Children's Features Archives - Page 17 of 35

Exciting November reads to kindle young minds and spirits

Posted on November 9, 2020 by ashmita

It’s a new month, and we all know what that means. A whole new reading list with brand new books!! These fun new reads are a ride through friendship, inclusivity and even entrepreneurship. Fasten your seatbelts!

When Adil Speaks, Words Dance

Front cover of When adil speaks — When Adil Speaks, Words Dance||Lavanya Karthik

by Lavanya Karthik

Everyone wants to be friends with Adil. But how do you make friends with someone when you can’t hear the music their words dance to?

‘When Adil Speaks’ is a heart-warming tale of friendship and inclusivity, and of how sometimes, it takes more than words to start a conversation. Written and illustrated by award-winning author Lavanya Karthik, this is a sweet yet an evocative story of two friends, and their willingness to understand each other better.

Bim And The Town Of Falling Fruit

by Arjun Talwar

In Poondy, fruits are always falling on people’s heads-from the jackfruit, coconut and toddy trees-causing many injuries. So all the Poondizens wear fruit-helmets invented by the legendary Falwala. Bim loves Poondy, but one day, Miss Chitty, Bim’s mother, who drives a coffee-coloured taxi, decides to move away from Poondy. Bim’s last two weeks in his home town are full of strange and exciting adventures-from a bat attack to a bike theft- that can only happen here!

Become A Junior Entrepreneur

Vrunda Bansode

What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor, an engineer, a chef, a musician, an IAS officer?

That’s a question adults never tire of asking kids.

It’s time to recognize a profession where people invent, innovate, sell, barter and build: entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are bringing education online, connecting families at the touch of a button and changing the way we live. ‘Become a Junior Entrepreneur’ accompanies the reader through every stage of turning a nascent dream into a commercially viable start-up.

Unfair

Rasil Ahuja

Auditions are on for the seventh-grade annual play. Lina sets her heart and

sights on the lead role, but the drama teacher seems to think Lina isn’t the

right shade for the part. Will Miss Deepa derail Lina’s dream?

Meher finds math far more interesting than Macbeth. When her BFF Lina suddenly becomes distraught and withdrawn, Meher wonders why Lina would shut her out.

Something’s just not adding up. Will this friendship fade or will Meher find a solution to this problem and score #friendshipgoals?

Grandparents’ Bag Of Stories

Sudha Murty

From stitching masks, sharing household chores, preparing food for workers to losing themselves in timeless tales, the lockdown turns into a memorable time for the children as they enter the enchanting world of goddesses, kings, princesses, serpents, magical beanstalks, thieves, kingdoms and palaces, among others. Following the trail of the best-selling ‘Grandma’s Bag of Stories’, Sudha Murty brings to you this collection of immortal tales that she fondly created during the lockdown period for readers to seek comfort and find the magic in sharing and caring for others. Wonderfully woven in her inimitable style, this book is unputdownable and perfect for every child’s bookshelf!

It’s time to add these wonderful reads to your young readers’ bookshelves!

The nuclear genesis of the Kingdom of Ogd

Posted on November 6, 2020 by vanyajaiswal

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Ogd, a Messiah was born … with her foot in her mouth.

This might be her story.

Her position of foetal gaffe allows her to eat her toenails, which nourish her and make her toenails grow so that she can eat them. Apart from the practicality of the situation, this also is the basis of her profound teachings. As the Messiah travels through many dimensions, her followers learn the importance of bells, nirvana, clean feet, Klein bottles and phonetics, among diverse other things.

Following in the tradition of Lewis Carroll, Anushka Ravishankar writes nonsense, which addresses complex issues of the modern-day world with a deep and abiding meaninglessness.

Here’s an excerpt from this profoundly nonsensical enquiry into various aspects of the world that details the genesis of the Kingdom of Ogd.

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Ogd there was a nuclear holocaust.

The explosion blasted the Kingdom out of shape and it became a strange looking thing that had no inside or outside.

This was an evolutionary necessity because the only way not to have a nuclear holocaust inside Ogd was by not having an inside of Ogd.

The geographical transformation of Ogd led to many developments. It was, for instance, the origin of the famous saying:

ALL ROADS LEAD TO OGD

since any road that led outside Ogd also led inside Ogd.

