Berenstain Bear Books

Berenstain Bear Books

Written and illustrated by Stan & Jan Berenstain

Published by Random House books for Young Readers

Ages: 4-8 years

One half of a pair of writers who created one of A's favourite book series, passed away on friday, 24th February 2012. Jan Berentstain was the co-creator of the Berenstain Bears books, with her writer-illustrator husband Stan Berenstain, who passed away 7 years ago. She was 88. Co-incidently, the first book created and published in this series was The Big Honey Hunt written for The Cat in the Hat beginner book series in 1962 at the behest of Dr Seuss (Theodor Geisel), whose birthday falls on 2nd March.

A loves the Berenstain Bears Books, and we have tried to collect them all. Every time we visit a book store, she checks out their collection from the series, and we pick up the ones we don't yet have. They feature a family of bears living in a tree house (adventure!) - goofy, lovable Papa Bear, sensible, wise Mama Bear, with Sister Bear and Brother Bear, their everyday lives, the ordinary things that matter to them, the things they learn and do, and the scrapes they get into.    

When she was younger, (OK, even now), the wisdom in these books has guided us through many dilemmas- over and above a heart-to-heart discussion. The books make it easier for us both in considering how to approach a particular situation. Whether it was her fear of the dark, an annoying habit that she picked up somewhere, dealing with peer pressure, focusing on fixing a problem instead of trying to fix the blame,  taking a sensible stand when someone says- "I dare you to...", dealing with jealousy, stranger danger or bullies, learning about money...you name it, the Berenstain Bears had a book about it.

One does have to keep in mind, though, that even though the books offer, sensible, home-grown advice in a palatable, story form, many of these books have been written in the 60s and 70s, and there may be some dating of the context. One also needs to be mindful of some gender/racial stereotyping, much like that in the otherwise wonderful books by Enid Blyton.

A wonderful collection of books that is fun to read for both child and parent alike. We have spent many happy hours reading them together, discussing them, and returning to them again and again at any time a relevent situation presented itself. A great help to parents who may not have the luxury of an easily accesible extended family.

Pictures courtesy Flipkart. Crossposted.

Getting to Know World's Greatest Artists

Three series of books have provided us with much information about famous artists and their art, and hours of exploration, in a fun and easy-to-read way:

1. Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists series of books by Mike Venezia

2. Anholt's Artists set of books by Laurence Anholt that offer stories about famous artists

3. Come Look With Me series of interactive art books from Lickle Publishing


Picasso (Getting to know the world's greatest artists)
by Mike Venezia

Mike Venezia's books are direct in offering facts but not in a tedious way. They showcase the artist's famous paintings with an anecdote or back-story about each of those paintings. This alone might not have held the 6 yo's attention for long, but, the funny cartoonish interludes certainly did.

When describing Picasso's Blue Period, the cartoon shows people looking at a blue painting exclaiming, "Why is the guitar blue? Guitars aren't usually blue!", "Why is he blue? People aren't blue!" and so on, along with, "It's wonderful! no one has ever painted like this!", "It's the work of a genius", and "It's the work of a nut".

The text explains, "Some people thought Picasso's blue paintings were great. Others (including Picasso's father) thought they were just too strange. This meant his paintings were controversial."

With a page like that, it is easy for the young reader to remember something about Picasso's Blue Period.

Venezia's books are a quick read - done in installments or in one go. And, can be re-read any number of times if handy on the bookshelf, thus sealing the knowledge.

Other Getting to know the World's Greatest Artists books by Venezia we've enjoyed so far:
Georges Seurat, Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Klee, Matisse.

Mike Venezia also has written a few other Getting To Know... series of books - Great Composers, U.S. Presidents, Scientists & Inventors.

[Getting to know Mike Venezia]

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Anholt's Artists are in picture book format with gorgeous illustrations and gentle narration. Each book is developed around a real event in the artist's life, wherein the artist is not necessarily the central character. Notes at the back of the book explain the context of the book.

For example, in Cezanne and the Apple Boy, the story is about the artist Paul Cezanne's namesake son (who later became a successful art dealer) and we learn that the story takes place in 1886, when young Paul visited his artist father in Gardanne near Aix-en-Provence.

Each of the books we've read in this series so far offer a simple episodic story involving the artist, with art work in the style of the artist we are reading about. A few we have enjoyed so far: The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, Cezanne and the Apple Boy, Picasso and the girl with the Ponytail.

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Come Look With Me series of books present a full page copy of the art work on the left side, with the typical artist, title, medium, and such information. And on the right, it asks a few pointed questions that pertain to the picture, compelling us to take a closer look at the art work in order to answer the questions.

For example, in Come Look With Me: World of Play by Gladys S. Blizzard, as we look at Winslow Homer's Snap the Whip, we are asked, Which boy seems to be the leader? How did the artist show you that? What season does this painting show? What clues let you know that? and a few more. And below the questions, a few paragraphs about the artist and this particular piece helps us appreciate the work better.

In Come Look With Me: Latin American Art by Kimberley Lane, we look at Xul Solar's Drago and try to figure out What is happening in this scene? What kind of creature do you see in the painting? How many of the flags in the picture do you recognize?  Why are the sun and the moon out at the same time?

As readers, we don't always have to know the 'right' answer, and sometimes, there isn't a single right answer. It is all about what you see in the picture, what speaks to you, what stands out and gets your attention.

In Come Look With Me: American Indian Art by Stephanie Salomon, we see a pair of Hopi Kachina Dolls made of painted wood, cloth, feathers, string and yarn. Have you ever received a doll or figure as a gift? Talk about a toy or doll or figure that is special to you... And we learn that Kachina dancers would give Hopi children these dolls as blessings for a happy life.

