Water Sings Blue

Water Single Blue: Ocean Poems
by Kate Coombs
illustrated by Meilo So


A charming collection of poems about the ocean: from the mighty Sand's Story to delightful Octopus Ink, from magnificent Water Artist to the fearsome Shark, Kate Coombs' verses sing the beauty of the ocean in a uniquely creative and often amusing way.

And not just ocean creatures. Eligy-style verse titled Shipwreck remembering a sunken, broken ship and the Song of the Boat  are presented in a fresh perspective and an original voice.

The watercolor illustrations by Meilo So are absolutely gorgeous blending with the poetry, not just complementing or supporting it, but becoming very much a part of it— sometimes a subtle tint, sometimes a burst of color, always perfectly balanced. For example:

Octopus Ink

The famous author hesitates
to pick his pen up.
He is shy. But wait!
He autographs the water
with a single word—
good-bye.

The illustration for this page is a burst of black ink taking up most of the page revealing just a few tentacles at the bottom suggesting the successful escape.


Water Artist shows an elegant watercolor fish swimming by as it shares:

I stroke water over water
with my fantail brush.

I use my fins to stipple.
I'm in no rush.

Small currents ripple
exactly as I planned.

I'm a water artist.
You wouldn't understand.

And the text is arranged in a cascading ripple/step/wave-like  manner to add to the flow.

I must admit, this book appealed to me much more than it seemed to appeal to the seven year old who found Nudibranch, Shark and Not Really Jelly quite catchy and entertaining, and generally appreciated the other longer ones after a few readings. I can see why Not Really Jelly was a favorite:

Not Really Jelly

You are not really jelly,
you are not really fish—
you're free-floating noodles
escaped from a dish,
all slither and jiggle
and tremble and squish.

Every time I've read it so far, the book has managed to leave me with a tranquil and serene feeling, (not to mention awe and admiration for the author and illustrator), filling me with not just the beauty of the words but the perfectness of  the pictures as well.

[image source: http://www.meiloso.com/wordpress/]

Stand Up For Yourself & Your Friends

Last year, the tooth fairy (oh, yes, we still believe in those, and Santa, a la The Polar Express) got A a book that she has thoroughly enjoyed. It has been her constant companion over the past year, given that peer interaction is becoming more and more important. Thanks to her petite built and a possibly outdated interest in books and such, she is often the target of those who think they know better. As parents, we keep talking to her about it whenever an 'incident' happens, even stressing on the fact that every person is special in their own way, and that a lot of what those girls say doesn't become true even if it feels like that. That she has so many wonderful gifts that a lot of those girls do not have. That she just needs to ignore most of that behaviour. And at times, stand up for herself and what she thinks is right.

So when she came across this book on amightygirl.com, the tooth fairy thought it would be good thing to get her.

pic courtesy amightygirl.com

Stand Up For Yourself  & Your Friends
Written by Patti Kelley Criswell
Illustrated by Angela Martini
Published by American Girl Publishing
Ages 8+

We begin by defining bullying. It can be many things, but it is mostly about power. And not all bullies are the stereotypical big, tall, loud, intimidating person. Think Miss Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda. Oh, no, they come in different packages, and at one time or another, any one of us could bully someone else.

The book then goes on to deconstruct the politics of bullying as it occurs, and the strategies to handle it. It is peppered with real incidents reported by real girls, the way they handled it, and a lot of expert-speak on each incident. There are short, snappy, two-page chapters on each topic, with full colour illustrations.

There are also many quizzes the reader can take, like 'Is this bullying?' on identifying which behaviours would qualify as bullying, 'What's your speak-up style?' on how you would deal with a given situation and 'What do you stand for?' on your beliefs about friendship. The very practical and easy to apply tips by experts and kids themselves make for a much appreciated 'cool' factor. Or at least I have been informed so by the kid, who dips into the book often for inspiration.

There is also plenty for the bewildered adult who might be the bystander, the authority figure who may have to tackle a potentially explosive situation, or the parent who has to deal with either end of the bullying episode- the bully or the victim. Much that can be used by the adult in their own interaction with power struggles among their peers too.