There were of course, dissidents, who by the same logic claimed that:

ALL ROADS LEAD OUT OF OGD.

But Ogdians who listened to both the assertions got extremely confused. If they believed that all roads led to Ogd and that all roads led out of Ogd then they had to conclude that all roads led everywhere and that all roads led nowhere which was not possible unless everywhere was the same as nowhere.

These were the people who inhabited the insane asylums of Ogd.

However, what was of Ogd was also of not-Ogd.

Xenophobia was eradicated because all Ogdians were non-Ogdians. And so forth.

But when the cartographers came to draw maps of the New Post-apocalyptic World, they were shocked. Never in the history of cartography has there been such a thing as an unbounded kingdom, they declared, delicately drawing a line between infiniteness and unboundedness.

So they drew an imaginary line and said this side is Ogd and that side is not-Ogd.

Be as infinite as you please, they said, but you have to be bounded.

The Kingdom of Ogd was thus placed on the map and people were let out of the insane asylums, which were renamed CACCs* by the newly formed PaPoCC.**

Once upon a time, the same time as the last time upon which once was, a Messiah was born in the Kingdom of Ogd.

Her feet were in her mouth.

This position of foetal gaffe caused her to resemble a paisa-worm or an infinite loop that ate toenails so that the toenails could grow long and strong so she could eat them.

front cover of Ogd — Ogd || Anushka Ravishankar

What is this, her mother asked the doctor, not being able to distinguish between a paisa-worm and a newborn Messiah.

This is an outcome, the doctor replied.

Ogd is a delightful offering belonging to the genre of literary nonsense that will compel you to ponder the nature of things.

The turning tides of Indian history

Posted on November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 by ashmita

Indian culture has been greatly marked by foreign arrivals. As trade turned into colonial settlements, India would forever carry the remnants of that imperial history. This excerpt from The Incredible History of The Indian Ocean explores how some of these colonial advents set up European strongholds on Indian lands:

In 1580, the English sea captain Francis Drake returned to England after circumnavigating (travelling all the way around) the world. He brought back two things: one, a ship filled with Spanish booty and spices from the Indies, and two, information that the Portuguese hold on trade in the Indian Ocean region was not as secure as widely believed.

The English now decided that it was time to stake a claim on the spice trade. A fleet of three ships was sent out under the command of James Lancaster in 1591. The ships bypassed India and made directly for the Straits of Malacca. The English did not even pretend to trade but simply plundered Portuguese and local ships before heading back. On the way home, however, two of the three ships were wrecked in a storm and all the ill-gotten cargo was lost. The smallest of the three ships somehow limped back with just twenty-five survivors, including Lancaster himself.

In the meantime, the Dutch also sent out a number of fleets, which brought home much valuable cargo. Spurred on by this, English merchants decided to take another shot at sailing eastwards. Queen Elizabeth I was petitioned for a royal charter, a document that granted a right or power to a person or a group. On New Year’s Eve in 1600, the merchants set up as ‘The Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies’; we know this now as the East India Company (EIC). Dutch merchants similarly banded together to form the United East India Company (also known by its Dutch initials, VOC).

Both of these entities would grow to become among the largest and most powerful multinational companies the world

Front cover ofThe Incredible History of the Indian Ocean — The Incredible History of The Indian Ocean||Sanjeev Sanyal

has ever seen.

… The English soon set up modest warehouses in Machilipatnam on the Andhra coast, Hugli in Bengal and Surat in Gujarat. As business grew, the EIC decided that it was necessary to build fortified settlements that could be defended against both Indian rulers as well as European rivals. The first of these was Madras (now Chennai). A small strip of coastline was acquired from the local ruler in 1639 by the EIC agent Francis Day. It was an odd choice as it was neither easily defensible nor did it have a sheltered harbour. Ships had to be anchored far from the shore and boats had to ferry people and goods through heavy surf. It was not uncommon for boats to overturn and cause the loss of life and property. Nonetheless, the English built a fortified warehouse here and christened it Fort St George.