[image sources:  http://www.mikevenezia.com, http://www.anholt.co.uk/, goodreads.com, paperbackswap.com, openlibrary.org]

Remembering Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941) - 'Gurudev' of the whole India, who bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on the father of our nation, who gifted us our identity and whose verses are sung every day at every nook and corner of our country in the form of our National Anthem - is not called the 'Complete Institute of Literature' for nothing. Tagore is one of the greatest poets and thinkers India has ever produced.

I know my words will miserably fall short of the kind of paeans the person of his stature deserve. However, I feel extremely glad to be reviewing a few of his works here.

Title : The Little Big Man

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

I think every kid grows up hearing this - you are in the best phase of your life - Childhood and you are not realizing it. I did, when I was in my childhood years and now being a mother of two, I find myself telling the same to my kids. But then I realize perhaps that is the best part of this phase - kids do not consciously live or not live a day and their small world and its issues are big enough for them.

In fact, when the kids watch adults getting to exercise so much control over all the significant issues, decisions and also on them, they can't wait to grow up.

This is the essence of 'The Little Big Man' who wants to be as old as his father because then nobody would tell him to learn his lessons, he could leave his books, he would go wherever he likes, he would buy his own clothes when he likes and he would give money to whoever he wishes to. Through 'The Little Big Man' Tagore peeks into the mind of a little boy who is looking forward to growing up and to assume adult responsibilities.

The art work by Rajiv Eipe perfectly compliments the text. The little boy with front tooth missing looks absolutely endearing in his expression of - all grown up and responsible.

Rajiv is involved in doing animation and graphics for Television.

Title : Clouds and Waves

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

A charming tale of a little girl who is tempted time and again by the clouds and the waves to join them in the games that they play in their magical world. The world where they play with silver moon and golden dawn. For a child this surely is an irresistible temptation but she simply declines their invite every time because what she likes the most is to be with her mother. She does not need to go to any enchanting world when she has nicer and better games that she can play with her favourite playmate. A sweet little tale conveying the tender love between a mother and her little one.

The illustrations that spread across both the pages are beautiful art work. The inquisitiveness of the little girl, her full-of-life twinkling eyes and the tender affectionate bond that she shares with her mother are brilliantly captured by the illustrator Sunaina Coelho.

Title : The Land of Cards

Publisher : Puffin Classics

Age : 8 to 12

'The Land of Cards' is a potpourri of some of Tagore's best works - poems, short stories and plays, translated from Bengali to English by Radha Chakravarty. A wonderful assortment to give children a little glimpse of the beautiful world created by Tagore's pen.

Poems - which offer different flavors in each piece - ranging from hilarious odd rhymes like the one in which a cat is trying to convince the fish to be its meal, to the ones which are brimming with sensitive emotions. The entertaining 'The Invention of Shoes' tells the story of the birth of shoes while the 'Hero' reveals the inner desire of a son to be by her mother's side and to protect her always. Through the poems like 'Two Bighas of Land', Rabindranath Tagore took up the social issues which were suffocating our country in ancient times.

The title play 'The Land of Cards' brings out the conventional restrictions of the society and in another play 'The Post Office', a boy being restrained to closed confines tries to live his life through the people who are busy in seemingly mundane activities in the free outside world and unknowingly teaches them the lesson to take pleasure in whatever they are doing.

'Kabuliwala' - a simple story bringing out the yearning of a father for his daughter, is one of the great classics which are lustrous ageless gems. I remember having enjoyed reading this story as part of course book during school years. Such are the pieces of writings which defy all barriers of age and time.

'The Land of Cards' is a book which can be read, enjoyed and appreciated by children and adults alike, offering them a peep into the world of literary genius.

The Magic of Oliver Jeffers

What are little boys made of?

In the universe according to Oliver Jeffers, little boys are one part adventure, two parts resourcefulness and all heart. They find the fantastic awaiting them at their doorstep, or in their cupboards, and step right up to seize it. They overcome fear and loneliness with élan, ford choppy seas and scale mountains to help a friend, and still find time to catch their favourite TV shows. And they also learn – and teach us – some remarkable lessons about companionship, patience and the art of being human.

‘Once there was a boy’, begin three of Jeffers’ best known books, chronicling the astonishing and heartwarming adventures of a nameless little boy and some truly surprising companions. Each of these books – ‘How to Catch a Star’, ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘The Way Back Home’ is, at its heart, about the same theme – the power of true friendship. Each book has our diminutive hero set out on a journey that ends with him discovering both a new friend, and something special about himself. ‘How to Catch a Star’, the book that marked Jeffers’ debut in 2004, follows the boy’s quest to do just that – catch himself a star he can play with and talk to. He spends the entire book in wild and fruitless pursuit, before realizing that good things do in fact, come to those who sit back and wait. ‘’The Way Back Home’ has the boy set out on a cruise into outer space before engine trouble leaves him stranded on the moon. But he isn’t alone – a little alien just like himself lands there too and what follows is an engaging and ‘awww’ – inducing story about overcoming differences and helping each other. And ‘Lost and Found’ has our little hero rowing all the way to the South Pole to get a lost penguin back home, only to realize that home might, after all, be where the heart is.

