Holocaust Books For Young Adult

More books on the Holocaust genre.

Title: Number The Stars

Author: Lois Lowry

Publisher: Yearling books, an imprint of Random House Children's books.

Awards: Newberry Medal

Ages: 10+

Review by Sandhya

Annemarie Johansen is a 10 yr old living in Denmark in 1943, at a time when the Nazis invaded her country. Her best friend is her neighbour, Ellen Rosen. Life is still pretty much normal, except for soldiers at every street corner. The girls have been warned by their mothers to avoid the soldiers on the way to school, and to not give too many answers to any questions. Read more....

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Title : Heroes of the Holocaust : True Stories of Rescues by Teens

Author : Allan Zullo and Mara Bovsun

Publisher : Scholastic

Age : 10+ years

Review by Vibha

'Heroes of the Holocaust' is the book celebrating the spirit, fortitude, grit and determination of five teenagers who defied all rules laid by the Nazis and put their sincerest efforts in helping the Jews during WWII period. Despite the situations, the stories are not depressing or sad rather these are captivating and inspiring accounts of young adults who never feared for their own lives, instead they displayed unmatched sensibilities and compassion and had no qualms following their own hearts.

The book starts with a brief introduction of the history marking the dates of - rise of the Hitler's empire, the gradual invasions and occupations by Hitler's armies in neighboring countries, Hitler's 'final solution' creating the conditions for Second World War and finally the fall of Nazis. The simplified map of Eurpoe in the beginning helps in understanding how the Nazis were advancing and some of the neutral countries which provided the safer grounds to many Jews during that time. Also, the terminologies used, such as SS, Gestapo, resistance groups, labor and concentration camps are briefly explained in the prologue part of the book making it easier for the young readers to understand.

Poland based Maria Andzelm helped in hiding two Jewish men underneath the floor of a barn for two years when her many other Jewish neighbors and friends were deported to camps for inhumanly treatment. All through that time, she firmly believed in her father's faith 'If you do something good, something good will happen to you'.

In another story, 16 years old Henri formed a Jewish student group in Belgium and helped his fellow Jews in hiding and providing the basic supplies to live for as long as possible. They truly exemplified the quality that during the most horrible times of their lives, they were looking out for others.

Then there is the story of Anne's (Diary of Anne Frank) sister's friend - Hilde. Hilde was a nurse in Holland, who helped many Jewish little children about to be deported to the camps with their parents, find Christian homes to avoid the inevitable.

All these stories are true accounts with original names of persons and places which makes it all the more authentic. After each story, the curiosity of the readers to know about these heroes is satisfied by briefly providing the details of how their lives changed after the World War II. Some of these people were later honored as 'Righteous Among Nations' and their names entered the pages of history in golden words.

Those times though very sad, brought the best in many people which gives hope for many generations to come that there can never be dearth of goodness in human race and that one Hitler can never win against innumerable such beings. I think such books are perfect way to remember those compassionate souls and follow their ideals. As the author mentions in the introductory passage : 'The Holocaust will remain a sacred and painful memory of the millions who perished. Yet in the darkest hours of the human race, the lights of compassion and courage still glowed, thanks to the heroes of the Holocaust'.

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Title: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

Author: John Boyne.
Cover illustration of a boy. From the Panstwowe Museum Oswiecim Brezinske, Auschwitz. By Ali Campbell.
Publisher: Black Swan books for Random House.

Review by Sandhya

Bruno is the 9yr old son of a senior Nazi officer, and lives with his parents and elder sister Gretel in Berlin. His father is posted 'to a far-away place,' Auschwitz, so the family has to move. Against his wishes, he is taken away from his friends to a place where his family are the only occupants of a solitary house, with no neighbours, and certainly no little boys to be his friends. Read more...

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Title: Anne Frank: The Diary Of A Young Girl

Edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler
Translated by Susan Massotty
Ages 12+

Review by Sandhya

Anne Frank was an ordinary thirteen year old, who kept this diary from her thirteenth birthday for the next two years. She penned all everyday happenings, her feelings about everything and everyone around her. We have her account of her growing-up pains and joys, a lowdown on her relationships, all the yo-yo-ing typical of adolescence, her darkest, deepest secrets and her hopes for the future. Read more...

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Title : Hitler's Canary

Author : Sandi Toksvig

Publisher : Random House

Age : 12+ years
Review by Vibha

'Hitler's Canary' is based on how Danes helped the Jews of their country from the deportation to the concentration camps run by Nazis. The citizens of Denmark (Jews or not) stood together as one united nation which gets evident by this small incident - A German soldier once asked a Denmark passer-by "Who guards your King?" To which the man replied, "We all do".

This book, very much on the same lines as 'Number the Stars' by Lois Lowry, begins in 1940 at Copenhagen, the year when Nazis invaded Denmark and the German soldiers on every street became the regular feature in Denmark.