A book that can be applied at all levels, with sound strategies that can be extrapolated to situations even beyond the scope of the book. And even though I place it at 8+, younger children can benefit from it too- as more and more, these things happen at a younger age in today's world.

The book has an accompanying journal that I'm sure the tooth fairy is currently considering. A journal full of quizzes, checklists and charts that I'm sure the child will enjoy working on with her own experiences.

Old Mother West Wind

Old Mother West Wind
by Thornton W. Burgess
illustrated by Michael Hague


"Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag - a great big bag - and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes."

With an opening like that, the book immediately appealed to the 7 yo, and every one of the 16 stories in this book was read with much relish.

It is hard to go wrong with woodland animal characters, each with their unique personality and idiosyncrasies. We encounter sweet little Johnny Chuck first and instantly like his carefree attitude and good nature. Of course, there's the Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk and Jerry Muskrat and Bobby Coon and Tommy Trout and Little Joe Otter and Spotty the Turtle and Billy Mink and Sammy Jay and Grandfather Frog, even Peter Rabbit...

First published in 1910 by conservationist/naturalist Thornton Waldo Burgess, the stories seem timeless and idyllic. The narration is classic and charming. With titles like Why Jimmy Skunk Wears Stripes, Why Grandfather Frog Has No Tail, the book practically begged to be read. No severe moralizing, just a simple unfolding of events where the children can draw from it what is obvious to them.

The illustrations by Michael Hague are gorgeous, transporting us to a simpler world where Time is a distant concept and life went on as it should, no rush, no fuss.

Johnny Chuck Finds The Best Thing In The World was my daughter's favorite - even before she got to the end of the story she insisted on telling me how it should go, and then confirmed it by reading it to me.

Much like A.A. Milne's gentle books about Pooh Bear, Piglet, and Eeyore where things left unsaid make up the story, these century-old tales by Burgess take us into a world from which we are reluctant to return.

[View sample pages]
[image source: books.google.com]

Four Books on Natural History

We love stories. Who doesn't? There are stories all around us. Some old, some ancient, and some older than man himself! The tale of how it all began makes for an interesting story.

Here are four blast-from-the-past books.

image source openlibrary.org

A Gift from the Sea
Written by Kate Banks
Illustrated by Georg Hallensleben
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (originally published in French)
Ages 4-6

A little boy finds a stone. Little does he know that the stone was once spewed from a fiery volcano. The author takes us on a journey tracing the history of the rock, and in the process we travel through the ages. We go right from the era of the dinosaurs, the ice age, the time of cave men, to an ancient civilization, a rural setting, and a present-day seaside town. The book was a good start in gaining an understanding of our place in the world and its permanence. The paintings and poetic prose work together, leaving one with a sense of peace.

image source randomhouse.com.au

One Smart Fish
By Chris Wormell
Random House Children's Books
Ages 4+

Did you notice I’ve put in an age recommendation of 4+, not 4-n?! I was blown away by this perfect picture book with its brilliant idea, gentle humour and beautiful visuals.

Chris Wormell deals with a weighty theme like evolution in a delightful way, in this engaging story of how you and I got here.

How, you ask? It all began with one smart fish - a fish who wasn't satisfied in the sea and had bigger aspirations. A fish who wanted to walk on land! From fish to amphibians, mammals, apes and humans... we tend to forget how interconnected and important we all are to one another, and the book reminds us of this. In one master stroke, the author brilliantly explains evolution, while inspiring kids to dream, think big, be true to oneself and persevere.

Illustrations show different species - eels, long-nosed gar, pipefish, stingrays and sharks were some that we identified. And, just like people come in all shapes and sizes, there are different kinds of fish - big fish, small fish, fat fish, thin fish, long fish, short fish... The then-four year-old had fun spotting them as I read aloud the text.

Every time we read the book, I was asked why the board read 'Danger Shallow Water'!

