Over In The Jungle

Over In The Jungle
A Rainforest Rhyme
By Marianne Berkes
Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon

Ages 4-8


Over In The Meadow, the classic late-19th-century poem by Olive A. Wadsworth, was one of my daughter's favorites when she was two... and mine as well, when I started reading singing it to her. It had all the elements: counting, rhyme, music, animals... and the book we had was pretty nicely illustrated, nothing eye-popping, but, eye-catching, nonetheless.

Over In The Jungle mimics Over In The Meadow in concept but presents a rainforest buzzing with activity thanks to 10 Howler Monkeys, 9 Super-slow Sloths, 8 Waiting Ocelots, 7 Poison Dart Frogs, 6 Boa Constrictors, 5 Honey Bears, 4 Leaf-cutter Ants, 3 Squawking Parrots, 2 Morpho Butterflies and a Swinging Marmoset who are there with their moms. Except for the Howler Monkeys who are there with their dad.

Each double-page spread is carefully constructed to showcase not just the animals but their habitat and food.

As a bonus, the back of the book has notes on each of the ten animals. As well as, Tips From The Author, Marianne Berkes, about related activities. I particularly liked the Body Movements suggested for each animal's action as we sing the verse.

The Tips From The Artist by Jeanette Canyon was truly inspiring. The illustrations for this book were created with polymer clay. Just reading about the process made it exciting and exhausting at the same time - to realize the amount of work and dedication that has gone into each page. And it shows!

The last page is a treat: the two-page spread juxtaposes the whole gamut 55 enchanting animals in a lush rainforest and invites us to spot them all. Very much like "I Spy". And the clever artist has made it quite challenging for the wee ones to spot them easily which naturally makes it a delightful and engaging activity.

Over In The Ocean
In a Coral Reef
By Marianne Berkes
Illustrated by Jeanette Canyon

Ages 4-8

Over In The Ocean: In a Coral Reef is just as appealing - thanks to the same team. And everything mentioned above for the Rainforest Rhyme applies to this book as well: just replace the rainforest animals with bright and beautiful creatures in the coral reef - 10 Octopuses, 9 Parrotfish, 8 Clownfish, 7 Stingrays, 6 Pufferfish, 5 Dolphins, 4 Angelfish, 3 Needlefish, 2 Gruntfish and a Sea Horse.

The back of the books suggest activities including "Story Stretcher" using puppets and making a diorama using polymer clay or even just Model Magic clay.

It is fun to sing/read this book with accompanying music, if at all possible. The dad in our household joins us when possible with his tin whistle to make this an experience to cherish.

When the kids got these two books as Christmas presents, I elbowed them out of my way to pore over the gorgeous art work. I savored it alone for the first few days, reading the notes from the artist about how she created the scenes for each page.

It is no surprise that these two books have appealed equally to both the kids. Whereas the 4¾ year old pores over art work, reads the words, and drinks in the composition, the 1¾ year old stares with jaw-dropping wonder at the various animals, their expressions, their stance/action/colors and shouts the numerals on each page as we move along from 1 to 10.

Two more books by Marianne Berkes along these lines Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow (illustrated by Jill Dubin), as well as Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun (illustrated by Janeen Mason) are a lot of fun to read, especially for the 4¾ year old. It was exciting to read that the swirling cosmic landscape in the tour of the Solar System was created with melted crayons. After reading about the wonderful Arctic flora and fauna in Polar Bear, Arctic Hare in verse, the creatures of the Tundra brought to life via cut-paper art in Over in the Arctic resonated with us.

Every one knows What a Dragon Looks Like

Every one knows What a Dragon Looks Like

Written by Jay Williams

Illustrated by Mercer Mayer

Ages: 4+

Do you think you know how a dragon looks like? Are you sure? I was always sure about it - long sinuous body, fiery eyes, blood curdling sound, a long tail, gnashing teeth and scary! But, this book made me re-think; now, I am not so sure.

