The Lion and The Bird

The Lion and the Bird.
By Marianne Dubuc

Sometimes, one comes across a book that is charmingly simple and heart warming. A book that makes one pore into it again and again, finding a new nuance every time one looks at it. 

The Lion and The Bird is a book of friendship, seasonal nature of life, the yin & yang, loneliness & camaraderie. Life offers it all. This is a book that says the external environment hardly matters-  If one finds true friendship, the winter is like spring. If ones loved ones are not around, even the most colourful spring season is cold and bleak. 

The autumn is almost on and the lion is working his patch of land, gathering the fallen leaves when he notices an injured bird(among many flying away to warmer lands). The bird is hurt. The lion takes in the bird, keeps it warm and develops a wonderful friendship with it. They enjoy the winter and suddenly the whiteness of the winter seems colourful. When it is spring again, the bird yearns to go back with its group of birds as they return back to their home.  

The number of pages are more (54 as against the usual 36 pages). The extra pages adds gravitas to the whole story. There are many pages that do not require any words. The design of the page conveys it all. There is a page where the birds flies away and the lion looks forlornly. The lion is illustrated same as ever before, but the page conveys the loneliness of the lion.  The lion is depicted smaller in size, whereas the bird is depicted much larger compared to other pages. I wonder how long it took to illustrate and design this one single page - to convey the mood effortlessly. 

Every page is designed and illustrated with a lot of care and thought. It almost seems like the words used in the picture book are not needed at all. The words are used sparingly, but, I felt that they can probably be left out completely. 

I kept going back to the lion's face depicted in various pages. In some the lion appears forlorn, in some sprightly, in some enthusiastic, in some content. If one notices closely the lion's face is depicted almost exactly the same in all these pages. Then from where do these emotions come out. Do we as readers, sense the emotion of the picture and force our emotions on the page or is it a subtle magic of line used in the illustrations?

This book is a work of art. A book for all ages. If I may add, a book more for adults than for kids. A book that will grow within you. A book that might provide a ray of hope for that lonely day when all seems bleak. 

A book that might turn out to be a classic.

Review by Sathish

Ambushed

Nayanika Mahtani, after being an investment banker, has been following the right side of her brain and is a copywriter by day and a storyteller by night.

She has just penned Ambushed , published by Puffin. An adventure story set in tiger territory in the Himalayan foothills, it is meant for the 9+ reader. The foreword is written by Valmik Thapar, who suggests this book should be part of school reading.

All royalties go to Tiger Watch, an NGO in Rajasthan, for a school set up for the children of tribal (ex) poachers, to give them a window to alternate livelihood.


Let us begin with the title of the book- 'Ambushed'- a great pun given the spotlight on tigers and the storyline of the book. Tell us more!

This wasn’t actually the original title of the book, but we needed to change the earlier one as it was similar to a title that had just been launched. The credit for choosing this out of all the options I gave, goes to the Puffin team!  The title ‘Ambushed’ held the thrill of not knowing what’s lurking around the corner. City-bred gadget geek Tara is ambushed when her Dad springs the surprise of going on a tiger tracking vacation in the Himalayan forests, and maybe even moving there for good! Tara’s socialite mother orchestrates her own ambush when she springs her surprise(s), sometimes unknowingly! A group of tigers is also called an ‘ambush’; and it also of course refers to the technique used by the tiger to catch its prey. Satya, the 13 year old son of a poacher, who has tracked tigers all his life, is a master at this craft. And without giving away too much of the plot, let’s just say that there are several ambushes quietly waiting to happen as we go!

The mother is a bit too flaky/pretentious to begin with. Is she based on someone you know? (No names needed of course!!)

Hmmm…maybe not one person in particular, but I have definitely encountered the likes of Sushma “Call me Sue” Tripathi! In fact, though she may be an over-the-top specimen, I think she reflects so many of us who choose our experiences based on how impressive they will appear, on say Facebook, to our peer group.  And this holds true even in the context of some of the bigger life choices we make. Which is why Sushma is aghast when her banker husband wants to quit the City to go and live in a forest. For Sue Tripathi, life is a race -with no forests near the finish line!

You have drawn from conservationists for the book but did you meet any ex-poachers as part of the research for the book? How was the experience?

In all the school sessions that Puffin arranged, I told the kids that it was a poacher (and a tiger) who compelled me to write this book. And it was true! The seed for this story came from an article in the National Geographic that had the photograph of a jailed tribal (Moghiya) poacher and a tiger – and that image just wouldn’t leave my head. To me, they both – the tiger and the tribal poacher- were hopelessly trapped. I started researching Moghiya poachers. To start with, most of my research happened online. I spent days reading about the history of the Moghiyas – and how they retreated into the forests when Emperor Akbar besieged Ranthambhore. Today, they are the world’s best tiger trackers – employed (for a pittance) to kill tigers by an international illegal wildlife trade mafia.  They remain a marginalised tribe with no other means of livelihood.

Last April, I met with ex-poachers’ families at Dhonk, a craft collective run by Divya Khandal, to offer alternate employment opportunities to Moghiyas. It was an incredibly moving experience, to say the least– and the hope in those eyes will stay with me forever.

The unlikely friendship and collaboration between kids from completely different backgrounds- do we as parents let it happen in real life?

Not easily, in most cases! In today’s world, I find that not only our kids, but even we as adults, end up interacting with those who have such similar backgrounds, education and outlooks, that, in my view, it saps creativity, originality and makes for very dull conversation!
As a family, we have lived in India, Africa and now in the UK and our daughters have interacted with children from completely diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, and been the richer for it, I think.

The tribal boy in the book (Satya), is based on a little boy called Satto-who is the son of the lady who used to come to clean our house. Despite our best efforts, he refused to go to school. So I started seating him along my (then pre-school) children and keeping them occupied, while his mother did her work.

Satto never ceased to amaze me! He had spent his early years in the village where his grandfather was a carpenter – and could whittle a block of wood into almost any shape you named, whistling nonchalantly. He found the lot of us pretty unimpressive I’m sure, but the one thing that earned his unadulterated awe was the computer. He would watch it entranced by the unlimited possibilities it held!

How did the association with Tiger Watch come about?

The person who heads up Tiger Watch is a reluctant tiger hero, a conservation biologist called Dr. Dharmendra Khandal, who has dedicated his life to the cause of the tiger. (His equally committed wife Divya runs Dhonk – as I mentioned earlier). It was his interview in the National Geographic -that I mentioned earlier -that set me off on this journey.