The page with the smart fish playing chess with all the rest of the fish in the ocean as opponents is one both of us love. So is the last page with all the species and creatures on earth branching out, from one smart fish!

image source albertwhitman.com

What's older than a giant tortoise?
By Robert E. Wells
Albert Whitman & Company
Ages 5-7

Travel with a giant tortoise to appreciate the beauty and timelessness of earth. What is older than a giant tortoise? Giant Sequoia trees, the pyramids of Giza, meteor craters... We get to know the what-where-when of each on this magical ride. We see mammoth and dinosaur fossils - remains of creatures that lumbered on earth long before man existed.

image source swap.com

How Big Were the Dinosaurs?
By Bernard Most
Voyager Books
Ages 4-6

While there are dino books aplenty, this is one of our favourites, for the relatibility and fun quotient.

The book familiarizes kids to a dino in each double page spread, along with fun facts that make it relatable and retainable. I was surprised by the sheer number of dinosaurs introduced - all twenty of them are revisited in one handy double-page spread. Yellow, orange, brown, blue, green, violet - they are shown in all colours, we don't really know what colour dinos were!

Shantungosaurus - about fifty ducks long, the biggest duck-billed dinos ever found.

Supersaurus is longer than a supermarket aisle, a gigantic plant eater that would have no trouble finding the vegetable section - Most would like to have called it Supermarketsaurus!

With analogies like these, how can one forget?

Hitler's Daughter

Children like to make up stories. Watch a bunch of kids play-acting and one is amazed at the imagination and creativity they come up with together. What if there is the possibility that the story might be real? What if the story turns your view of the world upside down?

pic courtesy flipkart

Hitler's Daughter
Written by Jackie French
Published by HarperCollins Children's Books
Ages 8-12

Mark, Anna, Tracey and Ben play a story game as they wait for their school bus every day. They have stories of fairies, of ball games and of horses. Until one day Anna decides to tell a story. It is an amazing story set on the fringes of a great war. It is the story of a child growing up tucked away from all the action, a privileged child who is kept safe despite not being the blue-eyed, blond, tall Aryan ideal, a child hungry for family and love, holding on to memories of the few-and-far between visits of her father. A father who obviously is somebody important. Important enough that people around her who have always taken care of her are in mortal fear of displeasing him. We are told early enough that the child, Heidi, is Hitler's daughter.

Anna's story focuses on the genocide from the outside in, raising many questions in Mark's mind. What if one's parent or child has done something really evil- how does one deal with such a parent/ child? Does one love them regardless? Do the sins of our parents taint us irrevocably, or is there redemption? Do the actions of someone dear reflect on us as individuals? How does society look upon those who stand in evil's shadow? Is a bad thing really a bad thing, or are we just victims of our convictions? Do we have a right to raise our hand against someone else's questionable behaviour if we, too, might be in the wrong in our own time?

These are very profound existential questions, and Jackie French, (whom ST has interviewed here), in her inimitable chatty style, raises them through Mark's thoughts, without thrusting them at us. There are also references to Australia's own genocide-  the colonial actions against their Aborigine population.

This page-turner of a book was devoured by A in an afternoon. It has been so realistically told that we are left wondering if Hitler indeed, did have a daughter that no-one knows about. Was there really a child that Hitler had hidden away? What was the connection between such a child in Nazi Germany and your regular 12 year old in faraway Australia, more than half a century later? Read the book to find out. Also, it is an unusual look at the Holocaust; a great book to gently introduce them to it, along with Number the Stars and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. There are no grisly portrayals of the deaths, as the point of view is of a privileged, though unfortunate girl. All the makings of a modern classic.

In conversation with Helen Rundgren

Heard of Indosuchus, Rajasaurus and Kotasaurus? Did you know there were dinosaurs in India? Surprised? So were we when we first read ‘Stone Eggs’, a fact-cum-fiction book about Indian dinosaurs.

The story is interspersed with nuggets of what I like to call “dinformation” – dino information! Not just facts, but info that is relatable and well-presented. A fun book what with the discovery of musk-melon-sized dino eggs, the mention of dino poop... a timeline of Indian dinos and a map to boot! My favourite bit? That would be the description of the world during the era of dinosaurs and a pictorial depiction of continental drift.

This was a book my son ensured was read to him every night for more than a month. It made him guffaw, and it made him read far beyond his level. He would draw dinos, their eggs and poop. During playtime, he would examine every stone hoping he'd stumbled upon a dino egg.