Bamse, a 10 year old boy is not a Jew but his best friend Anton is. Bamse's theatre actress mother and painter father did not want to get involved in anything political but his elder brother Orlando is part of a resistance group, he cannot accept his country being named 'Hitler's Canary'. He urges his parents to do something and not pretend that everything is normal - 'We have a duty as Danes. Think of our history. We were the first European nation to grant the Jews full, unconditional emancipation. We were the first country to abolish slavery officially. We can't give it now."

But his father has a valid argument too, he believes that 'Denmark is a tiny nation. We can't fight our enemies. We haven't the strength. They won't take the Jews or anyone as long as we cooperate. The Germans will leave us and the Jews alone as long as they are not provoked.' But unfortunately the Jews are not left alone. When he gets the information that the Dane Jews are to be rounded up by the Nazis to be sent to the concentration camps, the whole family works towards protecting the refugees and making arrangements for their safe exit to the neutral grounds of Sweden. In order to accomplish this task they 'do whatever they do well' - his father painting a false wall behind which the refugees could hide and his mother delivering a live performance in front of the Nazi soldiers on the lookout of Jews.

Though set against the backdrop of WW II, nothing heart-wrenching or gruesome is explained in this book, just a lurking fear is subtly conveyed through the narrative which makes it just the appropriate book to introduce the subject of second world war to children. As the author mentions, these are the stories of bravery of average citizens who refused to allow the occupying German army to simply have their own way. He further makes a very important point at the end of the story - 'This is a fiction inspired by the facts but it contains the vital message my father taught to me - the rescue of the Danish Jews was not a story in which all the Germans were bad and all the Danes were good. There were just some good people and some bad people and it wasn't always easy to tell the difference.'

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Jan 27 - Holocaust Remembrance Day

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) has detailed lesson plans for educators about Holocaust and the reason why children must learn about it. But for me this quote below is reason enough.

“There is only one thing worse than Auschwitz itself....
....and that is if the world forgets there WAS such a place.”
-Henry Appel, Survivor

I strongly believe that young children must not be exposed to meaning less violence like in movies, video games and graphic print media, so why introduce Holocaust to my four year old and six year old?

Well.... media violence is perceived as entertainment. It encourages the child to take a passive role and makes the child indifferent to what is going on. By introducing Holocaust to my children, I am trying to achieve the exact opposite effect - as quoted in USHMM website, ‘ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping in any society’, highlight the seriousness of the being indifferent and finally, speaking against what is unfair.

Considering the epic nature of Holocaust and the age of the target group, one has to tread carefully to achieve the desired goals.

Poppin’s Mom’s review of Brundibar was god sent! To a preschool child it is the story of Aninku and Pepicek, two poor siblings who are trying to defeat the town bully and get some milk for their ailing mother. While the adult is acutely aware that the town bully is Hitler and finds that every line is loaded with deep meaning, my six year old perceived it as a book about bullying and how one must stand up against bullies. My four year old requested the book to be read multiple times for the sheer pleasure of pronouncing the names Aninku and Pepicek. Over the past four months we borrowed the book from our library many times and after multiple readings and some discussions with my six year old, I felt that it was time to introduce the next book.

Terrible Things: An Allegory Of The Holocaust by Eve Bunting, was next in the natural progression. Eve Bunting seems to be inspired by Pastor Martin Niemoller’s famous quotation, ‘First they came....’, for Terrible Things is a story in first person by a little rabbit about the forest in which he is living with various other animals. Little rabbit is first to see the ‘terrible things’ - vague shadowy shapes with no specifics. Every time the ‘terrible things’ return, they systematically take away and eradicate one species of animals. The other animals are quite indifferent to what is happening to their friends and one day find themselves being taken away by the terrible things.

Having read this book, I must say that the way the book is presented - the animals as characters, beautiful pencil illustrations, vagueness of the terrible things which creates the desired amount of terror, is awesome. Eve Bunting effectively addresses how hatred without any basis when combined with indifference can lead to monumental catastrophe. In our house it set the stage for many discussions with my six year old.

I am guessing that we will be content discussing and reading Terrible Things for few more years to come. But the next book I will introduce will be The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco.

The Butterfly touched me because it is the personal story of the author’s aunt and grand aunt. Polacco’s aunt Monique is a young child living in Nazi occupied part of France during WWII. One day purely by accident Monique finds out that a Jewish family is living in the basement of her house and that her mother is part of the underground movement that helps Jewish people hide and move out to safety. Monique becomes friends with the little jewish girl Servine, living in her basement. Because Servine spends her day cooped up in the dark basement, Monique finds things from the outside that cheers up Servine. This is how for the girls and to the readers, a butterfly comes to signify freedom from oppression. One night the girls are playing in Monique’s bedroom and are spotted by Monique’s neighbor. Lives are in jeopardy and they have to act quickly to get Servine and her family far away from Nazi soldiers. We later find out that only Servine made it to safety. Polacco is very effective when she talks about how the little girls going to school are terrorized by Nazi soldiers marching on the road but have put up a merry facade in order to not attract any undue attention. Extremely touching book that I will read with my children when they are 7+, because I want the story to sink in proper.