After I finished writing the first draft of the book, I felt I just had to visit a tiger reserve to experience first-hand what Tara feels on seeing a wild tiger. I had been to several tiger reserves over the years, but had only seen tiger tracks and tails, never a tiger.

Over the Easter holidays last year, our family headed to Ranthambhore.

We saw not one but 8 wild tigers in 3 days – including a tigress who had very recently given birth to 3 cubs (who have found their way into the book too!) It was as if the tigers had allowed me into their world. And I felt I had to honour that. And the only (small) way I knew was by donating my book’s royalties to the school Tiger Watch had set up for ex-poachers’ kids, to give them a window to alternate livelihoods.

What next from your pen/ keyboard?

Am currently finishing work on a film script in a completely different genre. And on the book front, there are a dozen different crazy ideas jostling for space in my head. I’ll wait for one of them to nudge out the rest and refuse to budge and then take it from there, hopefully!

What are your favourite books on the theme of conservation/ animal rights for kids?

Some that have touched my heart include Born to Run, Running Wild (in fact so many others as well by Morpurgo), Watership Down, Black Beauty and Charlotte’s Web.
As Strawberry, the rabbit in Watership Down, says:
“Animals don't behave like men,' he said. 'If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality.”

That, for me, says it all.

Architecture According to Pigeons

Yes you read that right! Pigeons indeed!

Think about it. Pigeons are everywhere. They don't soar high up in the skies like hawks and eagles, and are not earth-bound either. In fact they are built to fly just high enough to be able to land on most man-made buildings and perch up there. So why not view some famous works of architecture through their eyes?

Our winged narrator from London, Mr Speck Lee Tailfeather, starts by introducing himself and tells us the story of symbiosis of our two species, albeit not always a pleasant one. He says he wants to set the record right - they are not necessarily pests, and would like to take us on a journey to nineteen structures from a bird's POV. A bird's eye view, in other words.

Mr Tailfeather heads south to Canterbury Cathedral, a towering structure first built in the 6th century, and the seat of the Church of England ever since. He talks about why a cathedral is built the way it is, the history of this particular place of worship and also a snapshot of 21st century life around the place.

He then flies straight over the Channel to Eiffel Tower. The Parisian skyline fascinates him and he talks about the city's past and present, smoothly weaving in the story of Gustav Eiffel's masterpiece. He also visits the Pompidou Centre which is an 'inside-out' building - all the staircases, plumbing, service conduits are outside the building!

After stopping to admire a medieval church in Eastern France, he heads to Barcelona. And you guessed it, he stops atop La Sagrada Familia! Having recently been there, I can completely relate to the awe this work-in-progress evokes from our speckled friend.

On to Venice and to the many wonderful architectural gems this watery warren offers, like San Giorgio Maggiore. My own memories of this place are centred around a beautiful old church near the Grande Canal, where we were lucky enough to attend a concert by a string quartet. Never has Vivaldi's Four Seasons been played in a more appropriate setting!

Mr.T now heads to Rome. How can you go to Italy and not go to this absolutely stunning city?! In my opinion, the entire place is a museum. Every street has something fascinating to gawk at. Our friend tells us about the Colosseum and its gory past.

He now takes a break from all that flying and decides to take a lesson on bridges. Various types, with examples. The civil engineer in me wishes we had this book back in the B.Tech. days. Bet Prof Kalyanaraman would have completely fallen in love with it!

The next leg of our journey takes us to the 'mysterious mathematical miracle a.k.a The Great Pyramid of Giza', and to the Sphinx.

On to India, because how can you ignore that 'tear on the cheek of time' as Tagore described it, when you are talking about architectural marvels?! It is the one man-made structure that you can describe as 'beautiful', so perfect are the proportions of its different parts. Tailfeather's reaction is exactly the same as countless visitors to the Taj - whether it is visiting heads of state or the common tourist - of open-mouthed wonder.

We then head north to the Great Wall of China, and then to Japan to rather quirky church - one I'd never heard of, the Church of Light. Simple concept but so brilliant!

Further east to the Sydney Opera House or the 'Hungry Beaks Hall' as Tailfeather calls it. Here too I read facts about this structure that I did not know of. Often the back-stories of places make it even more interesting!

Over and across the Pacific, and you land on the Americas. First stop Brazil. Next a lesson about the various skyscrapers that the continent is famous for, and a comparison with others from around the world. Then to the unusual 'Fallingwater' in Pittsburg, the Chrysler building in New York and finally the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.

Having covered the entire globe, Tailfeather bids us farewell with a parting gift - a few more pages of facts about the buildings we have covered. These pages are like a synopsis of sorts and make it a complete book.

The author Stella "Pigeon Whisperer" Gurney's narrative is friendly and is bound to evoke chuckles and guffaws, and at the same time it is packed with facts. The illustrations by Natsko Seki are a clever juxtaposition of photographs and watercolours and CAD drawings, with cartoons and speech bubbles. This quirky book will make a wonderful gift to anyone - child or adult.

Grandfather Gandhi

Grandfather Gandhi

by Arun Gandhi & Bethany Hegedus
illustrated by Evan Turk
published by Simon and Schuster


Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi, gave a talk that Bethany Hegedus attended, just after she was trying to find her bearings post-9/11. She was immediately inspired by the stories, one in particular about channeling anger; she wanted to bring it to the kids. So, she wrote to Arun Gandhi and thus the literary collaboration was born to bring us this amazing book that offers multiple layers and lessons.

And, Evan Turk was only 12 years old when the collaboration began. By the time the book was acquired for publication about a decade later, Turk had fortuitously graduated from the Parsons School of Design in NYC and presented the winning sample that completed the book's visual presentation.

The story is set in Gandhiji's Sevagram where 12-year old Arun arrives for a visit. He is nervous about his much-revered grandfather and resents that the life there is without electricity or plumbing, and that the food is just bland boiled pumpkin. But most of all, he resents that he has to share his grandfather with so many people who always surround him.

When playing a soccer match with the local kids at the Sevagram, Arun is shoved by an older boy, making him miss the goal. An infuriated Arun picks up a rock with full intention of using it, to return the hurt that the older boy had inflicted, inadvertently or not. Arun imagines the puzzled stares of his fellow players wondering how, being Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, he could get so angry. This is the turning point in the story that leaves us with a lasting lesson.

When Arun finally gets to talk to Mahatma about this incident, full of guilt and shame, Gandhiji surprises him by saying that he gets angry too, and that anger is like electricity. "Anger can strike, like lightning, and split a living tree in two. Or it can be channeled, transformed. A switch can be flipped and it can shed light like a lamp." Arun is amazed at the realization that when his grandfather gets angry, he doesn't lash out but works to make lasting changes. "...anger can illuminate. It can turn darkness into light."