The city of Wu is on the borders of China. If you cross it, one would be in the great plains of Wild Horsemen. The city of Wu is the last bastion of China and also the first city that could get attacked if the Wild Horsemen decide to do so. In this city lived a poor orphan kid called Han, the gate-sweeper of the city. He was always cheerful and lived near the gates of the cities in a small hut.

One day a messenger races into the city to inform to the mandarin, the leader of the Merchants, Captain of the Army and other wise men of the town about the imminent danger to their city. The wild Horsemen are planning a war with China and city of Wu was their first target. The wise men of the city decide to pray to the Great Cloud dragon for help.

Every one prays and the next day an old man with a staff claiming to be the cloud dragon arrives at the city gates. Han, the gate-sweeper receives him initially with skepticism, but warms up to the idea that this old man could be the dragon and takes him to meet the elders of the city. Every one rolls in laughter and makes fun of the old man. The rest of the story deals with how one boy's open-mindedness saves the city of Wu.

It is an amazing story on how we are enemies of our mind - our preconceived notions. As adults, our minds are made up of various ideas and rarely are we prepared to question them. Every argument against our ideas are challenged and most of us refuse to accept some thing that is different and at odds with our belief system.

Whenever we say the word dragon - our first instinct and our mind thinks of the same image that we have been fed for years now. Can you imagine a dragon that does not breathe fire or does not have wings or cannot fly? Our myths are already imagined and refuse to be pushed aside. The author Jay Williams uses the allegory of a simple dragon to question our thought process. Why are we not ready to embrace something that is new or different from our assumptions?

An extremely important lesson for parents and children. This book is not only a great book that can be used for some interesting discussions with our kids; it is also an extremely fun book. Sooraj, Shraddha and I rolled in laughter when the old man stepped in as a dragon. We found it very funny, but slowly it dawned on us that the story is not that simple.

Published first in 1976, the book sells at Amazon through some external retailers for a minimum of $83. Amazing, isn't it? One of my friends found it in Bangalore Book Exhibition for Rs. 25/- and I've been trying hard to make him forget the fact that I had borrowed the book from him! He has this great ability of finding interesting books at lowest possible prices. I would have passed the same shop a few minutes earlier and left without a second look. He would walk by the same book store and pick some 20 odd books for Rs. 500/- all together and each one of them a gem.

Do look out for the book in a second hand book shop. If you find it, pick it up immediately and rush before you lose it. You will not regret buying this book.

Pop up books

We were speaking of art appreciation at ST recently and here are a class of books that are art in themselves- pop up books.

Paper constructions are often fragile/ complex and may not withstand our little children's eager handling. But children just need to be requested to exercise caution and/ or insist on adult supervision. In our case, Anushka began to appreciate the marvels a pop up offers at around three years and enjoys unraveling them.

Also, each year the engineering behind these books and the quality of pop ups improve, making them easier to handle.

Author - Richard Scarry
Paper engineering: Keith Finch
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Ages- 3-6years

Our small but growing collection began with a gift- Richard Scarry’s Busiest Pop up book ever.

The story is a simple Scarry classic - Bananas Gorilla steals a truckload of bananas, at a port and is chased by Sergeant Murphy and the rest over the railway station, airport and road junction.

As you can imagine, the locations are ideal for a lot of hide and seek, imparting suspense and surprise on/ in every page. The details are amazing as well.

Action packed scenes unfold literally with a mix of clever pull tabs, lift ups and pop ups. Arrows and pointers make it easy for kids to spot the needful.

Despite the average quality of some of the pop ups (stiff in parts even for adults), the book is a fun ride for children under 5 years and a good introduction to the delights a pop up holds.

Design and paper engineering: Ron van der Meer and Graham Brown

Publisher: Robin Corey Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Ages- 4 upwards

How Many Spectacular Paper Sculptures- a pop-up by Ron van der Meer is truly the union of art and maths- at least counting. Each 3-D paper sculpture is designed to be viewed from all angles and is truly colourful.

On each page, a multitude of a particular shape, in various colours and sizes, is featured. There are lines, circles, squares, triangles and stars among others. All the paper sculptures really are marvellous and awe inspiring but my favourite is the stars one.