The next major settlement was Bombay, which was acquired from the Portuguese as part of the dowry when King Charles II married Catherine of Braganza. The group of small islands was leased to the EIC in 1668 for ten pounds per annum. Unlike Madras, it already had a small but functioning settlement and also a good harbour. As a naval power, the English would have found its island geography easier to defend and a more substantial fort was built on the main island, in the area still known as ‘Fort’. A series of smaller fortifications were also maintained at various strategic points.

The third major EIC settlement was built in Bengal. Yet again, the decision was taken because the English found their position in the old river port of Hugli untenable due to conflicts with the Mughal governor. When peace was finally declared after an abject apology from the English, they were allowed to return and set up a new establishment. In 1690, the EIC’s agent Job Charnock bought the rights to three villages from the local landlords for 1300 rupees. This is how Calcutta (now Kolkata) was founded. The English soon built Fort William—this is not the star-shaped eighteenth- century fort that is used today as the Indian Army’s eastern headquarters but its predecessor, which was built on the site now occupied by the General Post Office. Nonetheless, the proximity of the Mughals and later the Marathas made the EIC directors in London nervous. The humid, swampy terrain, moreover, took a heavy toll on the Europeans and even Job Charnock died within three years of founding the outpost. It is worth mentioning that each of the above EIC settlements soon attracted a sizeable population of Indian merchants, clerks, labourers, sailors, artisans, mercenaries and other service providers. Thus, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta each developed a thriving ‘black town’ where the Indians lived.

The English were not the only Europeans building trading posts during this period. The French East India Company, a relative latecomer, would build a number of outposts including a major settlement in Pondicherry (now Puducherry). This was established right next to the Roman-era port of Arikamedu. Pondicherry would remain a French possession till the 1950s and still retains a strong French flavour.

Through The Incredible History of The Indian Ocean, Sanjeev Sanyal has created a comprehensive channel into understanding the maritime history of our country, and the events that have shaped its culture.

Nature, wildlife and adventure: Chat with Deepak Dalal

Posted on October 30, 2020October 30, 2020 by swara

What drove you to write children’s fiction in particular?

I have always believed that stories are a great tool for disseminating ideas. When you read a good book, the story grips you and you sponge in the concepts the writer weaves in. Children are receptive, they are open to ideas. Adults are hardened versions of children and stories – as a means for influencing the reader – grow less effective. This is why I find writing for children far more rewarding.

Apart from this I empathise with children and I enjoy spending time with them. By no means can I call myself young, yet I like to believe that there are a lot of childlike qualities in me.

Front cover of Ladakh Adventure — Ladakh Adventure || Deepak Dalal

Your books may fall under the broad genre of ‘children’s fiction’, but the themes you highlight deserve urgent attention. What attracted you to these fragile ecosystems?

The threat to the well-being of our planet is very real. Across land, freshwater and the oceans, human activities are forcing species populations and natural systems to the edge. There have been 5 mass extinction events in the 4.5 billion years that the earth has existed. Each of them due to natural causes. It is the current belief that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction and this one is entirely due to humans and our activities.

Most children live in cities today, entirely disconnected from the natural world. Through stories set in wilderness destinations I try to connect children with wildlife, forests and the great beauty of our planet. My hope is that if at a young age they can be drawn to the natural world, they will help in saving what remains of it.

Front cover of Ranthambore Adventure — Ranthambore Adventure || Deepak Dalal

How would you describe the wildlife conservation efforts in India at the moment?

We have some of the best wildlife scientists and conservationists in the world. Several species have been brought back from the brink through their efforts. These include animals like the tiger, the snow leopard, the rhinoceros, and birds like vultures and the amur falcon. But it isn’t all hunky dory. In spite of our best efforts, we are about to lose the Indian bustard and with the shrinking of wildlife habitats many more creatures will disappear. The loss of forests and wildlife isn’t for lack of effort on the part of conservationists. Rather it is the absence of political will and the apathy of our public – for most of whom wildlife is inconsequential – that is at the root of the problem.

You describe the moments of encounters between human beings and animals with great detail and intimacy. Are these based on your own experiences with animals?