This is a universe Jeffers draws with breath taking beauty – spare , child like drawings rendered in amazingly rich colour. The text is much the same – a mere handful of words that seem determined to play sidekick to the drawings, though still conveying the author’s gentle humour. The first time I picked up a Jeffers book, I was struck by how solitary his characters seem – they are little more than small blobs of colour in a vast, empty expanse of white space. His boy seems almost marooned in a world of lollipop trees, surly birds and some of the prettiest skyscapes I’ve ever seen in kids’ books. Adults are peripheral at best, or just plain absent – these are books where a child takes charge , makes independent decisions and some pretty profound moral choices. Of course I speak as a nitpicking adult , and you should enjoy these books just for their lovely art, their whimsical stories, gentle humour and the unexpected twist that always, always awaits you at the end. Then again, Google these books and you will realize that Jeffers’ books strike a chord not only with children around the world but millions of adults as well.

Take ‘Lost and Found’, easily the most beloved of all Jeffers’ books. This multiple award winning book has inspired a short animation film that is itself recipient of some sixty awards, innumerable fan videos and quite possibly the most beautiful fan song ever. You are drawn right from the opening frames into the boy’s dilemma – how to help his mute and lonely friend. Faced with a world that can’t – or won’t – help, the boy decides to take the penguin home himself. And so he does. It is difficult not to be moved by his simple heroism, awed by his tremendous (and sweetly paternal) courage, or get all teary eyed when the boy and his friend make their surprising discovery at last. (Move over, Forrest Gump.) In just a few words and images, Jeffers manages to tell us a story about some universal human fears – loneliness, alienation, the inability to communicate – and the extraordinary powers you just might find in the most ordinary people around you.

Jeffers ‘ fourth book, ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’ is very different in style and story, taking a tongue in cheek look at a boy with a unique problem. Henry discovers, quite by accident, that he likes eating books. He starts with a word, then tries a sentence, then moves on to gulping down an entire page. What’s more, he discovers that the more books he eats, the smarter he gets, as he begins spouting all the wisdom he has quite literally digested. Thrilled by his new found genius, Henry begins eating books even faster. But all this gluttony comes with a price, and soon Henry finds himself in trouble. With its mixed media collage drawings – including the pages and covers of old books that have been directly painted upon – this story felt to me like a sly parable about the perils of rote learning. Look out for the delicious little detail built into the end of the book itself – trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.

This review merely scratches the surface of Oliver Jeffers’ impressively prolific career. Besides being an acclaimed artist, he has a whole bunch of other well received books out. There is his most recent one, ‘Stuck’, about a boy who attempts to dislodge his kite from a tree – by throwing other stuff at it. There is ‘The Great Paper Caper’, that manages to work a message about environmental conservation into a hilarious yarn about a paper plane competition among the residents a of a forest. ‘Up and Down’ continues the saga of the boy and his penguin. And then there is ‘The Heart and the Bottle’, a book that gracefully addresses the issue of bereavement in its story of a girl who seals her heart in a bottle so she won’t hurt anymore.

Much like Henry, I await my chance to gulp these down.

Image Courtesy

Crossposted here

Meet Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik

If you say Indian mythology guru it is his name that will certainly get recalled.

We are immensely pleased to have the iconic Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik here at ST.

This Q&A is in the context of the books he has penned for children and a bit more. His answers are as thought provoking and refreshing as his large and growing body of work.

We have known you as an author for adults. How was writing for kids different?
Not different really. It is just that with children you have to focus on one idea and go on elaborating it using visuals that are more fun. Honestly, I realize, adults like this too. There is a child in all of us.

That a storyteller can redefine a story is a powerful theme especially in the context of mythology/folklore. How did you conceive Hanuman’s Ramayan?
I retell the story. Redefine assumes you can change the soul of the story. I change the narration, the flesh, so that the modern mind can understand the soul better. So the story of Hanuman’s Ramayan is a very old folklore. Most people don't know it so they assume it is ‘new’.

How did the Fun in Devlok series evolve? In the series, there is no story on Hanuman and Ganesh - aren't they among children's favourite Gods?
Favorites come and go. I am interested in helping children appreciate the idea that has been part of Indian culture for centuries. For that stories are important. And there are gods in some of these stories. Fun in Devlok is about looking at gods as part of our lives, participating in our joys and sorrows, without stripping them of their dignity, without being irreverential, and without turning them into strange violent superheroes, who beat up and bully bad guys.

You have woven in pointers on eco friendliness, animal care and even self grooming into the tales- was this a conscious move?
Aren’t these part of life? Haven't they always been part of human life? I never instruct. I just tell stories and hope children appreciate the values seeping out of them.

The illustrations by Vishal Tandon are lively and support the story well - since you are an illustrator yourself, how did the collaboration work?
I like collaborating with artists with whom my energies match. Vishal was great fun. He studies art at Shantiniketan and was excited as this was a new avenue for him too.

Mythological stories sometimes promote irrelevant values/ gender bias. Your comments? How do we expose our children to these stories?
Every story has a bias and a prejudice embedded into it. Without bias and prejudice you cannot have stories.

Animals are not supposed to talk yet we make them talk and humanize them in our fables. That is unnatural. We make non-vegetarian animals villains and we apply human values to animal kingdom. That is also unnatural.

At one time, Disney women were coquette damsels needing rescue; now they are boisterous and violent just like the ‘boys’. Is that gender equality?

If you try to be politically correct, you will never tell a story to your child. There is no nobility in humanity from the point of view of a plant or an animal.

Are there live reading and narrations planned by you for children across India? If yes, when and where can we find the info on this?
No, I don’t do that. I prefer parents telling stories to their children. They are the most influential storytellers. You must not outsource this aspect of parenting, in my view.

The Talking Thali was an interesting post from you. Can you see a book in the making around this subject?
Yes, hopefully, someday.