The illustrations are full of emotion, bold, raw, and complex, brilliantly complementing the story and bringing symbolic imagery. The mixed media collage uses fabric for clothing Gandhiji and Arun in the pictures- clean, white and simple; the communal eating scene has shiny foil for pitchers and plates and utensils; Arun's anger when he picks up the rock comes across as a tangled mass of yarn in black, almost living, vicious. The page showing a fluffy strand of fiber being spun into yarn in a charka, with threads everywhere and other people laying down, with the charka spokes making them look like the Vitruvian man projects a harmonious movement and cooperation.

Both the seven and ten year old really liked this book and its message. "Why did Arun pick up that rock?" is a question they kept asking, not wanting to believe Arun was capable of hitting someone with it. "Why did they not have electricity? Why did they eat only pumpkin mush? Why did his dad have to clean everybody's toilet?" While they did not grow up with a reverence and affection for the Mahatma like I did, they have heard enough stories about him from me regarding Indian Independence Movement that they were happy to see the softer, familial side of this person who is larger-than-life even today.

[image source: http://www.grandfathergandhi.com/book/]

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Title : The Fourteenth Goldfish

Author : Jennifer L. Holm

Age Group : 8 to 12

We all identify with some form of inertia of change, quite often in our lives. The comfort that familiarity of things extends, is incomparable and sometimes it takes a lot to step out of the cocoon of the comfort zone. Eleven year old, Ellie is experiencing just the same inertia when her life in middle school is turning out to be nothing less than overwhelming. She misses everything about her fifth grade from her best friend Brianna to her dear goldfish.

One fine day a strange teenage boy shows up in the house along with her mom. He is quite bizarre and authoritarian but strangely resembles her maternal grandpa Melvin, who is a scientist. Has grandpa Melvin actually found the secret to mortality? One can imagine how the narrative would progress when a septuagenarian mind resides in a teenage body. He needs to be driven to places, he needs to attend the middle school along with Ellie, but he also wants to pursue his research to make his scientific community recognise his discovery - worthy of at least a Nobel prize. But the problems are aplenty. His lab is no longer accessible to him and the lab's security guard will not allow any weird looking teenager near the premises. How will he get his sample from the lab refrigerator? He created this sample from T.melvinus, a unique species of jellyfish.

The author Jennifer Holm has tried to work on various different themes through the narrative. The treatment has been light but some very relevant topics and issues are being discussed in the story - eternal desire to remain at the peak of one's life, harmonious separation between parents, single parent homes, changing equations among friends and friendships, identifying one's passion, school issues and so on.

Ellie the protagonist is sketched as a believable character who seems to have adjusted well to her parents' amicably parted ways. While going through accelerated pace of changes in her own life post elementary school and understanding reverse changes in her grandpa; she gets introduced to her own natural passion for science. She starts enjoying the opening up of the whole new world to herself when she experiences science pervading every mundane stuff and activity.

The highlight of the book is how Ellie progresses from being resistant to change to accepting the same graciously and finding it rather interesting. Being a sensible and sensitive girl, she realises how even her mother needs to move on from past experience and to open up doors to what new the life has to offer. She beautifully manages to convey to her grandpa the futility of his discovery, of holding on to one stage of life. Subtle mention of (im)mortality, life and death, fear of ageing - make the narrative quite rich at various levels, but all these are dealt with in such an unassuming manner that one tends to fall in love with how it is done. New body, old mind in one character of Melvin makes for a hilarious and interesting read -  he fumes on the late return of Ellie's mother, spends extra time in bathroom, wears ponytail holders borrowed from his granddaughter, looks for acne cream in the bathroom, doesn't have to any old-age issues with his sight and teeth and so on. 

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

by Joyce Sidman
illustrated by Rick Allen
published by HMH Books for Young Readers


Filled with vivid illustrations and exuberant form poetry, the book is a delight to behold and experience, as it takes us on an excursion into the winter life of the creatures living in the extreme north.

Joyce Sidman, a master poet, has invited the kids to experience the magic of winter, as well as its harshness.

I’m a big brown moose,
I’m a rascally moose,
I’m a moose with a tough, shaggy hide;
and I kick and I prance
in a long-legged dance
with my moose-mama close by my side.
...

We instantly love this baby moose who is not afraid to tough it out in the tundra.

Chickadees song in collective voice is energizing.

From dawn to dusk in darkling air
we glean and gulp and pluck and snare,
then find a roost that’s snug and tight
to brave the long and frozen night.
...

Image Source: HMH Young Readers

Not just animals, but plants are celebrated as well - skunk cabbage gets a dedicated triolet.

Skunk cabbage peeks up through the snow:
the first flower in the wood.
Wreathed in an eerie purple glow,
up through the slick of soggy snow,
smelling of rotten buffalo,
...

Even the snowflake!

Snowflake wakes,
whirling,
arms outstretched,
lace sprouting from fingertips

Leaps, laughing
in a dizzy cloud,
a pinwheel gathering glitter
...


The Whole World is Melting leaves us with the warmth and hope of Spring.

Printmaker extraordinaire, Rick Allen, adds intricate detail via the linoleum blocks cut precisely to present the exact image that livens up the poems. The hours of work involved in making these block prints is astounding but even more astounding is the results! Each page is a work of art that is simply brilliant!

Sidebar on each page provides notes about the animals.

We dream of housing a copy of this book on our bookshelf soon. Also by Joyce Sidman, the Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night is a treat to read as well.

[image source: houghton mifflin]

Four picture books about loss

How do you explain death to a child? And how do you help them deal with the pain and grief that follows the loss of a loved one? Here are a handful of books that take very different approaches to the idea of death and coming to terms with loss.

The Heart and the Bottle

Written and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books

Ages: All

I’ve loved every one of Jeffers’ books till date, and this one bowled me over too. The Heart.. is about a little girl, filled with curiosity and a love for exploring the world around her. When the elderly relative she is attached to, dies, she deals with her grief by putting her heart in a bottle. It takes the pain away, but also her curiosity, her sense of wonder , her love for learning. She grows into adulthood this way, feeling nothing but the growing weight of the bottle around her neck. Until one day, she meets a little girl much like the one she used to be, who nudges her awake. But is it too late - will her heart ever be free of its bottle? With just a handful of words, and delightful minimalist spreads, Jeffers gives us a story about the healing powers of love and hope. For me, it was also a book about the importance of feeling grief, learning to deal with it - and the redemptive, utterly lifesaving powers of parenthood as well.