New York Times in its controversial(and hastily concluded in my opinion) article about picture books, raises the question if we as a society are moving away from picture books. All I can say, from my personal experience is that picture books are not just for young children. The print + picture medium must be an option while introducing any new subject, irrespective of the age group of the target audience. While broaching new and intense subjects like the Holocaust, picture books provide the desired impact without overwhelming the reader. An excellent example is Morpurgo’s Mozart Question, reviewed by Choxbox, a picture book for all ages. Choxbox says, “the backdrop of the story is, like many of Morpurgo's books, the Second World War. Though technically it is for a child between ages 8-12, even older folks will enjoy it”

Stay tuned, more to come.

Peter H. Reynolds

There are some picture books by certain authors which capture one's heart, tug it along a journey that is personal. When these authors illustrate with dexterity, I experience these books with great happiness. There is something lovely about books that are written and illustrated by the same person. There is a cohesiveness to every page as the illustrations and words flow into one another with ease. Peter H. Reynolds is one such wonderful author & illustrator.

We first came across his book Ish. It was love at first sight for the whole family - as Ish told us that that art is not perfect, perspective matters and it is important to enjoy and keep on trying. When we first read it, it made us wonder how the author could translate our own personal experiences into his book. How did he make what was probably personal to him, personal to his readers as well?

After Ish, I started chasing his books. His simple words and equally simple line drawings with a powerful message has continued to ensnare us into his world and make it our own world.

Someday is an ode to the love of mothers. The book is written by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. The book is written from the point of view of a mother who watches her daughter grow up from a baby to a child to an adult to a mother with her own baby. This book again turned out to be very personal for our family. When we relate this book to our daughter, her eyes light up and she automatically relates the story to herself and her mom. She thinks the mother in the book is her own mom. She acts out every emotion that is described in this book.

There are a few pages that I keep returning to - "Someday I will stand on this porch and watch your arms waving to me until I no longer see you." This line is written on a double page layout with a picture of a sad mom standing on the porch on the left most side of the double page. If the line did not convey the shrinking world of the mom in this picture, whole double page with its placement of the picture and long line of words that span the pages does. The next page adds to the poignancy of the moment from the point of view of the daughter. It has a picture of a distant home on the top left corner of the double page spread with words that say - "Someday you will look at this house and wonder how something that feels so big can look so small". The bottom corner of the page shows a young adult girl turning back as she walks aways through the nether regions of the white page. I wonder about the use of the word 'house' instead of 'home' in that statement. At that point of time for the young girl, it is no longer a home, she is going out to conquer the world and the home is distant and small. It is a house now, which was a home for many years. She has left the nest.

Rose's Garden is a picture book inspired by and dedicated to late Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. It is also a story similar to The Curious Garden. It is based on true garden between massive concrete in Boston - The Rose Kennedy Greenway. Rose, a traveler with a fantastic teapot, collects seeds from her various travels and decides to settle down in a big city next to sea. She finds a patch that needs color; she decides to plant her seeds in this dull neighborhood. Her seeds are eaten away by birds, but it does not deter Rose. She plants the remaining seeds and continues to keep a vigil, almost cajoling the seeds to grow and add some color to the place. The various kids watch her keep the vigil and start providing the much needed color by providing colorful paper flowers. She plants the paper flowers next to her seeds and Voila! - soon she is flooded with beautiful flowers from children around the area - both paper flowers and real ones. The neighborhood turns colorful.

The pages are initially laid out in grey and muted colors. And slowly as the story progress and the flowers start blooming, the layout of the pages change and color spring out of the pages. Albeit a wonderful book, it did not connect to me at the same emotional level as say Ish, Someday or The North Star. Let me hasten to say, the book has his trademark illustration - simple and elegant. The words are sparse and to the point as always.

The North Star had provided directions to sailors for ages and it is used as a allegory in this wonderful book - The North Star. This is probably one of his books that contains the core idea behind most of his other books too - "Follow your(not others) ideas and dreams". Deeply personal again, the book urges each one of us to follow our own North Star to find our happiness.

A boy wakes up and starts walking around, enjoying himself and curious. He is rudely interrupted by a fast moving rabbit running away past a notice board. He notices a board that says - 'This Way'. He follows the directions and sees more notice boards that keeps him pointing towards the directions that he has to take. In between, he tries to chose a different path from the one that the direction board points out; but is quietly and firmly pointed back to the direction that he has to keep up with. Slowly and quietly he understands that he needs to follow his own path - not the one that the directions are pointing him towards or the one that others have taken earlier. He chooses his own North Star.

As Peter H. Reynolds says in his website, this book is a tribute to "off-the path thinking" and urges the readers, young and old, to rethink their life and their path. Minimalist in his lines, colors and words, this book is a powerful reminder for us to re-think the directions of our life. It would probably affect the adult more than the kid. A wonderful gift for any kid, a reminder to them that they need not follow the herd and can be independent. A book that they might come back to again and again for years.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Peter H Reynolds is an author who travels his own road and produces some of the wonderful picture books present out there.