What else are you penning for children?
Wait and watch :-D

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Thanks a lot Dr. Pattanaik for your time and views!!

The Prince of Mist

The Prince of Mist

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Translated from Spanish by Lucia Graves

There are books and there are books with magic sprinkled on them. These books with magic are not apparent at the first glance. To find out if the book has magic is to open the book and start reading. The magic around these books is dense, transparent, swirling around it, waiting for the nonchalant reader to open it and read it. The words transform themselves into moving images and world around the reader disappears only to be replaced by the characters from the book. Some times, the magic acts slowly, but other times it is like a jolt of lightning. The reader is thrown into the new world at the onset of the book. The reader might want to get out of the world inside the book, but, the magic would not allow them to - it will keep them ensnared in its tight grip, till the story is told and the reader is thrown back out to the real world.

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon has a lot of magic swirling around it. The magic around the book was powerful and ensnared me easily. Usually the magic of the books make you just a voyeur in the drama unfolding page by page. This book's magic was a bit different; there were a few times when I felt that the characters in the book knew that I watching them. They tried to ask my help, but, magic would not allow me to help them out. They went screaming to their destiny, while I watched helplessly. 

Max Carver's father calls his family and informs them that they are moving to the country side due to the war. The three kids (Max and his two sisters) move in reluctantly to the new house near the beach. Strange things start happening as soon as the kids move in to the village; Max finds a old graveyard filled with characters that seems to shift shape in front of his eyes. His younger sister befriends a cat that every one except her finds sinister. They find a film roll and projector that seems to indicate something about the hoary past of that house. The story starts taking further sinister turns and ends with a bang. 

The book has a Gaiman-esque feel to it. The last time I felt a chill crawling up my spine slowly for a young adult novel was when I read Coraline. Initially, I thought the book was going to throw a surprise and show this as a boy-growing-into-adult kind of book. It is in a way that kind of book, but it has no pretensions about the horror that it would like to unleash on young readers. I've read the author's 'Shadow of the Wind'. This book is more simpler than his Shadow of the Wind and tells its point directly without any grandiose ideas. 

Just because the magic works strong for this book does not mean it does not have any low points. I was a bit put-off by the names of the characters. For a book that is translated into English from Spanish, I expected the names of the characters to be Spanish. They have very english like names - such as Irina, Max, Carver etc. Could they not have just used the original spanish names itself? There are a few loose ends, some of the stories do not seem to be add up fully either because I was too engrossed in the story that I did not tie them properly or the author purposely left them to keep the readers thinking about it. 

This a book for young adults and above. If you are determined to test the magic of the book after this review, be ready to be pulled in and spend an hour or two getting scared. And avoid listening to those tiny squeaky noises that seem to start as soon as you reach for the lights-off switch. 

And next time some one tells you there is no magic in the world - point them towards the books. 

Wolf! Wolf!

Wolf! Wolf!
by John Rocco

Aesop's fables have the necessary timelessness, charm, and appeal, as evidenced by their popularity even today.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf, one of the tales attributed to Aesop, takes a sharp turn from the classic in this imaginative take by John Rocco.

An old and partially deaf wolf is tending to his wild vegetable patch, infuriated by the weeds he is unable to keep in check.

He hears a boy cry "Wolf! Wolf!" and lumbers over to the source believing he is being summoned for some odd reason.

He sees seething villagers respond to the same call, armed and ready to thrash the savage beast.

He hides and watches the juicy goats he cannot have.

He hobbles back to his home, hungry and tired.

How the boy manages to not get eaten, comes to willingly give one of his goats to the wolf, and what happens to the goat and the boy subsequently has to be read first-hand to be enjoyed.

The illustrations are what attracted me to the book at first glance at the library. And now that I've read it a few dozen times to the resident 3 yo, the illustrations and the cleverness of the story has left me awestruck! [ View sample pages]

Folktales and fables blur the line between humans and animals, infusing each with characteristics of the other. Rocco's Wolf lives in a cherry blossom filled Chinese countryside, wears a traditional shirt with the symbol of longevity on it, and carries a parasol. He seems determined to be a vegetarian, tired of the daily struggle to stalk and catch his meal.

As far as the villagers go, the story is much the same classic one where they turn up to find the boy making a fool of them. However, the clever narration comes from the perspective of the wolf - information we are not privy to in the traditional telling of the tale.

Did I mention the illustrations blew me away? The warm dusty tones of timelessness, the expressions on the villagers' faces, the relative sidelining of the boy's prominence (the central character of the original story), the various close-ups and angles of perspective of the scenes depicted, the refreshing setting... each page is a work of art, as John Rocco describes in the making of Wolf! Wolf! I was particularly fascinated by this fact:


Once I got all the details right, I made a tonal pencil drawing on Strathmore bristol paper. Once the drawing was complete I scanned it into my computer and digitally painted the colors using Adobe Photoshop.

Of course, there's  The True Story Of Three Little Pigs that exonerates the Big Bad Wolf, The True Story Of Goldilocks And The Three Bears which reveals the crafty side of Goldilocks, and The True Story Of Little Red Riding Hood  wherein we catch the green-eyed monster rearing inside Red Riding Hood after she helps Wolf 's total transformation...

Looks like, Fresh Perspectives are becoming the norm in retelling classics these days.

[image courtesy of: Eric Carle Museum Shop]

Friendship Books at Saffron Tree

Periodically, I ask my kids, "What do friends like to do?", "Who is your friend?", "How can you be a friend?", "What does friendship mean to you?"

I get different answers each time.

I ask myself the same questions and have found my answers evolving over time.