Every page comes with questions relating to the shape featured there...eg. How many stars are transparent? ... How many are solid? ......you can improvise and add on your own questions once the child begins enjoying these mind teasers.

A great book - both well executed and engaging !

ABC3D by Marion Bataille

Book Design: Marion Bataille

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Ages- 2 upwards

ABC3D by Marion Bataille is an irresistible, lovely, out of the way alphabet book.

The author of this really clever black, white and red alphabet book was in Chennai as part of the Indo French festival. You will need to take your child through the transitions for some are puzzling and not very obvious, at least in our experience with our 4 year old.

To give you a feel of the very quirky & imaginative transitions the alphabets make- E turns into F with a tab extension, O and P turn into Q and R with a "frosted" see through page or my favourite- V into W with an adjoining mirror page.

This book with its eye catching lenticular cover page ( credited to Michael Yuen) , has already won a couple of awards- Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens.

Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland by Robert Sabuda, said to be THE master paper craftsman, are pending on my shelf. More on them later.

The Missing Piece

The Missing Piece
by Shel Silverstein

All Ages

How often in life have we defined to ourselves what it is we are seeking, and then taken the steps for its fulfilment, only to find that the actual utopia of having it, is far removed from the reality of the happiness we envisioned at the start?

The Missing Piece is the story of such a seeking and finding, and in that it will appeal to us all. There is a Missing Piece (MP). And it is not called MP for nothing. It really is missing a piece. And it is not happy. So it sets off on a quest to find it. Both the missing piece and the happiness. Now it is a happy seeker. It makes up little songs to sing along the way, to keep the journey interesting. It faces all the ups and downs of being on the road. Hot sun, cooling rain, freezing snow, the sun making it warm again. And it has time in the world to stop and say hello to a worm here or smell a flower there, because it cannot go very fast. Sometimes it would pass a beetle, and sometimes the beetle would pass it, and the best times of all, was when a butterfly chose to land on its head, and they enjoy each other's company.

And thus the journey continues...over oceans, through swamps and jungles, up and down mountains...until one day, lo and behold!

I've found my missing piece,
I've found my missing piece,
So grease my knees and fleece my bees,
I've found my...

But before we get too excited, there is a twist. What indeed looks like a missing piece for our friend, claims that it is not missing anything, that it is, in fact, its own piece. Sound familiar?

Our MP apologises and rolls on. Along the way it meets several more such pieces, and passes each one by, because one of them is too small to fit in, another too big, one too sharp, another too square! And on and on through several more such encounters and road blocks, until FINALLY, it finds its p.e.r.f.e.c.t piece. At last! And the conversation that the two of them have is endearing. Even more so is how our MP, who has been scorched and burned before, checks with the new piece, ever so gingerly, on so many counts.

Are you anybody else's missing piece?

Do you want to be your own piece?

Well maybe you don't want to be mine?

Maybe we won't fit?

But our New Piece (let's call it NP) truly is a perfect fit in every way. And thus, the two of them join together and become whole. But is this the beginning of the 'happily ever after'? Sadly, not.

Our MP, now whole, is discovering a whole new world of possibilities. Like how he could now roll super fast, but so fast that it could not stop to talk to a worm or smell a flower, too fast even, for a butterfly to land, but at least he could still sing, right? Wrong. Because the words came out all jumbled and incoherent, and you can imagine why. And it is once again time to pause and think and make a decision. And it is one of goodbye. Painful as it is, it sets NP down gently, and slowly rolls away. The pages turn and the song is back. And the butterfly comes to land on its head.

And that is life. Where you start off a certain way, bend and flex to whatever comes along and just keep rolling with it, despite everything.

And that's what is so special about this book. The subtle undercurrent of reality mixed in to the tenors of this story, that makes you take it quite to heart. The flashes of humour that make you want to chuckle out loud...when the MP passes the beetle, and then have the beetle pass it by right in the next page, the way one of the pieces it encounters is a triangle at the end of a sharp arrow, landing neatly in its mouth and so much more.