Always and Forever

Written by Alan Durant

Illustrated by Debi Gliori

Publisher: Doubleday

Ages: 3+

If only someone had given this book to the little girl from The Heart and the Bottle ! 

Fox, Otter, Mole and Hare share a house in the woods, with Fox as the gentle paterfamilias. But then he falls ill, and passes on. Otter, Mole and Hare are heartbroken; they recede into their grief and as winter approaches, the little house is gripped by silence and sadness. Then Squirrel pays a visit and somehow, the conversation turns to all the funny things Fox used to do. As they three housemates laugh together for the first time in ages, they find their grief lift, replaced by warm memories of the friend they have lost, and think up ways to keep him alive in their memories – a special garden in his honour, a bench in his favourite spot, a pie he loved. A lovely book about hope and the light at the end of the tunnel that is heartbreak, all brought to life through Debi Gliori’s wonderful watercolours.

The Sad Book

Written by Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Ages: All

Written by Michael Rosen after the death of his teenaged son, The Sad Book is devastating in its siply-worded portrayal of grief. Rosen honestly opens up about his suffering, about the things he does when sadness strikes, the anger that engulfs him, the brave face he must sometimes fake so people will not pity him. “Sometimes I'm sad and I don’t know why.", says Rosen.  It's just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.”  I liked the way the book affirms the need to grieve, even as people around you tell you to 'put a brave face on it'.  Grief, he adds, does not go away. You can never really be free from the loss you have suffered. "Sad is anywhere”, says Rosen."It comes along and finds you.” His sorrow  is reflected in Quentin Blake’s bleak pen and ink illustrations, and it is hard not to be moved by the poet's words. And yet, by the end - and what a lovely, unexpected end it is! - even Rosen discovers hope. 

Shaker Lane

Written and Illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen

Publisher: Viking Kestrel

Ages: 6+

Shaker Lane isn’t about the death of a person, but something even greater and, therefore, sadder – it chronicles the slow demise of a  community.  Considered one of the Provensen’s finest books, it  is based on a real life community near the area the book’s creators lived in, one they watched change over thirty five years. At first, second and even third glance, Shaker Lane really doesn’t impress- its residents are dirt poor, their houses are shabby, the yards strewn with rubbish, mangy dogs and weeds. “Aker, baker, poorhouse shaker!” yell the kids from the passing schoolbus. It doesn’t even mean much to the rest of the town. But then, one by one, the book introduces us to its residents – old Mr. Van Sloop and his army of stray dogs; the Whipple twins who help out with yard work; Big Jake, the handyman; the kids, dogs, pet ducks. And just like that, you see the quiet heart that beats under Shaker Lane’s shabby hand-me-down skin. It’s also, sadly, a heart without much of a fight left  in it – when the city council takes over the land to build a reservoir, the residents quietly give up their ramshackle houses and their lives and move away. Time moves on; water, progress and middleclass suburbia move into the place that was once Shaker Lane. And you wouldn’t know the place, except…

Spare text, beautiful spreads and with a surprise ending I didn’t see coming, Shaker Lane is a wonderful book about change, loss,  new beginnings – and resilience as well.  Read this in tandem with Window and Belonging, Jeannie Baker’s stunning wordless chronicles about changing communities.

Three Wordless Picture Books

Fox's Garden
by Princesse Camcam
published by Enchanted Lion Books (2014)

A (soon-to-be?) mommy fox wanders to the edge of a snowy forest hoping to find shelter in one of the homes bordering that area. She is chased away repeatedly by grown-ups.

A kid watches all this and notices the fox entering their greenhouse. He takes a basket of food and offers it to the fox, who is now nursing her four pups.

He goes back to his room. A nice touch here is a picture showing the drawing of a fox on the kid's wall by the bed, not to mention the vintage decor.

The fox is finally ready to move on, followed by her four pups. She leaps into the kid's room (when he is not there) and leaves a surprise garden for him right on his little rug.

When I read that Princesse Camcam (aka Camille Garoche) assembled cut-paper dioramas and lit it strategically and photographed it to make the pictures in this book, I was blown away. It looks hauntingly magical, yet softly transcendental, as the power of a simple act of kindness dawns on us.



Draw!
by  Raúl Colón
published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (2014)

A boy sits on his bed in his room, a book in hand which simply says 'Africa' with an African Elephant on the cover. A large sketchbook is by his bed. We gather he might be home sick when we notice the medicine-like bottle on his night stand.

Next we see him, still on his bed, sketchbook on his lap, intently drawing. Five identical pictures of varying sizes zooming towards us alerts us to the possibility that something magical might be happening in the next pages.

Sure enough, with his easel and sketchbook and art paraphernalia, plus a canteen of water and some sandwiches, his signature safari hat on his head, the kid is in the African savanna waving to a friendly elephant.

Over the next pages, the story unfolds as the kid draws the animals he encounters, with the elephant being his friendly transport. The apes posing for him brings a smile, especially when the one sitting for the picture has the safari hat and sandwich that the kid had on the previous scene.

The exciting part is when he tries to draw the charging rhino. Then, things go a bit haywire. But all's well that ends well: we see the kid posing for the baboons with his trademark hat and a sandwich in hand. The picture drawn by the baboon is sure to evoke chuckles.

The power of imagination is beautifully explored and presented in this wordless picture book wherein every spread is a work of art.



The Farmer and the Clown
by Marla Frazee
published by Beach Lane Books (2014)

A farmer is toiling in a desolate landscape, clearly unhappy. Along the horizon rolls a circus train from which a baby clown is ejected out. The farmer reluctantly goes to investigate. He meets the baby clown wearing a perpetual painted-on smile.

Into the muted tones of the farmer's world enters this one bright spot, all in red, even if the farmer sees it otherwise.

He grudgingly takes the baby clown home. Over the course of a day, we see them shed their outer facade and learn a bit more about each other.

When the farmer sheds his dull black overalls, he reveals a red pair of long-johns. When the baby clown washes up, we see the sadness underneath the contrived smile. This is a priceless scene where things take a turn in the story.

 The farmer does his best to amuse and entertain the kid who simply remains unmoved, but maybe a bit hopeful. The spread where the baby clown helps the farmer with his chores is delightful. They even have a picnic together. That's when they notice the circus train yonder by the horizon coming their way.

They both hurry to the train. The baby is united with his family and the farmer waves goodbye to all of them as they speed away. Just like that.

The brilliant touch is the last page where we see the farmer, feeling lonely again, is walking along and unbeknownst to him, a circus monkey follows him, finger to his lips and a twinkle in his eye, appealing to us to keep his secret.