THE PATCHWORK PATH : a quilt map to freedom

Pic courtesy Flipkart

THE PATCHWORK PATH : a quilt map to freedom
Written by Bettye Stroud
Illustrated by Erin Susan Bennett
Published by Candlewick Press
Ages 5+

Hannah is a 10 yr old slave living on a plantation with her parents and younger sister Mary. When she turns 10, her mother teaches her to make a special quilt using special patterns, with special meanings. Each pattern had a meaning, and stitched together, they would make a pattern that would help them to run away to freedom.

Soon after, the master sells Mary to someone else, and her mother dies of a broken heart. Hannah and her father decide to escape, afraid that they, too would get separated some day.

How do they do it? How does the Quilt Code work? Do they manage to get to freedom? How do they recognise the friends and the enemies along the way? Quite a few of the white men were against slavery, even in the south. There was a whole network of these abolitionists, along with certain religious groups like the Quakers who were anti-slavery, and freed slaves (a well-known example was Harriet Tubman) along the escape route who would help the escapees along what was termed 'the underground railroad, as the slaves travelled in hiding.

According to the afterword, the story about the use of quilt codes was given to was told to historian Jaqueline Tobin by an African American quilter Ozella Williams and together with another scholar Dr. Raymond Dobard, they published the first account of this amazing system that had originated in Africa, and was extensively used by slaves to run away to the US Canada border and freedom.

This was in 1994. Following this, there was a lot of debate on its authenticity, as there was no written or material evidence of this story, and was believed to have come from African American folklore. It has been theorised that this could be because slaves in those days did not know how to read or write, as it was illegal, and any quilts from that time might not have survived the wear and tear of so many years.

Knowledge of the controversies around the supposed history on which our book is based, however, did not deter A and me from enjoying it. It was the perfect picture book for the 9 yr old who is no longer into picture books big time, as it was a dip into the rich African American history, which is proving to be fascinating and horrifying by turns. And an escape story is always welcome, especially one that makes use of secret codes. Full page illustrations in earthy colours by Erin Susanne Bennett compliment the text and bring it to life.

February will be Black History month, and the history enthusiast at home hopes to find many more such books.

Those interested in the craft can go here to find printable templates of the patterns that were supposed to be in the Quilt Code.

Crossposted here.

Back of the Bus - For MLK Jr.day

Title:Back of the bus
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Floyd Cooper
Publisher: Philomel
Age group:4-8

Last year my daughter and I had read Woodson's "The other side" during the week of MLK Jr. day. It had served our intent very well, while ensuring that we stayed in the comfort of Subtlety, and the warmth of a story of two little girls in the countryside. I remember how the girls of different skin tones, afraid of crossing "boundaries", had rightfully chosen to sit on the fence together. I had immediately reviewed it here.

This week we brought home a few books celebrating MLK Jr or what he stood for. Among them I found a gem. It was perfect for us, in that, it helped me inch forward in the right direction on the same subject. This, it did, in two solid ways. For one, we read about actually "crossing a boundary" this time around. Secondly, it was more than subtle. It carried a bit of history and eased me into introducing civil rights and the fight for it. Yet, it was not too big a leap because we still stayed with a boy her age, his perspective and a simple narration of a true incident.

A child is riding the bus that Rosa Parks rode on December 1, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama. And the last trail of italicized words is how the book begins - verbatim. The combination of a boy's perspective of the historical incident while the boy is a piece of fiction, makes it a good book for young children.

We're sittin' right where we we're supposed to - way in back.

The boy's words allowed me to give her the background. The boy is seen peeping out the window of a bus on a wintry morning. That morning ( she later learned) witnessed a solitary act of defiance that sparked a movement, that later changed America. Quite immediately we seem to be looking at a playful boy slouched on the backseat, rolling his marble on a groove on the floor of the bus. In fact Mrs.Parks sitting upfront returns his runaway marble for him. More people get in. The bus is now packed. But in a little while, the boy senses tension. The driver is arguing. It is getting very humid inside because the crowded bus is not moving. The boy's mama does not let him distract himself with his marble, so he sends it back into his pocket. But soon, he gets a grasp of what's happening - of Mrs.Parks not willing to give up her seat for Mr.Blake, the white rider.

But she's sittin' right there,
her eyes all fierce like a lightnin' storm,
like maybe she does belong up there.
And I start thinkin' maybe she does too.

Beside this is a portrait of the lady, her chin up and looking out the window. This is probably the right time to glorify the illustrations. They are generous in earth tones and are extremely realistic and beautiful. They bear the quality that takes us back in time - whatever that is! Floyd Cooper's work is amazing.

Getting back on track, the debate ends inside the bus. The boy sees a handcuffed Rosa Parks being escorted by a policeman. His mama murmurs something to herself and also reassures him that everything is alright. But he feels different, in a good stronger way. He takes his marble from its hiding place and holds it against the sunlight.

That thing shines all brown and golden in the sunlight,
like it's smilin', I think.
'Cuz it ain't gotta hide no more.