I spend a lot of time researching my books. I travel to the destination where the story is set and hook up with wildlife conservationists who are studying animals there. This could be people who are studying tigers, or snow leopards, or marine scientists researching oceanic creatures. These researchers take me into wilderness areas where others can’t visit and it is my experiences with them that provide the backbone to my stories and help me describe animals and landscapes with clarity and detail.

In this moment, do you think it is possible for human beings and animals to really live in harmony without impinging on each other’s spaces?

One can’t do away with human-animal conflict. It will always exist. But we can significantly reduce the conflict. Today wildlife exists in isolated forests, most of them small and inadequate for species like elephants that roam in search of food. Wildlife scientists are campaigning for building corridors (stretches of jungle) that will connect the forests and allow animals to move unhindered from one forest to another. These corridors are vital for reducing tragic encounters between animals and humans.

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On the cusp of adventure

Posted on October 28, 2020 by vanyajaiswal

The battle for Camp Jupiter is over. New Rome is safe. Tarquin and his army of the undead have been defeated. Somehow Apollo has made it out alive, with a little bit of help from the Hunters of Artemis.

But though the battle may have been won, the war is far from over.

Now Apollo and Meg must get ready for the final – and, let’s face it, probably fatal – adventure. They must face the last emperor, the terrifying Nero, and destroy him once and for all.

Here’s a glimpse into the action-packed world of The Tower of Nero, the final novel in The Trials of Apollo series.

WHEN TRAVELLING THROUGH WASHINGTON, DC, one expects to see a few snakes in human clothing. Still, I was concerned when a two-headed boa constrictor boarded our train at Union Station.

The creature had threaded himself through a blue silk business suit, looping his body into the sleeves and trouser legs to approximate human limbs. Two heads protruded from the collar of his shirt like twin periscopes. He moved with remarkable grace for what was basically an oversize balloon animal, taking a seat at the opposite end of the coach, facing our direction.

The other passengers ignored him. No doubt the Mist warped their perceptions, making them see just another commuter. The snake made no threatening moves. He didn’t even glance at us. For all I knew, he was simply a working-stiff monster on his way home.

And yet I could not assume . . .
I whispered to Meg, ‘I don’t want to alarm you –’ ‘Shh,’ she said.

front cover of The Trials of Apollo — The Tower of Nero || Rick Riordan

Meg took the quiet-car rules seriously. Since we’d boarded, most of the noise in the coach had consisted of Meg shushing me every time I spoke, sneezed or cleared my throat.

‘But there’s a monster,’ I persisted.

She looked up from her complimentary Amtrak magazine, raising an eyebrow above her rhinestone-studded cat-eye glasses. Where?

I chin-pointed towards the creature. As our train pulled away from the station, his left head stared absently out of the window. His right head flicked its forked tongue into a bottle of water held in the loop that passed for his hand.

‘It’s an amphisbaena,’ I whispered, then added helpfully, ‘a snake with a head at each end.’

Meg frowned, then shrugged, which I took to mean Looks peaceful enough. Then she went back to reading.

I suppressed the urge to argue. Mostly because I didn’t want to be shushed again.

I couldn’t blame Meg for wanting a quiet ride. In the past week, we had battled our way through a pack of wild centaurs in Kansas, faced an angry famine spirit at the World’s Largest Fork in Springfield, Missouri (I did not get a selfie), and outrun a pair of blue Kentucky drakons that had chased us several times around Churchill Downs. After all that, a two-headed snake in a suit was perhaps not cause for alarm. Certainly, he wasn’t bothering us at the moment.

I tried to relax.

Meg buried her face in her magazine, enraptured by an article on urban gardening. My young companion had grown taller in the months that I’d known her, but she was still compact enough to prop her red high-tops comfortably on the seatback in front of her. Comfortable for her, I mean, not for me or the other passengers. Meg hadn’t changed her shoes since our run around the racetrack, and they looked and smelled like the back end of a horse.

At least she had traded her tattered green dress for Dollar General jeans and a green VNICORNES IMPERANT! T-shirt she’d bought at the Camp Jupiter gift shop. With her pageboy haircut beginning to grow out and an angry red zit erupting on her chin, she no longer looked like a kinder-gartener. She looked almost her age: a sixth-grader entering the circle of hell known as puberty.