As Fred Rogers of Mr.Rogers' Neighborhood said, "When people like each other and like to do things together, they're friends." Of course, friends don't have to do things together all the time, and they don't have to like the same things. "Good friends can make each other laugh or smile; try to make each other feel better."

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I asked our Saffron Tree family to share their favorite books on friends and friendship. Here they are!


Sandhya's picks:

Winnie the Pooh / The House at Pooh Corner
Written by A. A. Milne
Illustrated by E. H. Shepard
 Published by Puffin / Dutton books
 Ages: 4+

 When I asked A to recommend the first book that came to her mind about friends and friendship, she promptly said- "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Contrary to the image of Pooh Bear, the Bear of Very Little Brain, as the fiefdom of very small children (no thanks to the Disney version of Pooh), Pooh belongs to everyone from 0-adulthood.

These stories are a labour of love- written by an indulgent father for his son Christopher Robin Milne, and featuring his collection of toys. I'm sure most parents would have at some point in time made up stories for their own children, with them featuring large in them.

As variegated a collection of friends as possible, staying in the wonderfully named Hundred-Acre-Wood. Muddleheaded Pooh with just one thing on his mind- food. A scaredy-cat Piglet, who can be the most courageous sometimes. A very Bouncy Tigger, who makes everyone want to 'unbounce' him at times. Rabbit, who can take his workaholic and irritating ways to limits, but has his heart in the right place. Wise Owl, (the only one who can spell, and who spells his own name as WOL) who everyone goes to when in need of some timely help. Kanga- affectionate, yet a stickler for discipline- the perfect mother figure. Grumpy Eeyore, who seems dry on the outside, but a softie inside. Roo- the littlest one of the lot, who gets into many scrapes with the irrepressible Tigger.

 Enjoy the gentle humour and wonderful characterisation in the books, there is no substitute.

 [image source: amazon.com]

Lord of the Flies
Written by William Golding
Published by Faber & Faber
Ages: 15+

A chillingly dystopian book, whose writer, William Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.

Set during WW2, a plane carrying children evacuating to a safe place crashes on an unknown island. The pilot, the only adult, is killed. The children are left to fend for themselves. What begins as an adventure (reminding one eerily of the Enid Blyton adventures where only children feature) slowly but relentlessly descends into a primitive desire for power and survival.

None of the children, except those in a choir group, have ever met each other before. Unlikely friendships are forged; those seemingly most like each other ending up bitter enemies, not even stopping at murder. Again, a diverse group of characters, who bond and repel in the most unexpected ways. With echoes of the cat-eat-rat mentality seen in many of today's children. Friendships gone wrong. Survival of the fittest.

[Image courtesy: flipkart]

A few more lovely books reviewed here earlier on the subject:
On My Honor
Teddy Robinson Stories
Number the Stars (voted one of the top 10 friendship books for children aged 9-12)

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Utbt shares:

Title: The Indispensable Calvin And Hobbes
Author: Bill Watterson
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Age: 12+

Having made this age recommendation, I have to say that my 7 year old is mad about this book. She has read the whole book from cover to cover, a minimum of 15 times in the past one year.

The first time she read it, she did not understand any of the jokes. But over a period of time, after many re-readings, she say, 'Oh! That's why this is funny!'. At times I wonder, if she does not understand the content, what keeps her going!

From a parent's perspective, I feel that the concept of imaginary friend and the gravity of content discussed makes more sense if read by a 12+ year old. I indulge her nevertheless, because there is nothing drastic in the content. Just a few 'morons' and 'sissies' here and there.

She comes back with questions like, 'Amma, Calvin tried hitting Susie with a snow ball and he missed. So he is okay, because he didn't actually hit her. Right?!'. After a few more readings, she says, 'Amma, though he did not hit her, he did think about hitting her and acted on it. The intention was there. So that is not right.'

Overall this book has been an interesting addition to our home library.

[image source: overstock.com]

Title: Horace and Morris But Mostly Delores
Author: James Howe
Illustrator: Amy Walrod
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Age: 6-9

Some where around 6 years of age the physical definition and expected behavior patterns of 'boy' and 'girl' gets defined in a child's mind. If not encouraged by the adults in the environment, pretty soon they start playing separately.

This book is a story of three mice. Horace and Morris are boys and are best friends with Delores, a girl. They boldly 'go where no mouse has gone before'. But suddenly they find them selves pressured to join same sex clubs. Pretty soon Horace and Morris get tired of the 'boys-only Mega-Mice club'. Delores on the other hand finds the Cheese Puffs club and their ways sickening. So they break protocol and decide to hang out with people who makes them happy as opposed to what is expected of them. Thus continues the adventures of the mice.

[image source: Simon & Schuster website]

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Praba's pick:

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Author: Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, Paula Kahumbu
Photographer: Peter Greste
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Age group: Ages 4 to 8

Owen is a baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami in 2004 and Mzee, a giant, 130 year old tortoise. When heavy rains wash a family of hippos down the Sabaki river to the sea, one little hippo is seen stranded on a coral reef. And there, he struggles to stay alive. The locals, after an awfully long rescue operation, somehow manage to get the baby hippo out to safety. And the cheering crowd name him Owen after the volunteer who brought the hippo to the ground.

Owen immediately moves to a new home - an eco-sanctuary to protect wildlife. Exhausted and confused in his new abode, Owen reaches out to a 130 year old tortoise, Mzee, and quickly adopts him as his new friend. With the help of the tortoise, he slowly starts rebuilding his life. Though Mzee shows a little hesitation in the beginning, she gradually adopts him, exuding grace and love.