I did not labor to explain the marble metaphor to her. The incident was already simmering the idea. History imparted with a childish attitude was very helpful. There was also a lyrical quality to the text that made the read-aloud powerful. The language was African-American and that added authenticity. I had pointed out how, many basic rights, now taken granted, were once forbidden. We went over areas that might have been segregated, like schools and transportation. We went on to predict what now seemingly normal practices carried the potential to be protested one day.

I read elsewhere that Rosa Parks was probably not the first to be arrested for such a "crime", but she was the first prominent figure to have disobeyed, and that probably influenced and motivated many in the nation. Martin Luther King Jr. initiated and continued the bus boycott that Rosa Parks' act had triggered. He was eventually instrumental in bringing social change in America, adopting Gandhian principles.

The other books that we are reading to celebrate history and change, in the context of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday are -
Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change by Michelle Cook

Dad, Jackie and me by Myron Uhlberg.

History in news!

Most major newshouses /publications publish an annual issue. Typically, this comprises the highlights of that year in the context of that publication. Imagine that such an edition printed today survives intact about 3000 years into the future. Imagine that the world would have changed drastically by then, society no longer being what we live in today. Imagine that someone interested in history finds it. And has a peak into the everyday workings of today's world!

That is how one feels on reading these beautifully illustrated books published by Candlewick Press. All archive news items and features are reprinted as they originally were purported to be, with their supposed original illustrations. This gives us a feeling of immediacy associated with today's news. There are footnotes by today's editor with a fresh perspective on a past event, as if in hindsight.

For ages 8+




Published circa 1100 B.C.
Period covered 3000-1100 B.C.
Scott Steedman, James Putnam

We can revisit the making of the Great Pyramids, the reign of the first female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, the sensational plot hatched by Queen Teye to murder her husband Ramses III and put her son Pentaware on the throne, the tragedy of the untimely death of Tutankhamen.

We learn more about the craft of embalming from an interview with the top embalmers of the kingdom. We get a look at the treasures put in a royal's tomb, tips on the best way to enter afterlife, a peek into the hallowed heart of their temples and learn about the many gods worshipped. There are also features on taxes to be payed, the schooling system, tasty tips on flavouring of everyday food, answers to a new-bride-to-be's questions, trade tips, and more.







Published circa 400 A.D.
Period covered 800 B.C.-400 A.D.
Andrew Langley, Philip de Souza

Here we have items on the murder of Caesar, an eyewitness account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii, the opening of the Colosseum, gladiator fights and chariot races under sporting news, trade news and features for slaves. There are also eyewitness accounts of battles and feasts.  

There is a fashion feature on the art of wearing and significance of  different kinds of tunics and togas, and advice to women about the in-fashion styles and colours, with make-up and accesory tips. We also learn about the accepted norms of behaviour for citizens, slaves, and women in different social conditions. There is also a question-answer column, where an agony-aunt replies to queries regarding wedding customs, food, etc. 









Published circa 300 B.C.
Period covered 800-300 B.C.
Anton Powell, Philip Steele



Here we have plenty of news on battles, politics, trade- both of goods and slaves, sports, medicine and philosophy. The feature on the Olympic Games gives a programme and guide to events, complete with a description and a list of rules for each event.

There are Women's Pages with interviews of women from different walks of life, with advertisements for midwives, perfumes, fabric, jewellery, clay potties for babies, etc. There are Greek-style debates for and against school at an early age, education for girls, and the best god to pray to in a calamity.

There are features on the toughness of Spartans, on being the perfect citizen, theatre and actors, best farming practices, the great philosophers Thales, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the pros and cons of living in a city, and much more. 

All publications also carry advertisements for products and services, 'for sale' and 'jobs available' ads, all placed in the 'present' of the said publication. These, along with the various news items and features, really build up a very comprehensive picture of each great civilisation in a fun way. 

The books each have an appendix which gives us a detailed timeline of major events and rulers, with a short write up on each. Illustrations are all in the typical style of each civilisation, done by various illustrators, in full colour. They really bring alive all news items.

There are many more books in this series, based on the Aztecs, Vikings, Explores, Space, Stone Age, Medicine, etc. They all promise to be equally informative and a fun way to learn about them. Wish there was one on India in this format. Would have been wonderful.

Pics courtesy Goodreads.com.  



 

Best of 2010 Part 2

We are a couple of weeks into 2011, but we had several more books that we read and absolutely loved in the past year. Here are some more picks we discovered in 2010..

Ages 0-8

Funniest

Eecha Poocha by Kala Shashikumar


Eecha Poocha by Kala Shashikumar, is a famous Malyalam folktale. Eecha(a fly) and Poocha (a cat) prepare the Kanji together and Eecha flies off to bring a Jackfuit leaf to be used as spoon for eating the Kanji but can Poocha be trusted with the delicious dish in front of her. A hilarious rhyming sequence of events happen after this and the wackiness of the same are brought out brilliantly by none other than Ashok Rajagopalan.