[image source: enchanted lion books, marlafrazee.com, simonandschuster]

Books that made me go "Hmmmm!"

Every now and then, I come across a book that leaves me gobsmacked in awe at the sheer ingenuity of its creators. You know what I mean, fellow book devourers, the kind of book that defies easy definition, cheekily flouts conventions about how proper books should behave, leaves weird ideas in your head,  keeps you up at night wondering if they were illustrated novels or picture books or.... but I digress.

Here are some ingenious books I have had the pleasure of meeting recently.

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Written and Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburgh

Publisher: Andersen Press

All Ages

This unusual picture book is really a collection of fourteen mysterious drawings, with cryptic captions attached. This is less a book than a puzzle, inviting you the reader to draw his or her own conclusions, create their own stories. Adding to the mystery is a teasing note the author prefaces the book with, explaining  how the drawings came into the possession of the publisher. Chris Van Allsburgh’s drawings, rendered entirely in pencil, are stunning – some are filled with smoky shadows, spooky lights, inky darkness, the promise of menace lurking in the background. (“He had warned her about the book. Now it was too late.”)  Yet others capture a moment of joy ( two children playing in water, a boy discovering a harp by a magical stream), parting, impending doom, adventure. My favourite picture - a nun in a chair hovering midair in a cathedral; the caption reads ‘The Seven Chair: The fifth one ended up in France.’  - leaving me wildly imagining the fate of the other six chairs and the people sitting in them.

 

My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright

Written and Illustrated by Marcia Williams

Publisher: Walker Books

Ages: 8+

Now here’s the kind of history book I wish I’d had growing up! Cleverly designed (or disguised) as a diary, it chronicles the life of little Flossie Albright through the tumultuous years of the Second World War. Through her meticulously handwritten diary entries, drawings, notes and photographs ‘pasted in’, we follow the daily trials and tribulations of being a young English girl on a farm, raising her baby brother while her father is away at war as a conscript in the British Army.  Flossie is a delight from the word go, brimming with fun, anger, anxiety.. and a propensity for using the word ‘Flipping’ a lot. The diary records the highs and lows of her life through the war, of course, but it is  also a cleverly told history of Britain in World War II, as experienced first- hand by Flossie, as she records bits of news, illustrates happenings, even draws little cartoons mocking Hitler. She tells us how, with the men away at war, the women take over farming and manufacturing work. Even children get pulled out of school to help with the harvest. Jewish refugees pour into the country, and are given refuge in homes like Flossie’s.  Rationing, bombing threats, blackouts all become part of the villagers’ lives – even their pots and pans are requisitioned by the government for aluminium. Birthdays come and go, loved ones lost, and Flossie finds her family – and her dreams – growing in ways she had never imagined. Friends and wellwishers begin to contribute to the diary as well, sometimes from as far away as Egypt.  What I loved most about this little girl was her humanity – she scolds and taunts the nasty ‘Huns’, and mocks the evil Hitler and Rommel, but she is also capable of feeling genuine sympathy for the innocent civilian victims of the war in Germany and Japan.  Exuberant and touching by turn, bristling with fold-out notes and letters, bursting with detail – this is a book it is impossible to do justice to with a single reading! An interesting detail I discovered, after reading the book - it is actually a sequel to ‘Archie’s War’, 'written' by Flossie’s father Archie Albright as an East London boy during the First World War. 

Letters from a Lost Uncle

Written and Illustrated by Mervyn Peake

Publisher: Methuen Fiction

Ages: 10+

First published in 1948, Letters…. is designed to look like a journal, with yellowing typewritten notes pasted in over pencil illustrations, meant for a nephew their writer has never seen. We never learn the uncle’s name (or  find out what happens to him after the last letter), but discover, through his letters, that he is an explorer living out in an igloo somewhere in the North pole with a strange bipedal, beaked creature called Jackson for company. Oh, and he is fat, bearded, wears a bowler hat and has a spike in place of a leg. The letters recount the uncle’s youth growing up in London, beforehe decides to give up everything and sail away in search of adventure, a la Peter Pan . At home in the Arctic in a way he never was in England, the uncle then  chronicles his adventures, hunting expeditions - and occasional rants against his man Friday, Jackson- as he searches for the mythical White Lion.  The book is both funny and touching, and I loved the little touches that make it so authentic - coffee, ink and bloodstains mark the odd page, corrections and additions  penciled in, some drawings moodily inked over. 

Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes

Written by Margaret Atwood

Illustrated by Dušan Petricic

Bloomsbury Paperbacks

Ages: 6+

Margaret Atwood is one of my favourite authors, but even I would never have associated the writer of such grim, dystopic novels as 'The Handmaid's Tale' and 'Oryx and Crake' with this laugh-out-loud literary romp that absolutely demands to be read out loud. The plot of the book is simple enough; what makes it unique is the language - Atwood  makes it a celebration of the letter 'R'. So our hero, Ramsay, turns out to be red-headed and living in a ramshackle residence, with a bunch of revolting, roly-poly relatives with names like Rollo, Ron and Ruby. Chased out of his home, he meets a friendly rat called Ralph, discovers a field of unusual radishes, and finally finds a friend - all this, of couse, in wonderfully alliterative prose. Dusan Petricic's moody pencil and water colour illustrations had me poring over this book for hours.

Meerkat Mail

Written and Illustrated by Emily Gravett

 Publisher: Pan Macmillan Children's Books

Ages: 3+

Now, pretty much any book by Emily Gravett is a visual treat guaranteed to suprise and delight , and this one is no exception. It follows one week in the life of Sunny, a meerkat who feels so claustrophobic at home in the hot Kalahari desert that he sets out visiting his cousins across the world. Only, he never quite feels at home, does he? And meanwhile, whose is that menacing shadow stalking him through his travels? 

The story is told to us through beautiful full-page illustrations and the lift-the-flap postcards our intrepid traveler sends back home, and his increasingly beleagured expression tells us all we need to know about his experiences. Packed with visual jokes, the book is at once a lesson in geography, biology and a sweet reminder that often, the best thing about a journey is coming back home.

Big Foot is Missing!

Big Foot is Missing!

by J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt
illustrations by MinaLima (Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima)
published by Chronicle Books


Humans have had a fascination with cryptids long before the term "cryptids" was coined to describe the fantastic creatures whose existence is yet to be proven.

Cryptozoology, the study of animals rumored to exist, has found many followers over the past decades. And for those who claim they don't believe in Bigfoot, these ardent scholars retort with a "Don't worry, Bigfoot doesn't believe in you either!"