It is an amazing story that teaches love, respect and friendship - all dealt in a subtle way and where one least expects it. The book offers much material for discussion. Kenya-based photojournalist Peter Greste's photography aptly portray the drama of Owen's rescue and the warmth of the friendship between two unusual animals.

[image source: barnes and noble website]

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Choxbox shares:

Vicky Angel
by Jacqueline Wilson
Ages: 8-12 years

Wilson, recently voted one of the most widely-read British children’s author, writes with intensity, she gets under the skin of her subject like few children’s writers do. So much that after I read Vicky Angel at bedtime, I could not sleep for a while, and I usually do not have issues of the sort. I would slot it to an older age group – perhaps age 12 onwards.

Here’s the story in short: Jade and Vicky are best friends – they have been inseparable ever since they started school more than ten years ago. Vicky is very popular and also the dominating party in the friendship. Jade is the submissive one who never does anything without Vicky’s consent and approval.

And then suddenly, Vicky meets with a fatal accident when the two are having a tiff. Jade blames herself and her love for her dead friend overwhelms her to the extreme. Till, Vicky turns up – as a ghost. She once again takes over Jade’s life.

What happens next? How does their bond of friendship continue even beyond death? Is Vicky really there or is it a mere fragment of Jade’s imagination? And finally, can Jade move on?

A powerful story of grieving after the loss of one’s best friend, one that led to us to talking about what friendships really ought to be. Jacqueline Wilson in her element.

[image source: shopping.com]

Beany and the Meany
Susan Wojciechowski
Ages: 6 and up

Third-grader Beany ends up with Kevin the class meany, for a science project. She lands in this predicament because her best friend Carol Ann decided to partner with the new girl in class.

Beany realises that Kevin is not as bad as he seems and they go on to ace the competition. By the end, she can count Kevin as a good friend, and Carol Ann is still her friend, as is the new girl. A lovely story that deals with the simple yet complex issues of friendships in a typical primary school scenario. It even packs in simple science lessons.

There are four more in the series, and have all been a massive hit with my 6-year old. So much that she takes them regularly to school to share them with her friends, and I was recently informed that they all even act out parts of it together!

(Special love today to Sandhya for introducing us to these books. Also to all my other SaffronTree pals for sharing their book love – here’s to you guys!)

[image source: amazon.com]

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Vibha shares her favorites on friends and friendship reviewed at ST a while back:

Charlotte's Web
Flute in the Forest

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My picks include:

Unlikely friendships appeal to me. 'Unlikely' is rather relative and quite subjective. In the most positive and generic sense of the word, when two polar opposite personalities come together and manage to establish a bond that stands the test of time, it is indeed heart-warming and reassuring.

Toot & Puddle books
by Holly Hobbie

Ages 3+

Holly Hobbie has created two endearing pigs in Toot & Puddle.

Puddle is a homebody who enjoys cooking and gardening, while Toot loves the outdoors and seeks out new adventures.

Opal, their cousin is a lovely little pig who makes an appearance on and off in the stories, plus takes center-stage in The One and Only, Charming Opal, The New Friend.

There are many Toot and Puddle books and quite a number of them have managed to amuse and entertain  the kids (and hopefully illustrate the finer points of friendship.)

As an adult reading the books, I liked the way their personalities show through Hobbie's elegant characterization. The first few books made me ponder on the sort of relationship Toot and Puddle have, the easy comfort with which they are present in each others' lives.

The stories are endearing and sweet and the illustrations are charming and humorous; the gorgeous watercolors are priceless. The half a dozen Toot & Puddle (& Opal) books on our bookshelf has given me many hours of joy just gazing at the exquisite and lively illustrations by a master at her craft. And many wonderful read-alouds with the kids.

Other such "unlikely" friendships that the kids have enjoyed at home, reviewed earlier at ST:

Pete & Pickles by Bekeley Breathed
Ivy+Bean by Annie Barrows

[image source: goodreads.com]

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Artnavy's picks on friends and friendship shared here at ST earlier:

Year of the Rat
George and Martha: Complete Stories of Two best Friends
Amos & Boris
Mr.George Baker
Mountain that Loved Bird
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

Runny Babbit

Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook
by Shel Silverstein

Poems have been the rage for the six year old since 2011. Especially silly poems. Poems that tickle the funny bone. Poems that make her repeat the words to me and ask triumphantly, "Get it, Mama?!"

So when she got Runny Babbit for Xmas, it was delved into immediately. The book came with an audio CD of select poems read aloud.

As the title might suggest, we had a larrel of baughs reading this book. For a wew feeks we were salking tilly, learning about Spoonerism.

So if you say, "Let's bead a rook
That's billy as can se,"
You're talkin' Runny Babbit talk,
Just like mim and he.

And, the book is not all about silly. It is clever and witty and heart-warming, with Silverstein's signature illustrations, making it otterly uriginal and armingly chamusing.

Published posthumously, the book certainly has a strong kid appeal, and the (jaded) adult in me found it challenging to read aloud without the brain auto-correcting the words in real-time.

The book had the kids exercising themselves a bit, got them saying everyday things in the Runny Babbit way that made me stop and think for a second before I understood them.

A wonderful book to have on the bookshelf and reach for on a lazy afternoon curled up trying to offset the stormy winds and rain lashing the windows. Or even otherwise.

[image source: amazon.com]

Charles Dickens for children- on the bicentenary of his birth

Two books that I have read over and over again- 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'Oliver Twist' - by a well loved writer, Charles Dickens.

Charles Dickens was born on 7th February, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. Which makes today, the bicentenary of the birth of this writer who is held second only to the Bard in English literature- his contribution to the language in terms of words and phrases is that great. We often use terms coined by these literary greats as a matter of course, without even realising their origin.