I had not shared this observation with Meg. For one thing, I had my own acne to worry about. For another thing, as my master, Meg could literally order me to jump out of the window and I would be forced to obey.

The train rolled through the suburbs of Washington. The late-afternoon sun flickered between the buildings like the lamp of an old movie projector. It was a wonderful time of day, when a sun god should be wrapping up his work, heading to the old stables to park his chariot, then kicking back at his palace with a goblet of nectar, a few dozen adoring nymphs and a new season of The Real Goddesses of Olympus to binge-watch.

Not for me, though. I got a creaking seat on an Amtrak train and hours to binge-watch Meg’s stinky shoes.

At the opposite end of the car, the amphisbaena still made no threatening moves . . . unless one considered drinking water from a non-reusable bottle an act of aggression.

Why, then, were my neck hairs tingling?

I couldn’t regulate my breathing. I felt trapped in my window seat.

Devika Rangachari: On research, favourite books and potatoes

Posted on October 27, 2020 by swara

It is not for nothing that Devika Rangachari’s new book is called Queen of Earth; we have been conquered completely by this wonderful historical narrative. Rangachari’s research is urgent and important, and has given us a book that is poignant and inspiring in equal parts. We had a chat with the author and it was delightful.

**Since you are a historian by training, was there something specific that led you to choose Prithvimahadevi as the protagonist for Queen of Earth?**

Prithvimahadevi and her rule over the Bhaumakara dynasty in the ninth century CE formed part of my post-doctoral research on gender in early medieval Odisha. It was an extension of my doctoral research whose underlying essence was the manner in which women have been made practically invisible in the historical record due to an existing gender bias. The silences pertaining to Prithvimahadevi in the annals of the Bhaumakaras were intriguing given that the records of her family, the Somavamshis, indicate that she held her own over this rival dynasty for a period of time. The content of the inscriptions that she issued also contains clues to her political sagacity and shrewdness.

Most historians, on the other hand, in keeping with the ubiquitous gender bias that governs the writing of history, tend to ignore Prithvimahadevi’s rule or dismiss it in a few grudging sentences, implying that her rule precipitated the downfall of the Bhaumakaras. Her story and the manner in which she has been viewed in later ages formed an immediate and striking parallel with Didda, the protagonist of my earlier work, Queen of Ice, who has been similarly vilified for being a strong and ambitious woman. It was for these reasons that I chose Prithvimahadevi as the protagonist of Queen of Earth. The story of this remarkable woman deserves to be more widely-known.

Gender-sensitivity is such an important qualifier for a genre like historical fiction for instance. What drove you to write these books for children?

The manner in which history is taught in schools only serves to deepen the gender bias that exists in the writing of past narratives. Textbooks continually underline the apparent irrelevance of women to the historical record by only focusing on what clothes or jewellery they wore and being arbitrary in their selection of names to include in the historical sequence. As a result, the overwhelming impression conveyed is of the men always being at the centre-stage of the polity, society and economy in the past, driving all the action and doing the things that mattered, while the women stayed indoors obsessing over what to wear.

This, as a gender historian like me knows, flies in the face of actual evidence. Original sources, such as texts, inscriptions and coins, reveal the palpable—and often powerful— presence that women had in all stages of history and it is very important to acknowledge this if we are to understand the past at all. Gender-sensitive historical fiction would go a long way in correcting this lopsided historical record—and this is the reason I wrote Queen of Ice and Queen of Earth, featuring strong women characters who left a mark on history but who have been virtually erased from it, legitimate parts of their collective past that children would probably never get to know about.

front cover of Queen of Earth — Queen of Earth || Devika Rangachari

Who were your favourite writers growing up?

That is a rather tough question to answer! I read voraciously—anything and everything I could lay my hands on—so I had a very long list of favourite writers when I was growing up. To add to that, my school librarian realised that I was an advanced reader at a very early stage and challenged me with books that were way beyond my age range, so I discovered some wonderful writers through her, too. I loved Enid Blyton, of course, but not her most popular stories, such as her Famous Five series. Instead, I preferred her standalone books, such as The Six Bad Boys, The Family at Red-roofs and The Put-em-rights. I also loved Elinor M. Brent-Dyer’s riveting Chalet School series about a school that started in the Austrian Tyrol and then moved to Guernsey and, subsequently, Switzerland. As I grew older, I added P.G. Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart and A.J. Cronin to my list of favourites.