This reminded me of a Punjabi folktale that my mother used to narrate to us when we were little kids and then I told many times to my own children. A chidiya (sparrow) and a kauwa (a crow) make khichdi and when it is all done, kauwa wants to go and take bath first but chidiya finishes the khichdi in his absence. The crow gets very angry and he puts a hot knitting needle to the sparrow's tail. Sparrow jumps up and down screaming - Oh my bottom is burnt, my bottom is burnt and the crow reprimands the sparrow by saying - 'Then why did you eat someone else's share'? It sounds very funny when rustic Punjabi lyrics are recited in authentic accent. The kids used to wait for this part.
-Vibha






Favorite Toddler Books

I am a Backhoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines


Bold color illustrations, with a little boy as the protagonist, digging, dumping, rolling and scraping, pretending to be the machines he so loves to play with and read about it, this book was much-enjoyed at bedtime, or otherwise. I liked that it inspired imitation and movement rather than passive listening - it was nice to see the little arms make the scoop and dig motions, his whole body rolling on the floor like a roller and so on... the rhyming text was easy to read along.

I dig my hand into the sand, my scooper hand.
Dig. Dig. Dig. Lift, turn, tip. I am . . . a backhoe.-Sheela

Smile-a-Saurus A Book About Feelings by Matt Mitter, illustrated by Michael Terry

Characteristic Googly eyes and bright bold color illustrations mark this set of books by Michael Terry, which seem to be the most-read books of 2010 for the 2-1/2 year old.

What makes Cry-ceratops weep? Why does Glee-Rex always smile? What does Angry-saurus do? We find out via the rhyming verses in Smile-a-saurus which talks about feeling and how to recognize and handle them.


Angry-saurus threw tantrums and snits,
With his tail he would bash things to bits. He would stomp his big feet, and turn red as a beet.
Other dinos just laughed at his fits.
-Sheela

Look At Me, A Book About Differences by Allia Zobel-Nolan, illustrated by Michael Terry


We are all different, it's true. Look At Me highlights this via the exchanges between the various animals about their differences..

"Lucille Ladybug sat on her leafy rug. She said, "Aren't I the best, Billy Bee? My spots are so pretty. I'm red and I'm witty." "Yes", said Billy Bee, "but stripes work for me!""

..but concludes with a gentle and affirming message we come in all sizes; we're full of surprises, we love being ourselves, how about you?
-Sheela


Most Impressive Artwork/Illustrations

Adventures of Rusty and Ginger Fox by Tim Ostermeyer


The two fox cubs are on their first independent walk in the jungle and meet many different creatures of the jungle - some very shy and some scary, some harmless and some ferocious, some friendly and some not so friendly. The breathtaking wildlife photography by Tim Ostermeyer brings the cubs and all the animals that they meet, to life and overall gives a very fresh look to the story. The actual photographs impart the true feel of the forest in this book.
-Vibha



Where's Hanuman? by Christopher Woods (Author), Ben Mcclintic (Illustrator)

We loved the very complex Where's Hanuman? mentioned by Art in her contribution. In fact I had organised a treasure hunt at [my daughter]'s birthday party and given this book away as a party favour, as it fit my theme brilliantly!
-Sandhya






Atlantis, Legend of the Lost City, Adapted and Retold by Christina Balit, a note by Geoffrey Ashe

The book retells the legend of the lost city Atlantis in a child-friendly way. The five-year-old pored over the illustrations, taking it in slowly, returning to it many times. Zeus' wrath and Poseidon's decision to destroy the city watching people being hurtful to each other possibly triggered a number of thoughts in her head, trying to clearly demarcate the world of mythology from her own... The book brought up the topic of God in the context of her own life and we had some interesting discussions.
-Sheela


Favorite Picture Book(s)

For my preschooler, 2010 was a year filled with unabated energy and unbridled enthusiasm in exploring the mundane and learning new things. Everyday activities sparkled with simple and spontaneous pretend-play sessions. Dramatic tea parties, cooking sessions, and let's play hair-dresser were clearly her most favorite things to do indoors. Outdoor activities buzzed with nature exploration, trips to the local parks and the library, and countless times climbing the carousel. Walking over bridges, looking at monuments and chugging on long train rides were some of the truly memorable things we did during our summetime travels. But most importantly, when it came to reading, we tried to choose books that encapsulated her experiences and learning in all of the above areas.
-Praba

The Very Greedy Bee by Steve Smallman

The bee who is very greedy doesn't share the news about a meadow full of the juiciest of flowers with his fellow bee buddies. He visits the meadow all by himself, but ends up "overslurping" guzzling all the nectar and gobbling up the pollen. Now, he has gotten so plump that he can't fly. When his new-found friends help him get home, he realizes his mistake and gladly shares with them all the honey in the hive. With a gentle story about sharing and friendship, this vividly illustrated picture book delighted and enchanted the preschooler over numerous read-aloud sessions. -Praba