Delighted to interview the author of a book that engaged us in so many ways and for so long - Helen Rundgren.

Helen and Alice

An award-winning Swedish children’s writer, television producer and former zoologist with a passion for reptiles and a fascination for dinosaurs, Helen Rundgren has authored “You Nasty Mosquito!”, “Want to cuddle!”, “Creeping, Crawling Pets” and “A Snails Heart” (all in Swedish) apart from several books on dinosaurs and documentary films.

Helen very kindly and sweetly answered all my questions, from a dark and cold Sweden.

ST - How did the idea of a book on Indian dinosaurs come about and how did the publishers Tulika come into the picture?
Helen - Long ago, Tulika read my book ‘Tyra Tyrannosaurus Rex’. We had some thoughts maybe to translate it, but we dropped the idea. Then I came across an article about dinosaur egg deposits in India. I realized that, of course, Indian children need a book with Indian dinosaurs.

One usually sees non-fiction on dinos. Then there are books in which an anthropomorphic dino dislikes going to bed, or having his teeth brushed... Your book ‘Stone Eggs’, combining fact and fiction, is both informative and entertaining. Is fact cum fiction your chosen style in all your books? 
I write fact based fiction. The kind in ‘Stone Eggs’ with the story and the kids is not usual for me. When I start work with the question to myself - Who is talking here? Why does someone tell us this? That’s why I have a lot of animals talking, not in a tooth brushing way, no, they are actually still animals. Tyra argues that she is the only one who really knows what she looked like. The mosquito mum excuses herself, telling us that she is not all bad – ‘I just need a small amount of blood for my kids…sorry’. That is typically my style.

You are an expert on the topic of reptiles and dinosaurs. Did you have to do your research about Indian dinosaurs in particular?
Yes, of course! I had to do a lot of research and read and read. And that was kind of the best part. A new world of dinosaurs! Fantastic!

The scientist in the book is named Ashok.  How was your experience collaborating with the real Ashok - Dr. Ashok Sahni. 
I found his name reading dino papers from India. He was very kind and helpful and answered a lot of childish questions. We have never met in real life but I know that he fortunately liked the book a lot.

How about the illustrations for the book, considering we don’t really know what dinosaurs looked like?
Yes, that’s fun. In this case I just let it be and the illustrator dealt with it the way she wanted. But it’s a really good question! When I wrote 'Tyra Tyrannosaurus Rex', the illustrator called me up some days after reading the script – What shall I do? The whole book is about Tyra arguing that humans don’t really know what she looks like.  So?! Tyra turned light blue with no structure at all. She is cute anyway.

The setting is a small town and the book comes across as quintessentially Indian - the loud father, a typical Indian grandmother... how did you pull this off? Have you been around the country?
Yes I have been around a bit. To start with, I travelled in the south with ten writers in a very small bus, a whole month. Strangely enough, I have been back several times since then.

Any interesting experiences you would like to share?
Experiences? I have actually been visiting dino digs around the world. That’s really fun. They discovered an Allosaur head in Canada. I visited the place in China where Gigantoraptor was found, and Laellynosauria in Australia. And I own real dinosaur poo!

You were at Bookaroo, please tell us about it.
That was nice, and a lot of little readers. I brought a banana (a T.rex tooth) a melon (an egg) and my little dino robot. He helped me out with all the kids, but sadly he got ill. I had forgotten his food and that made him fell asleep all the time. If anyone who was there is reading this - he recovered when we got home. He got his real (sic) plastic food and woke up happy.

Your book recos, for our animal-loving readers!
I love a book you already have on your site, Diary of a wombat, Jackie French. A book I was happy to find in a bookshelf in Melbourne. If you want a book with more information about animals I like the way Christopher Cheng presents the facts in Amazing Australian Animals. That happens to be just Australian animals but fun to read. Christopher was at Bookaroo in Delhi a year ago and I bought the book there. Two Australians, I will make that three. I love Shaun Tan. He maybe doesn’t do animal books as such, but what an illustrator and storyteller!