What are your 3 desert island reads?

Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart, Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman and The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse. And a million others that I want to mention!

Do any of your characters resemble people you know in real life?

My early school stories regularly featured characters based on me and my friends. However, as my focus is on historical fiction now, my acquaintance with my characters is only through research. It must be noted, though, that Didda and Prithvimahadevi, the protagonists of my latest books, are very relatable people whose dreams, motives and actions have familiar resonances.

We hear you’re a potato fan. What is your favourite way to eat potatoes– fried, mashed, roasted, something completely different?

Fried, mashed, roasted, boiled, baked—all forms of the potato are delicious—and eminently welcome. Wondering about potato ice-cream but not sure it’s a good idea!

Picture of Devika Rangachari — Devika Rangachari

We also hear you’re fond of libraries. Do you have a favourite one, or is there a library you haven’t yet visited and want to?

The British Council Library in Delhi and the Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children’s Reading Room and Library, also in Delhi, are my favourites. The place I most want to visit, though, isn’t a library but a museum and visitor centre dedicated to children’s literature—Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Not only does it curate its own exhibitions of the best children’s books, including original manuscripts and illustrations, but it also hosts workshops, seminars and author and illustrator visits throughout the year. I think I could live there perfectly well!

Do you have a writing routine? Is there a specific time of the day for example when you are most productive or get the most writing done? Or is your work pattern more flexible?

I am more a reader than a writer, so I could spend the entire day quite happily between the pages of a book. However, deadlines have an unnerving habit of looming, so that is when I write and then usually in the morning for a couple of hours. I do it fairly fast with very few drafts, so the entire process doesn’t take too long. Mine is a rather flexible work pattern!

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would you meet and why?

I can’t really choose! I would probably keep an entire day for meeting my favourite authors, scheduling different time slots for them and being in a joyous trance all through. There is so much I want to know from them—their motives for writing particular stories, the manner in which they honed their craft, their favourite writers and so on. If I had to choose, though, I would like to meet P.G. Wodehouse for his masterful blending of humour and language, and Hilary Mantel for her exquisite retellings of history.

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~ We agree with you 100% Devika. Especially about the potatoes. ~

Epic tales for the young readers!

Posted on October 21, 2020October 21, 2020 by swara

From fierce women warriors to never-told-before stories behind your greatest epics, we are bringing to you some eternal tales to introduce the next generation of readers to!

Scroll down for stories of EPIC proportions!

The Puffin Mahabharata
by Namita Gokhale

The Puffin Mahabharata Front Cover — The Puffin Mahabharata || Namita Gokhale (Author), Suddhasattwa Basu (Illustrator)

‘A long, long time ago, in the ancient lands of India, known in those days as Bharatvarsha, a family quarrel grew into a bloody war. There had been wars before, and there have been wars since, but that mighty battle between warring cousins of the Kuru clan has become a part of the mythology and history of India. Told and retold a million times, the story of the Mahabharata is about defeat as much as victory, about humility as much as courage. It is the greatest story ever told.’

Like a modern-day suta or storyteller, Namita Gokhale brings alive India’s richest literary treasure with disarming ease and simplicity.

The Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata
by Sudha Murty

How many names does Arjuna have?
Why was Yama cursed?
What lesson did a little mongoose teach Yudhisthira?

Award-winning author Sudha Murty reintroduces the fascinating world of India’s greatest epic through the extraordinary tales in this collection, each of which is sure to fill you with a sense of wonder and bewilderment.

The Man from the Egg: Unusual Tales about the Trinity
by Sudha Murty

The Man from the Egg Front Cover — The Man from the Egg || Sudha Murty

Did you know that Brahma once had five faces?
Why do snakes have a forked tongue?
Do gods cheat?
Why does Shiva sport a crescent moon on his head?

Sudha Murty walks by your side, weaving enchanting tales of the three most powerful gods from the ancient world. Each story will take you back to a magical time when people could teleport, animals could fly and reincarnation was simply a fact of life.