For the Love of a Cat by Rosalind Wilson, Wen Hsu

The Brat and Bean love animal stories. Any animal angle and the story is promptly a hot favourite. For the Love of a Cat by Rosalind Wilson is about an impoverished artist has only a cat as his family. And he loves her so much that he even gives her his last meal. As they lie down to die of starvation, a group of priests come by and offer him the important task of painting the Lord Buddha's portrait, surrounded by all the fauna. The only condition - there must be no cats as the Lord does not like them. The artist is torn between his art and his cat - what does he do next? Illustrations are by Wen Hsu - bright, strong and colourful. Read over and over, it is a dog-eared tale of a cat.
-MadMomma


Moon, Ramu and I by Geeta Dharmarajan, Harshvardhan Kadam

This Katha book is a huge hit with the two Bs right now. The protagonist (could be a girl or a boy) wants to climb up to the moon and the path he chooses is to pile all the household furniture up and climb all the way up. Grandpa jumps on to this flight of fantasy and soon they are all zooming around on a moonbeam. The language is simple, the idea of going to the moon appeals to everyone, specially the age group targeted and the method sounds simple enough. Brightly coloured illustrations by Harshvardhan Kadam just add to the beauty of it. -MadMomma

Favorite Chapter Book/Series

Frindle by Andrew Clements

A story of a fifth grader boy - Nick, whose objective is to distract the teacher in the class at just the right time so as to avoid the assignments. But he ends up inventing a new word for 'pen' - 'frindle' and it is an amazing story how the whole nation starts using this word and finally 'frindle' qualifies to enter the Dictionary. Some of the things that I liked about the story were - Nick using his adventurous disposition in positive way without showing disrespect to any of his teachers anywhere, the utmost commitment of the teacher Mrs. Granger, and the lovely student teacher relationship. The last few pages are sure to make the readers a little overwhelmed with emotion. Frindle is a great story with perfect end.
-Vibha


Ogg and Bob by Ian Fraser, illustrations by Maryanne Fraser


While there are only 2 books in this series so far, the five-year-old found it terribly amusing and quite distinctive, so much so that she took it to her school to share. Not my cup of tea, but then I am a jaded middle-aged mom, not a spunky little girl brimming with possibilities :)
-Sheela






Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis

This is the first one in the series of Ladybug Girl books. The story revolves around a little girl named Lulu whose brother doesn't want her around. Standing up for herself, she embarks on adventures in the backyard with her dog, Bingo. The book is a celebration of simple and unstructured everyday activities in the llives of little ones. I liked it for the novelty and simplicity of the theme, although I confess the cynical adult in me couldn't help but notice a few negatives, which seemed to leap out of the pages the more I stared at it. Left me wondering if it was a book that was playing on adult nostalgia, and also the coverpage with Lulu in a native American costume seemed a bit overexaggerated in my opinion. Nevertheless, it was a huge hit with the preschooler who loved Lulu's sprightly behavior and playful characterization.
-Praba



Ages 8+

Funniest
Rusty, the Boy From the Hills by Ruskin Bond

We discovered the joys of Ruskin Bond's stories, and have started with the Rusty series- the first book, Rusty, the Boy From the Hills, chronicles the adventures of Rusty, an 8 yr old, complete with all the scrapes he gets into with his family and a whole menagerie of animals.
-Sandhya



Younguncle Comes to Town, by Vandana Singh


The funniest we encountered by far was Younguncle Comes to Town reviewed here.
-Sandhya







Favorite Chapter Book/Series

Anastasia and Sam, by Lois Lowry



We got and read the entire Anastasia and Sam series by Lois Lowry, one of which was reviewed by me here.
-Sandhya




In 2010, my eight year old for the first time explored different genres in chapter books, which included mystery, historical fiction, newbery winners etc. Here are a list of books that we will dearly hold on to as some of her favorite reading related memories in 2010.
-Praba
Katie Kazoo Switcheroo, by Nancy Krulik

If you were to ask my daughter what would be the single most favorite series of 2010, I have no doubt Katie Kazoo would top the list. She has enjoyed reading and re-reading almost every single book in the series. The interest stemming from the fact that she was able to relate to Katie's boundless energy and hilarious antics and especially, the part about being a vegetarian completely got her hooked on to the series.
-Praba





A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Mystery books and summertime go hand-in-hand. Written by Ron Roy, this series features 26 titles, one for each letter of the English alphabet. (From Absent Author to Zombie Zone) The bite-sized mystery books served as great staples for the eight year old as she lounged lazily on summer afternoons savouring each of them.
-Praba




Harry Potter, J.K.Rowling

A also discovered Harry Potter this year, and we have been reading the books together in serial order. Actually I have been reading the books aloud to her, and they breed many interesting discussions. We have finished books 1-4 by now, and are halfway through book 5. A list of the best books enjoyed this year would be incomplete without these.
-Sandhya



Favorite Newberry
Because of Winn Dixie, Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo weaves an adorable tale of friendship and acceptance. 10 year old Opal adopts an abanadoned dog and spends the entire summer joining the dog in the adventures he takes her on. The dog helps her make new friends and in the process, she also manages to cope with the sadness caused by her own mother's abandonment.
-Praba





Favorite Historic Fiction
American Girl Series

The series tells stories of American girls who lived long ago. Told in historically correct ways coupled with engaging illustrations, this series is perfect for little girls who love spunky fictional girl characters. The series was a huge hit in the home front.
-Praba





That's it for our list! What great books did you discover in 2010?