Former and current Children's Poet Laureates have teamed up to present a book to explore several of these cryptids from around the world. Some of them, we are quite familiar with, like: Bigfoot, Kraken, Lusca, 'Nessie' the Loch Ness monster, Chupacabra, Bunyip and so on. And, others are just as fascinating, with matchingly mysterious names like Ngoubou, Dingonek, Mokele, Nandi Bear and so on.

MinaLima, the team on the Harry Potter films known for making maps, newspaper clippings and suchlike, have brought an extra dimension to this set of poems that are clever, funny and creepy at times.

Rather than presenting the text and an illustration of the creature, each page is designed to look like a Wanted poster, or billboard, or newspaper clipping, or milk carton ad, or page from an arcane book.

For example, Bigfoot appears on the milk carton; he is missing, of course.

Chronicle Books Kid-Approved Verse for National Poetry Month

The Loch Ness monster has a double page spread of rolling Highland hills and the famous lake in the background with the familiar curves of Nessie; and the foreground shows the typical warning sign:

Warning!
No Lifeguard on duty
No Horsing around.
Stay Out of the water
Or Risk being drowned.
No Diving, No Swimming,
Or Things could get messy.
Sincerely, The Management,
aka "Nessie."

An amusing look at these Schrodinger's Cat-like creatures which don't exist until we observe them.

[image source: Chronicle Books]

Celebrating Gond Art: Two Gems from Tara Books

I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail

Writer: Unknown

Illustrated by Ramsingh Urveti

Designed by Jonathan Yamakami

I first read this poem in some dusty school library, and remember being both utterly charmed by the powerful, somewhat surreal imagery, of its words, and befuddled by its meaning. Nonetheless, this and the equally befuddling ‘Romance’ (“..Chimborazo, Cotopaxi; took me by the hand…”) were the two mainstays of my mystical poetry-obsessed teen years. Written in the 17^th century by an English poet who has never been traced (which only increases the poem’s air of romance and intrigue, methinks), I Saw…  is a form of trick verse, its meaning evident only to those smart enough to decipher the  pattern within it.  I subsequently learnt that I Saw... was a popular folk poem. Yet for some reason, the poem has always conjured up images of India in my head ( peacocks with fiery tails, raging seas, elephantine ants) , and I always imagine its anonymous creator being some English sahib or memsahib in a distant outpost of the British Raj, struggling to verbalize their enormous fascination with India. With a feathered quill, of course, in the flickering light of a paraffin lamp, while in the dusty, heat-smothered background, a puny punkha boy slowly loses his duel with the Indian summer .. But as always, I digress. 

My overly extended point here is that this is probably why Tara Books’ version of the poem feels so right – it marries the verses with distinctively Indian visuals. The book stars the stunning black-and-white illustrations of Gond artist Ramsingh Urveti and, coupled with Brazilian graphic designer Yamakami’s innovative design, they bring the poem – and its secret – to life. Sly die-cut perforations on each page, along with some truly ingenious layouts utterly change the way one reads the poem. I enjoyed the way the book literally puts ‘the controls’ in the hands of the reader, allowing one to read it either one page at a time or in pairs, revealing the poet's trick.

My one grouse - A brief write-up in the beginning of the book explains the trick in the verses, which is rather a party pooper. Moving it to the back of the book would at least have given the reader a chance to browse through the poem and attempt to ‘crack the code’ herself. Some of the mystery of the book is lost when you approach it forewarned. Still, this is a book one is compelled to return to time and again, for the lush detail of the art on each page, and the timeless beauty of its words.

Do check out this  interview with Jonathan Yamakami for an insight into  the production of the book.  Even more praise,  here.

Signature: Patterns in Gond Art

Artists: Various

Edited by Gita Wolf, Bhajju Shyam and Jonathan Yamakami

Ramsingh Urveti is one of  several Gond artists featured in the beautiful Signature: Patterns in Gond Art, a fascinating look at the creative processes that drive their art. Now Gond art, like most other forms of tribal Indian art, is based on decorative motifs and symbols, often repeated in different combinations and scales, to create  dense ‘textures’ in the painting. What is perhaps unique to Gond art is the fact that each artist, over time, develops a distinctive ‘signature’- a distinct motif that features prominently in their work, inspired from their own observations of the world around them. So Kala Bai Shyam uses an intricate weaving pattern like the threads in cloth, to depict a lizard’s scales, while the semicircular marks that Sunitha Shyam sees in the dung plaster on the walls of her home, become integral to her art. Fish scales inspire Gangotri Bai Tekam, while  the marks of the plow tilling the earth transform into motifs in Mansingh Vyam’s painting.  Leaves, water drops, footprints, ears of corn – everything inspires pattern and finds its place in Gond art.

Also designed by Jonathan Yamakami, the book's minimalist page layouts allow the art to speak for itself. Signature is a fascinating resource on tribal art. Its also a good book for the novice artist, as it encourages you to seek creative inspiration in the ordinary everyday.

His Shoes Were Far Too Tight

His Shoes Were Far Too Tight 
poems by Edward Lear
masterminded by Daniel Pinkwater
illustrated by Calef Brown
published by Chronicle Books (2011)


He was a fat, goofy-looking guy with thick eyeglasses. He liked people but he was shy. He liked kids. He liked animals. He had a cat named Old Foss. His name was Edward Lear.

The book opens with the first page that introduces us to Edward Lear, beloved nonsense poet who was also a good artist who gave drawing lessons to Queen Victoria (which didn't last long).

Besides the very special How Pleasant To Know Mr.Lear, there are nine poems by Edward Lear in this picture book collection - including The Pobble Who Has No Toes, Owl And The Pussy Cat,  and The Quangle Wangle's Hat, plus the Nonsense Alphabet.

The Jumblies was a favorite - how can they not be - they went to sea in a Sieve! And who so happy-- O who, as the Duck and the Kangaroo?

Whose shoes were tight? Well, it was Uncle Arly's as we learn from Some Incidents in the Life of My Uncle Arly.

Illustrations by Calef Brown are quirky and funny, complementing the poems well.

Another set of wacky poems by Edward Lear is Nonsense! illustrated by Valorie Fisher.

[image source: chronicle books]

Chilean Tales: Picture Books from Chile and Thereabouts

Mariana and the Merchild
A Folk Tale From Chile
by Caroline Pitcher
illustrated by Jackie Morris
published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (2000)

A kindly but lonely Mariana, living in a ramshackle hut by the sea, goes about her daily motions with an ache in her heart. She tries to befriend the local kids, who seem a bit wary of her.