Tell us about your books in the making. Any others targeted specifically for the Indian audience in the offing? How about translations of your Swedish books?
I am not planning any books specifically for Indian kids for the moment, no. I have one script but that is about dinosaurs as well and you may not need another. Right now I have a new book about baby dinosaurs eager to grow up and get big, very big. That one has just been released here. And I am working with another book named “Best nose ever!” Animals claiming why their nose, eyes and ears are the best in the world. I mean, senses can be best in different ways. Best for the owner’s needs any way.

What kind of pets can be housed in small urban flats? What is your advice to families where children would like pets, and parents are worried about the mess?
I think pets are important. Your own pet, other people’s pets or animals around. If you learn to love and care, I think you learn empathy. I don’t know what kind of pets are common in Indian urban flats. Here, in Sweden, all kinds of small rodents are popular. They are hopefully in cages. I love lizards, of course. They don’t mess around at all, but few lizards tolerate cuddling. Keeping small nervous ones in a glass tank is more like having an aquarium. Cats are lovely but if you think of a flat with no possibility to step out, it’s of course not a good idea. And, a lot of cats in cities are a problem to native animals, no doubt. But I want one anyway… a small one… no bird eating… no squirrels on the menu…. yes I knooow… But I am happy with my dragon Matilda, an Australian lizard and Fia, an African grey parrot.

And finally, if one of our readers were to stumble upon something the size of a musk-melon, like Sandhya and Sankar in the story, what is he/she to do?
Let them be. Put something over the possible eggs. Find help to call someone at a museum. Don’t tell everyone at the beginning. The eggs can be stolen and if they are moved, a lot of scientific value will get lost. And call me! I will jump on a plane. I would love to see them!

[Image courtesy Helen Rundgren]

Talaabs and Rituchakra books from Pratham

The Talaabs of Darbhanga
Original story in Hindi narrated by Anupam Mishra
English Translation by Manisha Chaudhry
Illustrated by Prashant Soni
A Level 3 Pratham Book
Ages 4-8

This has got to be my favourite among all the Pratham books I have read, and I’ve read loads!

A good king, a wise advisor Ayachi Pandit (Ayachi = one who does not ask for anything), a prosperous kingdom and happy subjects... all is fine, but for the scarcity of water.

True to his name, Ayachi Pandit does not accept wages in return for his services. So, he has no money to pay the fees of the Dai (midwife) after the birth of his son. He whispers something in her ear and she takes leave happily.

The child grows into a knowledgeable five-year old. By a strange turn of events, he provides a solution to the king himself and is rewarded handsomely. Ayachi sends for the Dai and hands over his son’s first earnings - an angavastra full of gold - to her. That is when she remembers the words whispered to her years ago.

What do you think she does on coming upon such great wealth? Let me just say the original story in Hindi is called ‘Dai ke Talaab’(that is, The Dai’s Ponds).

A lovely story about simple meaningful living, beautifully told.

There are more ‘drops of wisdom’ in the form of notes on traditional rainwater harvesting techniques in India - the stepwells and kunds of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the zings of Ladakh, anicuts, and the bamboo pipe system used for drip irrigation in Meghalaya. And yes, the Dai’s Ponds exist even today in the northern part of present-day Bihar, what was then Mithilanchal.

A story that is probably more relevant today than ever before – both for the values of the principal characters and the message on water conservation. Isn’t life all about leaving the world a slightly better place than when we got here?

Rituchakra series

Seasons can mean different things to different people... and in different places. Each culture has its own traditions and every season brings with it variety in terms of food, festivals and fun. In the cold dark nights of winter, comes a festival of lights - call it Diwali, Christmas or Hanukkah. Christmas pudding or mithai with a liberal dose of dried fruit; food too, is determined by the weather.

During the years in the U.K., we had come to associate barbecues and beaches with summer. Winter in the U.S. had meant poinsettia, lights and tree decorations. In Australia, it was a warm Christmas! The first thought that struck me when I heard of the Rituchakra books - how apt to have a series on the seasons and what they mean to us in India.

That set off a discussion with my son – what were the memories we associated with summer? Mangoes! The king of fruit… in all its avtars, ice cream, swimming and no school! Rains meant umbrellas, raincoats and boots; paper boat sailing and the smell of the earth (mannvasanai). Then there is a nip in the air, it gets dark earlier, and it is time to get the full-sleeves and blankets out. To the five-year old, winter meant Santa, warm clothes, warm food and drink.