The illustrations are startlingly simple. Pure white pages, sharp clear drawings in black. A clear contrast of colours saying so much more than if the whole spectrum was used. Most pages showing only one line of text, giving you space to read into all that's left unsaid. These are all hallmarks of pure, unrestrained thought, making it to print. So what more can I say that I haven't already?

That there are several levels on which this book can be experienced. Our adult thoughts that correlate to our individual lives, feeling pinches of the sadness, growing exponentially in the wisdom. And then there is that other level that our kids see. Where they get down to eye level with MP and roll right along with him. Smiling, laughing, being intrigued, singing, watching butterflies, exhilarating and starting every page with a clean slate.

But the real twist is still around. For where you think the story ends, another is just beginning. And that is life too. And we'll let NP share his, the next time!

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Another Shel Silverstein classic reviewed here by Praba - The Giving Tree

The joy of classical dances of India

Author : Leela Samson

Illustrator : Jagdish Joshi

Age group : 10 +

Publisher : National Book Trust, India

This is a book with very interesting information on the classical dances of India. It has been authored by none other than Leela Samson, who is the current director of Kalakshetra in Chennai. The beautiful pencil sketches are by Jagdish Joshi.

I picked this book mainly because it piqued my interest and I do have a soft corner for dance, even if I have never learned it formally.

Leela starts the book about the evolution of the Indian dance over the centuries. The book deals with the main classical dance forms of India and also touches upon the little known dance forms of the North East. So we get to read some very interesting things about - Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Manipuri dance, Odissi, Mohini Attam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Chhau and Sattriya. She dwells on the origin of the dance, it's significance in the local culture, the evolution of the dance form over the ages, the presentation style and finally it's current form. It makes for a very interesting and insightful read.

The simple sketches are very captivating and bring out the nuances of the dancer so beautifully. This is one of my favourite sketches from the book, giving us a glimpse of the Manipuri dance presentation. You can feel the dancer swirling to the rhythm of the music when you see this picture !

In this picture a drummer is playing an instrument called the pung. When I did a google search for this instrument, to my pleasant surprise I got quite a few You tube videos of Manipuri drummers performing a dance called Pung Cholom. It was a revelation to know so many new things about our own Indian culture.

This is truly one of the gems from National Book Trust, India(NBT) publications. If this book can be adapted by any publisher into a book with simpler text and more such beautiful images, you have a perfect treat for the younger children !

Silent Music

Image courtesy: Macmillan

Author/Illustrator: James Rumford
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan (March 18, 2008)

I was moved to tears when I first read Silent Music in the library. When it was time to check it out, I hesitated. Was my 4yo ready for heavy topics like war? Should he already know that there are kids in parts of the world who survive in the backdrop of battle?

The book does not talk about the war itself, it is not filled with horrific pictures or descriptions. It is in what is the unsaid, the subtleties. It is in how it zooms in to the life of one particular boy and how he copes. That creates a stronger impact than any statistic can.

Author/illustrator, James Rumford excels in presenting a story of such depth in words and brief lines that would reach out to even a preschooler. We are introduced to Ali, a preteen, whom one might find in a street corner of Baghdad, Iraq, playing soccer with his friends. Ali loves loud ‘parent-rattling’ music, and writing.

Of all his hobbies, Ali's favorite is writing in the native art form of calligraphy. The delicate art of holding the pen just at the right angle applying just the right pressure to create beautiful strokes and loops and curves fascinates him so much that he writes on every writable surface – on old receipts, newspapers, used envelopes, fogged bathroom mirrors. The graceful up and down strokes and loops of his pen keep tune with the silent music in his head.

He sees calligraphy even in the rugged game of soccer. The way the ball is tossed from player to player and moves across the field, in loops and curves and straight lines is very similar to the way his ink flows from his pen. He idolizes Yakut Al Musta'asimi, a 13th century calligraphist who locked himself in a tower to shut out the noise of the Mongolian invasion and sought peace in writing poem after poem.

One night in 2003, Ali finds himself in a similar situation. He too hears the loud noises of war ravaging his country. He too shuts himself in and starts writing, seeking the ever elusive solace.