One fine morning-after-the-storm, she finds a merbaby washed up ashore. She immediately takes a liking to her and brings her up with all the love she can pour into this relationship. The merbaby's mother, a gentle Sea Spirit who is nothing short of Amazonian,  allows Mariana to raise the child for a while.

Mariana laughs and plays with the child, ever so happy, and grateful for all the love. The wary children notice this softer side of her and start overcoming their reservations. However, she knows she has to surrender the child soon and no matter how hard she prepares for that day, she is not ready when the day comes.

Finally, bereft of the merbaby, Mariana gets inconsolable. But now, the kids who had been wary of her earlier, approach her and try to comfort her.

The illustrations are wonderful, even though the text was a bit clunky for a read aloud. The merging of the two worlds - the physical human one and the magical, mythical one - is seamless in the pictures, as if Nature, in its limitless capacity, has conjured up this realm where all this is possible.

[view more images at jackiemorris.co.uk]
[image source: Eerdmans Books]


The Day the Stones Walked
by T.A. Barron

illustrated by William Low
published by Philomel (2007)


We've all pondered on the symbolism and significance of the moai, the Stone Statues of Easter Island. While there is no conclusive consensus on its purpose and relevance, it is nevertheless intriguing to speculate on how they might have come into existence.

The author unfolds a moving story that searches the spiritual realm for a deeper understanding of our connection to this world and its people.

Young Pico finds it odd that his father prefers carving huge monoliths with faces larger than life. He wonders why his father does not hunt octopus or build boats like others. The land that once supported them has been gradually stripped. The complex culture that thrived in the island was failing.

When a tsunami approaches and he runs to warn his father, Pico finds himself submerged by the huge wave. As he struggles to get a breath, he notices a giant stone statue moving, reaching out, helping him surface and live. He remembers the legend about the giant stone figures: In times of trouble, they will rise and walk.

[image source: http://tabarron.com/books/picture-books/day-stones-walked/]



Ghost Hands
A Story Inspired by Patagonia's Cave of the Hands

by T.A. Barron
illustrated by William Low
published by Philomel (2011)

When the author visited the Patagonian Cave of Hands, he knew there was a story to be told. Even though it has remained a mystery, all the handprints in the cave, plus a lone footprint, painted by the native Tehuelche tribe of Patagonia has probably inspired many stories.

"The hands in the wondrous cave seems almost alive-- waving to us across centuries of time. I would love to meet those artists, to shake their living hands. And I would also love to ask them one question: Why in the world did you paint that foot?"

The author goes on to tell us his version of why there is a lone footprint. Auki, a young boy, is impatient, he can't wait to go hunting. His father says he is not ready. But the youth defies his father and sets out at dawn one fine day on his own anyway. He climbs up a cliff and waits. Sure enough a puma comes. He falls down, twists his ankle, crawls down, having escaped puma's claws.

At the bottom, by the icy river, he finds a cave. A cave full of handprints painted in bright colors. He meets the old man who does the painting. When the old man is not forthcoming with the reason he paints those hands, Auki decides to limp back to his home, tail between his legs so-to-speak, chiding himself for not being able to face up to the puma.

Suddenly he hears the old man scream and so he rushes back to the cave where the puma is about ready to pounce. He slides in between the puma and the old man and ends up kicking the puma in the face, thus chasing it away for now. His foot in agony, he faints. The old man carries him safely home.

When Auki is visited by the old man again, weeks later, Auki demonstrates that he has learnt patience by not asking those burning questions he had about those hands in the cave. The old man explains it in his own way stating that hands have protected his people always and this is a way to honor them. And then, he says he is going to paint someone very brave today, but not his hand. This time it will be the foot that saved the old man - Auki's foot!


[image source: amazon.com]

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan
Written by Katherine Applegate
Published by HarperCollins
Ages 8-12

Ivan is a male silver-back gorilla, living in a circus just off an Interstate for almost all his adult life. He had been born in Africa, and has a few faint memories of his childhood freedom, but has now made peace with his caged existence, with not much of a yearning to go back to the wild. His companions are Stella, an old elephant with a bad leg got in a circus ring accident (that eventually kills her) and Bob the mutt. While life has a drab routine with few visitors (a fact that has Mack, the owner worried, and in a way leads to the later events in the story) the one bright spot in Ivan's day is Julia, the 10 year old daughter of the helper, George. Julia is an artist of sorts, who loves to sketch. It had been only after she had sketched Bob, that the dog got his name - "he seems like a kind of Bob." She gets paper and crayons for Ivan, who draws what he thinks is a banana or beetle on the paper. Mack sells these 'masterpieces' signed with Ivan's thumbprint, framed, at the circus curio shop.

One day, Ruby arrives. She is a baby elephant whose entire family has been killed. She has been treated badly by her previous owners, who would keep her chained by all four legs. She is adopted by Stella, who had a mother lurking inside her weary mind and body, and Ruby soon learns the ways of this life, even though she strains at the compulsions of being a circus elephant. She befriends Ivan and Bob, who begin to love this spirited bundle, and are sad while the circus owner tries to 'break her in'.

And then, suddenly, Stella's leg turns to the worse, and she dies within a couple of days. But not before she has had Ivan promise that he will help Ruby. How can he help her, being a prisoner of his cage for years? And how is his plan linked to the drawings and subsequently paintings with the finger paints that Julia gets him? How does this old, tired gorilla become the one and only Ivan? It is a book worth reading to find out. As the quote by George Eliot at the beginning of the book says, "It is never too late to be what you might have been." 

It is a fictionalized account of the true story of Ivan, a real gorilla, who was with a circus for almost 27 years of his life, never seeing another of his species, restricted to a glass cage, until 'over time, as an understanding of primate needs and behavior grew, public discomfort with Ivan's lonely state grew as well, particularly after he was featured in a National Geographic special entitled "The Urban Gorilla."' He was then moved to the Atlanta Zoo, where he lived in peace with other animals till he died at the age of 50.

I loved the format of the book, which is written from the point of view of Ivan, in the first person. There are short chapters, pithily titled, and each sentence, even if of two words, forms a separate paragraph. This layout gives us a feeling of the slow but sure working out of things that the mind of a gorilla might have - these great apes show decided intelligent and purposeful behaviour. (Do click on this link - it is amazing!) The language is lyrical and  riveting, scintillating in the thoughts it conveys, peppered with profound truths, and often dreamlike.

"Beyond the (parking) lot is a freeway where cars stampede without end. A giant sign at its edge beckons them to stop and rest like gazelles at a watering hole."

"I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings. But any story will do."

"When I'm drawing a picture, I feel...quiet inside."

"It’s not so bad, I wanted to tell the little boy. With enough time, you can get used to almost anything."