Two-Epics-in-One (The Girl Who Chose and The Boys Who Fought)
by Devdutt Pattanaik

Two-Epics-in-One Flipbook Cover — Two-Epics-in-One || Devdutt Pattanaik

What were Sita’s choices?
What was the outcome of the fight of the five brothers against a hundred princes?
A tale told two thousand years ago, of Ram and Ravan-the sun-prince of Ayodhya who follows the family rules and the king of Lanka who had little respect for others’ choices-is one that has been reinterpreted in myriads of ways, exalting the virtues of the princes. Few notice, however, that the story is actually lead by the girl who chose, Sita.

The other is the tale of the five Pandavas and their cousins, the hundred Kauravas, who threw out the family morals. Instead of taking care of their five orphaned cousins, the princes burnt their house, abused their wife and stole their kingdom. This is the saga of the boys who fought not for revenge but for dharma.

The country’s favourite mythologist, Devdutt Pattanaik, empowers and entertains with a double bill of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata for a whole new generation of readers!

The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology
by Sudha Murty

The Daughter from a Wishing Tree front cover — The Daughter from a Wishing Tree || Sudha Murty

Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras?
Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman?

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

The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna
by Sudha Murty

The Upside Down King front cover — The Upside Down King || Sudha Murty

Did you know there was a time when bears spoke, the moon laughed and babies were found inside fish?
Have you heard of the two-horned sage who had never seen a woman in his life?
Did you know Ravana’s half-brother was the god of wealth?
Have you ever seen a man with a thousand arms?

The tales in this collection surround the two most popular avatars of Lord Vishnu-Rama and Krishna-and their lineage. Countless stories about the two abound, yet most are simply disappearing from the hearts and minds of the present generation.

—

An incredible history of Sanjeev Sanyal

Posted on October 20, 2020 by swara

Now that we know that Phoenicians probably sailed around the Cape of Good Hope 2000 years before Vasco da Gama, we’re here to find out more about the man who gave us that amazing fact and others like them! Get to know writer Sanjeev Sanyal a little better.

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1) He was one of the first Indians to get a paragliding pilot license. He was part of the first batch of Indians in 1990 to earn a pilot’s license after undergoing training in Himachal Pradesh. Since there was no Indian certification body at that time, the license was given by the British Association of Paragliding Clubs.

2) He also has an Instructor grade certification for kayaking and canoeing from way back in 1991. He was one of the earliest certified instructors of the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association.

3) He is a martial arts black belt (Taekwondo) which he earned in 2008.

4) He is currently researching a book on the contributions of armed Revolutionaries in India’s freedom struggle

5) He collects old maps of India, Indian cities and of the Indian Ocean.

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Sanjeev Sanyal has given us a fascinating maritime history of the Indian Ocean, with the most beautiful illustrations.

The Incredible History of the Indian Ocean || Sanjeev Sanyal

Wonderful October releases for the young readers

Posted on October 16, 2020October 16, 2020 by swara

Wondering how to spend one more month at home? Wonder no more! October is here and so is a brand-new list! Our new releases will keep you and your beloved young readers company and take you on a varied and delightful literary adventure. Tuck in with this list!

The Wild Wisdom Quiz Book Volume 3

By WWF

Which colour cannot be seen by bees?
What are fossilized dinosaur droppings called?

Delve deeper into the world of animals, plants and more with this indispensable quiz book that helps you explore our planet’s natural beauty and myriad facets. Based on India’s only international-level quiz on wildlife, The Wild Wisdom Quiz Book Volume 3 is packed with exciting new chapters on biomimicry, evolution, conservation heroes and so much more.

Nava Durga – The Nine Forms of the Goddess

By Nalini Ramachandran

Illustrated by Priyanka Pachpande

Durga, is a powerful warrior-goddess with nine special forms!

Shailaputri, Brahmacharini and Chandraghanta,
Kushmanda and Skandamata,
Katyayani and Kaalratri,
Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri . . .

Each form is unique and together they are the Nava Durga. This is their story!

Ogd

By Anushka Ravishankar

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Ogd, a messiah was born, with her foot in her mouth. She travels through many dimensions, and teaches us about the nature of apocalypse, cartography, education, inter-dimensional travel, mathematics, monarchy, philosophy, physics, poetry and toenails. A seemingly nonsensical enquiry into things which addresses complex issues of the world.