That war has long ended, Ali tells us, only to be replaced with war of another kind. He points out the irony, how easy it is to write the word war, how easily the ink flows from his pen, but that other word, the one he yearns for, that other word that the white dove symbolizes, resists him stubbornly, and demands a lot more practice.

The illustrations deserve a review of their own. It is not black text and color pictures on white paper, but embossed regional designs on gold hued pages. Repeating patterns of hexagonal shapes and minaret domes are interspersed with graceful strokes from the Arabic script. Each page is assembled as a collage of assorted images to supplement the text. One particularly moving page is the one in which Ali compares his situation to Yakut's, and we see him huddled under a dark blanket with his white cat, writing. The background is dark with Arabic verses scattered randomly, much like the chaos of voices that might accompany the beginning of war.

Despite my initial hesitation, I did not water this down for my 4 year old. He is at an age where guns awe him, so I thought he should know the other side of the coin as well. I did have to insert in facts at relevant parts of the story because we'd never discussed the that part of the world before. After the first reading he fell silent and for a long time as he chewed on what he'd just heard. In subsequent readings, we talked about how quickly we can pick a fight with our friends, but how much more difficult it was to use words and make peace, but how the latter leads to happiness for everyone. I'm sure it will need a lot more reinforcing, but I'd go so far as to say that this book was a step up in his emotional maturity.

With us, Silent Music left a profound, thought provoking echo.

Interview with Shilo Shiv Suleman

Illustrations are an indespensable part in the world of books for young readers. They have the magic of invoking wide range of emotions in children (and adults too). And if the illustrations are like those done by Shilo, they become a beautifully laid out feast for the eyes and source of inspiration for many people. It is marvellous to see that a girl who is just out of her teens is so imaginative and mature in her expression through her strokes of brush.

I am glad that Shilo (illustrator - Pampasutra) took some time out from her busy schedule and agreed to do this interview with ST.

1. What is the best part about what you do?

The best part about what is possibly in the process of illustrating a book - In visualizing each word and watching it become a tapestry of images woven together and trying to experience the text and imagine the text a way a child would - with wide-eyed wonder and love. As Antoine de Saint Exupéry says in the ‘Little Prince’.

Here is my secret. It is very simple. ‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. Only children know what they are looking for'. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to be doing something I love with all my heart everyday. Just dreaming in full colour.

2. How long have you been working as an artist/illustrator?

The first book started when I was 16. A book of Children's poems in Hindi that I illustrated, post that there have been 3 other children's books- two for Karadi Tales (one of which is a super spooky Tim-Burtonesque book called Tak Tak) and the latest (and possibly the closest to my heart) was released last month- Pampasutra by Arshia Sattar, about the river goddess of Hampi. It flows through the Tunghabadhra River’s mythology, history, and finally environmental perspective on what's happening to the river right now. The Dam, the motorboats, the plastic, the dumping - all of it.

3. Please elaborate some of your educational qualifications, your experiences and skills related to this field.

I am 21 years old and still studying in Srishti School of Art Design and Technology in Bangalore. Doing my 3rd year in Design and Animation whilst freelancing, painting walls, instruments, posters and Tshirts for NGOs working on different campaigns, wandering around the country, Illustrating for Ads, Magazines as well as (and most importantly) Children's Books.

Right now I'm working on Illustrating, Writing and Animating with Srishti an Interactive Graphic novel for children called 'Khoya'. Using technology called Augmented Reality to enhance storytelling as well as bridge the gap between the technological and the tangible. :)

4. Which medium do you use for the illustrations, which software do you use? Which is your favourite medium and style?

I mainly use watercolours and collages -all sorts of textures and photographs that I find while travelling around the country. I feel watercolour+collage works the best for me because I love layering my paintings both physically and in terms of meaning and content. As for style- I work with what comes most naturally to me and is an almost instinctual and personal form of expression.

5. When did you think that you want to make a career in fine arts and especially being an illustrator?

I'm always learning...career aside..through university, through travel and all the experiences and opportunities that come my way. And all of this comes out through me brush. :)
My mother, Nilofer Suleman (Suleman Chai), is an artist as well and so that's been a big source of inspiration.