Kabir the Weaver - Poet

Kabir the Weaver - Poet

Author : Jaya Madhavan

Tulika Publishers

Ages 12 and above

Mystic, reformer, gifted poet, saint - who was Kabir? Mystery shrouds much of his life, mythology blurs the rest. What we do know, and continue to cherish, are his 'dohas', the pithy and very profound couplets he is supposed to have composed spontaneously, despite never having had a formal education. And through these verses, many of which people of my generation can till remember from the innumerable Hindi lessons of their childhood, we get a sense of the man he was - devoted to God, yet against organized religion and its fanatical guardians; fearlessly vocal against social evils; committed to the simple life of a weaver despite his charismatic effect on the people who flocked to hear him sing.

Reading Jaya Madhavan's 'Kabir the Weaver- Poet' , I discovered that he was also adept at courting trouble, by openly challenging religious mores and prejudice at a time in history when relations between Hindus and Muslims were especially strained."How ", a character wonders at one point "Was he going to protect a man like Kabir who insisted on being where trouble was? Or did trouble follow wherever Kabir went?"

How indeed, you wonder, as you read along, following Kabir through one very eventful day in his life. The book has an intricate narrative that allows us to see him from varying perspectives - sometimes through his own actions, sometimes through the eyes of his friends and foes, and sometimes through the imagination of the people around him as they weave their own stories about his powers. Threaded through the story are Kabir's own couplets, evolving from incidents in his life, and beautifully explaining his simple outlook on life.


The story begins on a light hearted note, then grows progressively darker as the day wanes. For the pundit and the muezzan, both influential leaders and rabble rousers in their communities, are smarting from their run-ins with Kabir, and want revenge. Each gathers an unruly mob of followers to petition the court for Kabir's arrest and punishment. As Kabir's friends desperately search for him, the two mobs collide in a shocking act of violence and arson. But through it all, where is Kabir?


Jaya Madhavan's retelling is well written and makes some very complex issues - communal hatred, intolerance, caste, even the frightening phenomenon of mob frenzy - accessible to young audiences. I liked the spareness of her writing style, very much in keeping with the simplicity of the man at the heart of this book. She adds a dash of fantasy too, inventively casting the tools of Kabir's trade - Dhaga, Takli, Warp, Weft, Spindle - as narrators and loyal friends of the poet. Much like the sutradhar of traditional folk theatre, they are more than merely detached story tellers;through their playful banter, their squabbling and occasional bits of role playing, we get a glimpse of Kabir's life and his effect on people around him.

Of these, the undisputed scene stealer in this story is surely Dhaga, the fat and jolly thread with a bellyful of stories and gossip, who alternately whines, quibbles and worries over his devoted master, Kabir. But don't dismiss him as a mere caricature for, when danger looms, it is Dhaga who fearlessly commandeers an army of his compatriots to save Kabir's life (I couldn't help visualizing this scene as a movie, with the army of threads as cartoon characters, valiantly frog-marching across the screen behind pudgy General Dhaga.)


Given that we live in a country with a strong attachments to its mythology, where the line between fact and fiction is often blurred by the rosy lens of faith, I particularly enjoyed the author's depiction of the process of myth making. The story of the story, a chapter in the book that I read several times over, describes stories as living things, growing and changing with each retelling as each person invests in them something of their own hopes, fears and desires. So a simple idea -'One day Kabir forgot to weave" - gradually evolves into a story about Kabir's family facing starvation. But does he have a family, people ask, until a devout woman adds her two bits' worth to the idea, spinning a yarn about God stepping in to help Kabir out by offering him a bale of magical cloth to sell. Miserable with hunger, the next person to hear this story weaves his own frustration into it, so that Kabir fails to find a single buyer for his cloth. And so the story progresses, working its way to a very satisfying end, slowly 'fattening up' as it 'waddles in and out of people's heads and ears' - definitely an image to cherish!


Reading the book with a seven year old has been an interesting experience. In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks and the indelible memories they have left behind,my daughter and I have read some pretty grim books together, including graphic novels like Maus and Barefoot Gen, both powerful stories about war, human cruelty and the sheer thoughtlessness we can sink to as part of a mob. So I found she could understand the themes of Kabir.. well as enjoy the slapstick routines of Dhaga and gang. She made some interesting co-relations between Kabir and Gandhiji - the simple ascetic life, the fearless defiance of a powerful establishment, the charismatic presence., which got us talking about how long standing some conflicts can be, and how deep rooted the grudges that feed them. She even found a story about Kabir similar to the parable about Jesus and the loaves and fish, which got me thinking about the way stories can travel across borders, and how the myths of one culture can assimilate elements of another.


Kabir the Weaver-Poet is a great introduction to Kabir and his philosophy for all ages of readers, and I look forward to learning more about him at the forthcoming Kabir Festival in Mumbai.


Thanks to Malar at Tulika for a review copy of this book.

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