A Box of Stories: A Collector’s Edition

By Ruskin Bond

Featuring some of Ruskin Bond’s finest stories, poetry and non-fiction pieces, this special collector’s edition brings together the best works of India’s best-loved author. Included in the collection are the two treasuries The Room of Many Colours and Uncles, Aunts and Elephants. With illustrations and a varied group of characters, this box set is a perfect collection for fans of the master storyteller.

The Puffin Mahabharata

By Namita Gokhale

Illustrated by Suddhasattwa Basu

‘A long, long time ago, in the ancient lands of India, known in those days as Bharatvarsha, a family quarrel grew into a bloody war… That mighty battle between warring cousins of the Kuru clan has become a part of the mythology and history of India. The story of the Mahabharata is about defeat as much as victory, about humility as much as courage. It is the greatest story ever told.’

This is a retelling of a timeless tale in a clear, contemporary style. It brings the epic to life through brilliant illustrations, and is a treat to be cherished.

The Grand Chapati Contest

By Asha Nehemiah

Illustrated by Chetan Sharma

When the Royal Chapati Cook quits, there is no one to make the fluffy-puffy chapatis that the king loves. Can they find another champion chapati maker at the Grand Chapati Contest?

In this Hook Book, join Hawaldar Hook as he takes our little friends (aged 5 and above) on a colourful journey!

Moodunnit

By C.G. Salamander

Illustrated by Aindri C.

Hawaldar Hook is back with another adventure!

The vegetables from Ammu’s parents’ cart have disappeared! Who could have stolen them? Amma and Appa are sure the thief comes in a helicopter. But Ammu, following a trail left by the thief, finds some very strange clues …

Come join us as we try to find out where these vegetables are going!

Eight tasty tips to ensure no healthy lunch ever goes half-eaten again!

Posted on October 5, 2020October 5, 2020 by swara

Among the chief struggles of raising little bundles of joy is making sure that they eat (and enjoy) their daily dose of wholesome and nutritious meals! Bringing the ultimate solution is Uma Raghuraman-aka @Masterchefmom a super- popular food blogger and Instagrammer who has packed My Genius Lunchbox with recipes for creative dishes that are nutrition packed, vibrant and appeal to both the eye and the very discerning palate of fussy little eaters.

Here are eight very useful tips straight from a Masterchef Mom that will help you create healthy and tantalizing treats that guarantee happy, healthy and well-fed children who look forward everyday to their own ‘genius lunchbox’!

Dry fruits make a delicious addition to any meal and are a powerhouse of essential fatty acids and vitamins. Whether powdered or used whole, the possibilities are endless, whether used in the crunchy-munchy Makhana Profiteroles or the Khajoor Rock Buns.

When you want to switch up cuisines a little, while still using easily available and essentially Indian ingredients—Mexican is a great alternative, as seen in the flavor and protein-packed Chole Chimichangas!

Behold the wonderful versatility of Hung curd! With its probiotic properties, and packed with calcium it makes for a great addition as a spread or dip. Check out the lip-smacking Haydari Sandwich.

Go vocal for local! A little ingenuity works for even most tricky ingredients as in the brilliant substitute of muthia for sausages to make the Muthia Hotdogs. Play around a little with traditional ingredients and see what positively genius substitutes you can come up with.

Tired of fat and preservative filled sandwich spreads? Whizz up your own veggie-tastic versions using vegetables and legumes to make the Guacamole Chutney Sandwich or Pakwan Lavash and Dal Hummus instead!

Gluten-free can be made tension-free as well. My Genius Lunchbox uses a number of wonderful maida substitutes that are easily available and packed with their own unique nutrients such as singhara, millet flour and cornmeal . We recommend trying the Singhara and Paneer Tarts.

Want to reduce waste while not letting leftovers kill your buzz. My Genius Lunchbox offers us number of super creative ways to turn leftovers into something unrecognizably delicious as seen in the Vermicelli Pancakes.

Play around with harness the natural sweetness of vitamin packed fruits to make delicious vibrant treats like the Steamed Rainbow Frushke.

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