblazers in the world of mathematics.
Fresh, accessible and inspiring, The Great Indian Mathematicians celebrates persistent mathematicians throughout Indian history. This book is an ideal introduction for the next generation of tenacious and curious maths wizards, and features a goldmine of tips and tricks, nuggets of surprise and much more!
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology || Bulbul Sharma
For ages: 8+ years
Did you know that a celestial elephant once hid in the ocean after causing mischief ?
What happened when Rama and Lakshmana encountered a one-eyed headless demon?
Why did Ilvala turn his brother Vatapi into a goat and serve him to passers-by?
Find answers to these and meet many strange and wonderful creatures in this hand-picked collection of legends. Delve into the exploits of gods who took on magical avatars, birds and animals with superpowers, and demons and demonesses who were once good souls.
Bestselling children’s author Bulbul Sharma’s deft prose accompanied by bewitching illustrations will transport you to the fantastical realms inhabited by the Hindu pantheon. This book is sure to leave you spellbound!
Mazes and more: Funny Mazes
Mazes and more: Funny Mazes
For ages: 3+ years
Funny Mazes is a book from the series Mazes and More that features full-colour pages filled with different puzzles and mazes, along with search and find activities to keep little minds engaged. Designed to encourage logical thinking, sharpen hand-eye coordination, these activity-filled pages are sure to keep little puzzlers engaged. Grab your pencils, trace the squiggly path and follow each funny maze to a new discovery! With eye-catching illustrations, the book has puzzles organized by themes such as Circus, Island adventure, Fairyland, Camping among others. All mazes and puzzles come with answers to help kids if they get stuck on a puzzle.
Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book
Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book
For ages: 3+ years
From mermaids and princesses to unicorns and fairies, the fairyland brought alive inside this quirky activity book provides hours of creative fun for kids. Jam-packed with colouring pages and fantastic activities like interactive puzzles, dot-to-dot, spot the difference and playing peek-a-boo with fairies, Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book is the perfect companion to keep young minds engaged.
Children can follow mazes that feature prompts for problem-solving along the way. They can trace the path to the desired end, colour in the pictures, use the colour by number prompt to create a mystery picture, find the differences between two pictures, complete the drawings, connect the dots, learn to draw a simple picture, match the identical objects, find and circle objects, order the events, and much more. This carefully researched book aims to build vocabulary through picture-word association for toddlers and pre-schoolers and is suitable for parent-child association.