The package arrived in the post, with review copies from Pratham Books. The Rituchakra series consists of five books (three of which are featured here), priced at twenty-five rupees each.

We learn the Sanskrit name for each season, and spend a year with Meenu, a little girl from a Tamil speaking family, through summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring… when everything is new.

Lassi, Ice-cream or Falooda?

(Rituchakra- Summer)
Written by Mala Kumar and Manisha Chaudhry
Illustrated by Priya Kuriyan
A Level 2 Pratham Book
Ages 3-6

It is Tamil New Year day and Meenu wonders why we celebrate so many new year’s days, just like I used to! Mango panna, lassi and falooda – Meenu’s friends from different parts of the country all have cool desserts that make summer special. The book triggered a wave of nostalgia… trips to hill stations, parents forbidding children from playing in the heat, Appa’s trip to Delhi and the Dussehri mangoes, the little sapling that had to be watered twice in summer… the little girl’s summer wasn’t very different from another little girl’s (now very big!)

Peacocks and Pakodas!
(Rituchakra- Monsoon)

Written by Mala Kumar and Manisha Chaudhry
Illustrated by Priya Kuriyan
A Level 2 Pratham Book
Ages 3-6

After the heat and dust, it is time for the rains… and that intoxicating smell of wet earth that comes along with it. The monsoon brings with it a feast for all the senses. Peacocks dancing, the smell of pakodas and mouthwatering puris. There is a lesson on environment consciousness for little readers too – guess what Meenu calls the streams of water from the terrace that are collected in drums? We are reminded of what the rains mean to farmers whose lives and sustenance depend on it – they worship the rain as gods. The mango sapling that had to be watered twice in summer has now grown tall and doesn’t need to be watered at all.


Kheer on a Full Moon Night

(Rituchakra- Autumn)
Written by Mala Kumar and Manisha Chaudhry
Illustrated by Priya Kuriyan
A Level 2 Pratham Book
Ages 3-6

Wedged between monsoon and winter is autumn, the time of the year when the weather changes and there are niggling colds and coughs. It is also festival time! Meenu’s family celebrates Sharat Poornima and they stay up all night. Her friend celebrates Onam with a Pookalam - it is harvest time in Kerala and the time the boat races are held. Then it is Dasara and time for Golu. It is also a time for new beginnings and learning – mrudangam, flute or scooter!

Soon it will be Deepavali…


Why not gift these books to a school or library in need, for Children’s Day or Diwali?


[Images courtesy Pratham Books]

MATH-terpieces: The Art of Problem-Solving

CROCUS 2012 is over, but the math-mania it ignited has not!

Here is another masterpiece, art and math combined. Authored by Greg Tang and illustrated by, let's just say, some really good folks.

Photo Courtesy: Amazon.com

Here is how Mr.Tang went about it:

Step 1. Take a well-known work of art. Stick a picture of it on the page on the left side. Tell the reader its title as well as the artist's name.
Eg: Van Gogh's Starry Night

Step 2. Make a little poem about the painting. Put it under the picture.
Eg: A rhyme about bright exploding swirling stars.

Step 3. Take the key feature of the artwork and make groups and stick them on the page on the right. Eg: Groups of 4, 1, 2, 3, 2 stars.

Step 4:  Invite the reader to add the groups of stars together in different ways to get a particular sum
Eg: Find four ways to make seven stars.

Step 5: Repeat for next art work.

The author has thus put in 12 works of masters like Degas (ballet shoes, what else?!), Monet (lilies, you guessed it), Cezanne (peaches, yes), Renoir (umbrellas of course) and so on. The new ones for my 7-year old were Mondrian and Pollock, possibly because they do not feature in the National Gallery in London or in any of James Mayhew's wonderful Katie books (reviewed here). We googled and learnt quite interesting things about the two artists - Mondrian mainly worked with squares, lines and three primary colours while Pollock mostly dripped paint!

Looking forward to reading Tang's other masterpieces - The Grapes of Math, Math For All Seasons and Math Appeal (reviewed here).