That aside, I also studied in Valley School- a hundred and something acres of wild sprawling land. And all I did was wonder-wander-wide-eyed at all the trees and paint.
Another source of inspiration was possibly all the travelling around India.

Beyond colour and form there was so much love in every journey. And after dabbling in a bit of photography- Illustration became the closest way to fulfil the gratitude I felt for those experiences and landscapes encountered. I started to draw incessantly in notebooks that I carry with me. Collecting stories, places, and faces and pressing flowers between the pages.

6. Which kind of projects do you want to do? Which is your next project?

I'm open to anything really but what really catch my eye are things that are imaginative and brimming with imagery as well as things with a social or environmental context.
Right now I'm working on a project called 'Khoya' which is an experimental new-way of storytelling using technology. It’s about a little girl born into a dystopic land who slowly rediscovers the natural world and all its magic.

So yes, other projects that interest me relate to Mythology, Folklore, Fantasy, Love, Magical Realism and Storytelling, New places, Encounters, Animation, and the Natural world. Also, Art in the Social Sphere- Art and Activism. As well as taking Art out of a gallery and onto the streets, which is one of the reasons why the Bangalore Wallflower project happened. :)
The Bangalore Wallflower project is an attempt to make art more accessible. Not just in terms of its location. But also encouraging people who aren't necessarily artists curb their inhibitions and pick up their brushes and create community art. We work as much as possible with children in the community.

WatercolourWars/Artivism is an artists collective that was started similarly to bridge the gap between Activists in need of a Visual Identity and Artists who could provide them with that and more.

7. What is the most fascinating part of being an illustrator and most frustrating part?

The most fascinating part is that it becomes an extension of oneself. Every story I hear I see it play out in my mind's eye. The most frustrating part would be breaking through limitations of technique/skill to create something that evokes the image on has in one's mind.

8. What is your source of motivation? In your opinion - are the artists born or the skills can be acquired too?

My opinion is that everyone is an artist and it has nothing to do with skill. Just feel the freedom from inhibitions. I haven't had very much 'formal' training skill wise. And I don't think it would make a difference if I did.

I find more and more that people are afraid of drawing because they think themselves incapable of doing so. That's another reason why the Wallflower project was initiated so that children and adults could just paint in an extremely public space on a large surface without being afraid.
The source of inspiration and motivation for me is love for what I do. And all the absolute gorgeousness that surrounds me as I travel.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring illustrators?

To just love and stop worrying about what they see and how to draw what they see and draw what they feel. :) as cliche as it might sound. Anything essential is invisible to the eye. Only with the heart one sees clearly.

10. Would you consider taking up interior decor projects such as wall art and murals for children's rooms?
Yes! Doing so as we speak.

Shilo, a big thanks to you.

Pampasutra

Title : Pampasutra
Author : Arshia Sattar
Illustrated by : Shilo Shiv Suleman
Published by : The Kishkinda Trust

A story told by a river - Tungabhadra, more popularly known as Pampa. As all rivers do, Pampa has her lap of waves full of stories. She narrates the saga of her life in her own words - from her birth to various historical times to which she became a witness. She briefly recounts the legends and myths which took shape near her banks and became a part of her life - her marriage to Lord Shiva and her friendship with Hanuman - the magic monkey. Because of her friendship with Hanuman, she got acquainted to Lord Rama and watched his activities when he was in search of Sita. She discusses about various life forms which have been dependent on her water and her health - the fish in her water, birds (including migratory birds) and animals. She briefly touches the history by mentioning about the Vijayanagar Empire and giving a glimpse of the mightiness of that empire.

But now she is in a somber state because of all the ill treatment meted to her by humans. Her water has been held back forcibly by building dams, and industrial and other wastes are flushed into her pristine waters. She is imploring the young readers to save her and let her play freely as she has been doing since her birth so that she brings more abundance and bright future for all.