The images that come to my mind when Dickens is mentioned is Victorian England, with the verdant countryside, the dirty, squalid, grimy, overcrowded back-streets of London, the romance and dangers of the French revolution, dry British humour, which comes across wonderfully in The Pickwick Papers and Bleak House, extending even to many of the characters- for instance, the characters from David Copperfield are more of caricatures. And of course, Christmas!

So of course I wanted to introduce the works of Dickens to A. And why not start early? IMO, the works of Dickens that can be read and appreciated in the original by children as young as 10 years are some of his Christmas stories, and the best known of them, 'A Christmas Carol'. But I was greedy- and impatient to introduce her to his works. Looking around for simplified versions, I found a few that had retained the original flavour of the stories. Some even for a reader as young as 5 yrs old.

image courtesy librarything

image courtesy librarything

I found two- Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, from the Ladybird publication, Ladybird Classics.
Ages: 4-8yrs.

Absolutely great for this age group, a great introduction to these classics. Full page illustrations, with very simple, bare text, yet telling the tale wonderfully well. A loved them, and many other classics in these series.




When A was a bit older, I looked around for something more juicy, something she could really get her teeth into. Not the sundry abridged versions one encounters, but something really worthwhile. That is when I came across this one.

Image courtesy librarything

Illustrated Stories from Dickens
Illustrated by Barry Albett
Published by Usborne illustrated classics
Ages 8-12 yrs.

Meatier than the Ladybird books, these retold stories include five of Dickens' works, Oliver Twist, Bleak House, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield.

There is also a short biography of Charles Dickens, introducing children to his life and times. How he wrote many of his books from his experience of poverty, and of the grime in Victorian London.

And then there is the incomparable graphic novel by Marcia Williams. This is available under two titles, featuring the same stories- Oliver Twist and Other Great Dickens Stories by Walker Books and Charles Dickens and Friends, also by Walker Books,  by Candlewick Press, and by Pan Macmillan India.
Ages 8+


Image courtesy walker books

Image courtesy amazon

This, in my opinion, is the best retelling of Dickens' stories that I have come across. Considering that I am generally not a fan of graphic novels, that is saying quite a lot.

Five of Dickens' stories are retold and illustrated in graphic novel form by Marcia Williams in her inimitable style, the illustrations bringing alive the various backdrops of his stories. While the retelling has text in her words, the lines mouthed by the characters are in Dickens' original words.

So we have the Artful Dodger informing Oliver (Oliver Twist) - "I know a 'spectable old genelman...wot'll give you lodgings for nothink".

Joe advising Pip (Great Expectations) - "Well, Pip, you must be a common scholar afore you can be a oncommon one".

Sidney Carter thinking to himself (A Tale of Two Cities) at the guillotine -"I see the lives for which I lay down my life...It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done".

Miss Betsy Trotwood and Mr Dick in consultation over David (David Copperfield) - " 'What shall I do with him?' 'I should wash him.' "

The ghost of old Marley, his dead business partner, explaining the heavy, clanking chains that bind him, to Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) - "I wear the chain I forged in life...I made it link by link, and yard by yard."

Marcia Williams says in her foreword, "When I was a child, I liked short books with lots of pictures. So, I don't think I would ever have read Dickens, if it hadn't been for one teacher...I was always a fidget - except when she read Dickens aloud. My desk would fade from sight and I would be in Victorian England..."

Next- the originals.

Crossposted.

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We also have Artnavy sharing an experience of reading Dickens with her 6-yr-old.

The 6 year old reader in the Artnavy household was introduced to 'A Christmas Carol' (abridged) last Christmas.

Since she was studying tense at school, she immediately grasped the essense of the Spirits from the Past, Present and Future. A beautiful tale, a bit threatening in terms of the consequence of greed, it brings home the message.

When I discussed the story with Anushka, she mentioned that the fact that it is never too late to make amends, also comes through in the story.

She took this book to school to share in their Show-and-Tell session. Proof of how much she enjoyed it. I hope she cherishes all of Dickens' works as she grows up and reads unabridged versions of some of my all time favourite books.

In conversation with Craig Jenkins

Craig Jenkins is renowned in his native UK, for his holistic approach to storytelling. He has performed at a number of high profile organisations, such as the BBC, the Barbican Centre, Somerset House and the British Museum.

Working for the past five years as the resident storyteller and international ambassador for the Vayu Naidu Storytelling Company, UK, Craig is currently writing his first full length play ‘Guilt’; an interpretation of the Ramayana epic from the perspective of Surpunakha.

In 2010 Craig came to India and dazzled at Hoo’s Tales. While there he also took an artist in residency position at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam (Tamil Nadu), as well as leading workshops and performances for Tulika, Open Space, Pune, SOS Children’s village and a number of schools in Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.

Here is an inspiring peek into the mind of the gifted and loved story teller, Craig Jenkins.

ST- What brought you into story telling?
Craig- I first encountered performance storytelling during my Bachelors degree. I was studying Drama and Film Studies at the University of Kent and one of the classes I chose to take was ‘Storytelling: Oral Traditions of India’ taught by world-renowned storyteller, Dr Vayu Naidu.

I remember the first story Vayu told our class was the Tamil folktale of ‘The Monkey, The Crocodile and the Rose-Apple Tree’. I was in awe; completely struck by how a simple old folktale could resonate and engage so strongly with a group of students. I next heard the Ramayana and was hooked.

Upon finishing my course, Vayu invited me to train under her apprenticeship programme, which including learning the methodology of Vayu Naidu Company and working in a number of performance, education and outreach projects. In 2007, I was invited to join Vayu Naidu Company as resident storyteller and in 2012 I became to Artistic Associate and International Ambassador.


Do you prefer narrating old folklore or contemporary tales?
I like to perform old folklore with a contemporary masala twist. I enjoy taking old stories and reworking them with rhyme, rhythm and energy, and placing them in the here and the now.

My absolutely favourite stories to work with are the Indian epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I have never found any other stories that speak so much of the world today. I am particularly interested in exploring the ‘human’ sides of the raksha characters, trying to find the light within their dark.

What kind of training does one need and what makes one a successful storyteller?
The advice I would give anybody wanting to become a successful storyteller is to be your self. Storyteller is not about ‘playing a role’; it is about just being. Audiences connect when a storyteller is being true to who they really are.

I remember during my initial training as a storyteller when I would copy Vayu Naidu in the way she told stories- the way she stood, the choice of material, the words she used. I remember after one class, Vayu took me aside and said ‘Craig, you must be you’. During an improvised story about a moment of disgust (mine was uncovering mushrooms in a frying pan- I hate mushrooms!), Vayu identified a number of things that I do naturally as elements that made the story, and my storytelling style, interesting to listening. I realised that a storyteller comes from the inside, not from the out…


Who are your favourite authors and storytellers? Why?
One of my favourite authors has to be DevduttPattanaik. He has an incredible ability of taking deep philosophical and religious material and writing it in such a clear, evocative and accessible way.

‘The Little Prince’ is one of my all time favourite books. I return to the book all the time and have read it maybe one hundred times or more. It has so much truth and works on so many levels, for both adults and children. I remember returning from India, missing my friends and the place so, so much much. I picked up my dog-eared copy of ‘The Little Prince’ and found a passage that spoke deep to my heart;

‘If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself… ‘Somewhere my flower is there’…

For storytellers, Vayu Naidu, still always inspires me with the grace and elegance of her telling and her ability to seamlessly bring the ancient epics and traditional folktales into the contemporary world.

I know no storyteller who has as much energy and life as JeevaRaghunath. Her characterisations of the old-woman, the rabbit and the monkey, are some of the best I have ever seen.

Mr P. Rajagopal (of Kattaikkuttu Sangam) has so much integrity and innovation in preserving tradition and telling ancient stories that really connect with the lives and experiences of audiences today.

Why this interest in India?
India is the place where I feel most alive.

Do you like using unknown/ unfamiliar stories or prefer doing Indian ones with the audience? How do you choose?
I like to mix it up. I always choose the stories that I feel are right for a particular group at a particular time. As I work with the oral tradition and never learn a story word for word, even if I perform a familiar story it will be different with every telling.

One of the things I love about being a storyteller (in scenes across the globe) is that I don’t fit the stereotypical image of a storyteller. Everyone expects a storyteller to be older, generally a woman, white hair and a stick. I am twenty six (although look about eighteen), love to wear Mickey Mouse T-Shirts and illuminous colourful trainers, and have an obsession with Ravana and his ‘raakshas’ family.

I like to show, in both the UK and India, that storytellers can come from any walk of life and share stories in any style they choose. Storytelling is open and accessible to all.

You are known to incorporate Indian pop culture into your stories while performing in India. How do you go about doing that?
I talk to people. All of my friends, students, fellow performers, teachers, waiters I meet in restaurants, the auto-rickshaw drivers who drive me home. I ask them what music they listen to, what movies I should see at the cinema, who are the ‘heroes of the moment’.

For me it is about creating a context and understanding where my stories can be placed in their lives. Children and young adults are obsessed with modern technology, cinema and multimedia, so I try to make references about things they know and like.

I never let these take preference over the essence of the story though. They are small details to help connect with the audience. The meaning of the story always stays the same.

At a performance at Hippocampus, Chennai, I took an old North-American folktale entitled ‘The Legend of Jumping Mouse’ and gave it a Tamil-flavour. I included songs from the popular Tamil movies ‘Kavalan’ and ‘Singam’, used some basic Tamil words and phrases and also drew on my own observations of living in Tamil Nadu.

The audience loved it especially my dance rendition of ‘Ad dradranakkamukkanakkamukka!! These didn’t change the story. It was still a tale about a little mouse follow his inner voice and finding his calling and talking to the audience afterwards they too could connect with a time when they too followed their heart and headed for their dreams.

If I perform the story again, in the North of India, I would draw on my knowledge of Hindi movies, so replace Surya and Vijay with Shahrukh Khan….


What are your thoughts on Story reading versus Story telling?
Both are incredibly important in early child development and actually work well in tandem with each other.

In the UK, Vayu Naidu Company works in collaboration with TULIKA publishers in an initiative entitled ‘The Live Literacy Tour’, which uses oral retellings/performances of books to encourage children to read.

Would you like to share any anecdotes with us?
In March 2011, I was preparing to head back to the UK after running a 4 month Ramayana project at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam, Tamil Nadu. It was the last day of the project working with the older students and I was feeling very tearful. I had made real connections with incredible students and felt soso sad to be saying goodbye.

As I sat on the ground, collecting my paper and books, Kumar, probably one of the most compassionate people I have ever met, came and sat by my side. I felt his arm on my shoulder and his sweet voice saying: ‘Anna (brother), don’t cry. You did so much for us coming here. Before you came we only knew one Ramayana. Now, with your ideas and your style, we can see our old stories in new and different ways. You make us so happy with your stories, brother’.

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A pleasure to have you here Craig, thank you!