The most striking thing about this book is the gorgeous illustrations of Shilo Shiv Suleman. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the illustrations have actually brought the story to life. The river has been depicted as a lady with extremely expressive eyes. The part where she narrates the story of her marriage and her beautiful past, the twinkle in her eyes expresses her joy and happiness. Towards the end the mournful expression reaches the readers hearts. With the tone of story going from one emotion to another, Shilo's brush moves from one side of the colour spectrum to the other - from bright warm colours celebrating the prosperous past to dull shades in tune with the melancholy present of the river.

Some beautiful Pampasutra stickers are an added bonus on the last page.

An interview with Shilo Shiv Suleman will follow this post.

{Image source : Shilo's blog}

Review crossposted on : Literary Sojourn

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Author and illustrator - Virginia Lee Burton
Publisher- Houghton Mifflin Books
Ages- 3 to 6 years

An appealing American children's classic, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel- Mary Anne are a pair of man and machine who work in tandem and build roads and airports and buildings too. Mike loves Mary Anne and takes great care and pride in her.

Rendered obsolete, due to the introduction of modern, more efficient machines that run on diesel, Mike needs to find work outside the city because he is unwilling to scrap Mary Anne. ( rather similar to how many of us behave towards our first car )

Mike, not one to be defeated, takes Mary Anne to the town of Popperville. He offers to dig up the cellar for the town hall and that too in a day!! When met with disbelief, Mike in a fit of bravado, declares that if he does not complete the work by sunset he would not expect any payment.

The duo work better when encouraged and watched by others. The entire town of Popperville and even the neighbouring towns gather to motivate the duo to complete the work by sunset. And of course they do.

But there is a glitch. They have not left any way out and are trapped inside the pit they have dug!! An ingenious suggestion from a little boy, makes Mike the janitor for the new town hall and Mary Anne occupies pride of place as the heating system.

A symbol of comradeship and a tribute to hard work , this story is a hit in the artnavy household since the first time we read it. It is rendered even more interesting since the machine is portrayed almost as a human( as children usually imagine).

The author and illustrator, Virginia Lee Burton is said to have written books for her own children, two little boys who loved machines. That possibly explains the extra bit of charm it offers, through both the style of writing and the detailed and colourful crayon illustrations.

The Lion and The Mouse

The Lion and the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney
Caldecott Medal 2010
Ages 4-8

Jerry Pinkney needs no introduction to children's books fans, I am sure. In this book, his art speaks for itself without the aid of any words.

And, the story probably needs no introduction either: it is the classic fable of the mighty lion sparing a little mouse contrary to his character, forgoing his meal however meager; and in return, the little mouse coming to the lion's aid at the crucial time, to save his life.

It is quite challenging to present a story with just illustrations, no text. The Lion and The Mouse does this quite artistically and successfully. Vivid, expressive watercolors fill the pages, silently moving the story forward in a fluid and dynamic way rather than depicting instant snapshots of the events frozen in time.

I was blown away by the fine details. The intense expressions and the varied perspectives are beautifully rendered to tell an engaging story, while distinctly retaining the innate nature of each of the two protagonists. This is not a quick read. The pages can hold our attention for several minutes, encouraging us to register every detail, placed there by no accident.

The artist's note at the back explains that he chose to set the book in Africa's Serengeti, 'with its wide horizon and abundant wildlife so awesome yet fragile — not unlike the two sides of each of the heroes'.

In the opening page, scuttling to safety from a large predatory owl, a mouse inadvertently finds himself under a huge paw, an easy snack for the mighty lion. This starts our adventure into this age-old fable, retold with warmth and spirit.

Kindness offered is kindness earned. The benevolence and grace that the mighty lion shows to the feeble mouse comes right back to him, sealing an unlikely friendship. No matter how small, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

The lion striding with his mate and cubs at the end is rendered all the more irresistible when we notice the mouse, his mate, and his brood riding piggyback on this majestic beast. The playfulness of the little mice and the cubs complement the regal bearing and harmony the creatures have come to share.

My 4¾ year old managed to glean the story easily, pointing to elements she is familiar with, without really wondering about the absence of words. And, my 1¾ year old probably didn't even notice that each time one of us "read" the book to him, it sounded different... but conveyed the same thing.

[picture courtesy of Jerry Pinkney Studio]