"Everyone has parents. It's unavoidable."

"A good zoo," Stella said, "is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don't hurt." She pauses, considering her words. "A good zoo is how humans make amends."

This book, comparable to the childhood classic Charlotte's Web in many ways, is a timeless tale of friendship and courage. It is a 2013 Newbery medal winner, and should form a part of the repertoire of any reader.

I Funny!

I Funny
I Even Funnier
I Totally Funniest
by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
illustrated by Laura Parks
published by Little, Brown & Company

Jamie Grimm is a funny kid, stand-up comic funny. He uses humor to deal with tough situations in life. He is facing the usual struggles of middle school, but rather than rant and fume, he deals with it in his own balanced way.

Oh, and Jamie is in a wheelchair. And he is an orphan. Just a page or two in when you start thinking not another snarky middleschooler again, the book grabs your heartstrings with this revelation and doesn't let go till the end when we find out that the same accident that paralyzed him waist-down took his parents and his little sister. However, no pity is evoked nor is there an angry defiance.

Jamie is sent to live with an aunt's family, the Kosgrovs; he calls them "the Smileys" as they never smile or laugh, seemingly lacking a sense of humor, of which Jamie has aplenty. Of course, it is not enough that Jamie has gone through enough already, but, the Kosgrov kid, Stevie, Jamie's cousin, is the local bully who never misses a chance to belittle Jamie or generally be nasty to him. No idea why Stevie resents Jamie so much, but, then again, Stevie resents just about everybody, except perhaps his two cronies.

Jamie has an amazing uncle, Frank, who always supports him and even gives him a job working at his diner after school. The beautiful bond between uncle and nephew is revealed gradually, making it relatable and sweet. In fact, it is Uncle Frankie's suggestion that gets Jamie started on the path to professional comedy.

Jamie casually enters the local 'Funniest Kid' contest. And wins! And the first book ends. In the second book, he becomes the New York champion. And finally, in the third book, he gets to go for the "Planet's Funniest Kid" contest. And wins!

Of course, not being an International contest, it was a bit odd to claim "Planet's Funniest" title, but, it's just a title, and it's just a story; and we love Jamie Grimm so much that we don't care if he is called "Universe's Funniest Kid" !

Both the seven and ten year old simply adored this set of books, rooting for Jamie to win the Planet's Funniest Kid contest. As he grows a year older and his hormones kick in by the third book, Jamie starts acting uncharacteristically unpleasant to his friends, which is also completely relatable and understandable. He redeems himself of course. Why else would we love him so much?

The added bonus is the illustrations and the cover to cover peppering of one-liners and kid-friendly jokes. As Jamie grows older, there is a bit of kissing and feelings involved with a girl or two but it is all handled quite gently and realistically, without much drama or sensationalism.

The bullying did disturb the seven year old, but he chose to continue with the book as he loved Jamie too much and wanted to see him see better days and be happy in the end.

Jamie never comes across as sour or resentful despite all that has happened to him; neither does he come across as holier-than-thou goody-two-shoes which will be just as unpalatable. He is a regular kid with regular issues, plus some more.

Over the three books, we end up caring for Jamie Grimm, never wanting to let him go. Kid readers start thinking about deeper issues like being disabled or differently-abled, suffering a bully, going after a dream, working hard, accepting what fate has meted out and not getting bitter about things you can't change, and above all, using humor to approach difficult situations in life.

Quite a fun set of books. And we loved the audiobooks as well, narrated by Frankie Seratch.

[image source: amazon.com]

SuperZero

Author- Jane De Suza

Illustrator- Jit Chowdhury

Publisher: Puffin- Penguin Books India

The author, Jane, takes you on an animated, irreverent, fun ride with the exploits of an unlikely hero in her book- SuperZero. She has peppered her work subtly with wisdom ( if the reader wishes to take note.)

The protagonist is a ten year old, sent to a superhero school by his mom who thinks that  he has super skills. But our young man keeps making faux pas, loses his super brief  on Day 1 of school ( to be replaced by a duckie  and eggs print one from a shower curtain by his Grandpa) and is not even sure of his having any super power!!

Who doesn't root for the well meaning but bumbling black sheep/ dark horse?

The adoring mother, the hard of hearing grandpa, the father who would have preferred the pursuit of basket ball over super powers, form the family context. The author imaginatively characterises the schoolmates-  Anna Conda – a snake girl, Vamp Iyer, a blood hating- milk loving vampire, a not very sympathetic set of teachers including a two headed headmistresses. Dog lovers will empathize with Bigabyte- a dog that eats everything it sees.

Will SuperZero save the world finding his own super powers along the way? Who will he turn to for help against the evil Eggster? Will be redeem himself  and become a celebrity at school?

Overall, as my nine year old put it- "A great read, laughs guaranteed!"
And some kids may learn to be less judgmental of themselves and their peers.

***********

Jane De Suza is the author of SuperZero, a laugh-out-loud book for children whose Oliver-Twistian clamours for more have resulted in the book going into a sequel. Other children’s books include: Party in the Sky, The Big Little Want and the Han series. She has also been identified as the author of the best-selling humour novel, The Spy who lost her Head.

A delightful little Q& A with Jane:

ST- How was this book idea born?

Jane- I always go mushy over underdogs (I also go mushy over dogs, but another time...) So as I witnessed my own boys and their buddies charging around with their mom’s dupattas fluttering behind like superhero capes, the question began to niggle. Why do superheroes have to be muscled and macho goodie-two-shoes? Why doesn’t this normal kid get a chance? The scrawny kid next door needs to feel he has hope – that he can start out bullied and end up boss. SuperZero jumped out of my head right about then; and began to whinge, cringe, brag, refuse to eat spinach, and yet become the big-daddy of all awesomeness.

ST- Did the Superhero rules come first or the chapters and then the titles?

Jane- The story came first. It tripped along on its own and clumped itself into chapters. Now, these chapters needed titles. As SuperZero fumbled around, making one mistake after another, each chapter seemed to sum up perfectly into a ‘What Not to Do’ . Together, these made a convenient set of nutty rules.  What made it more fun was that  SuperZero was clearly breaking every rule in the book he himself wrote.

ST- Is BigaByte based on a dog you know?

Jane- Yes, our much-loved mongrel who’s crazy about our family – and a little crazy overall. BigaByte’s penchant for chewing up things was also borrowed from him. As a pup, our dog had chewed cell phones, remote controls, shoes, socks, furniture - and was immediately forgiven all. I wrote in BigaByte so that in some way, children could witness a dog’s unconditional loyalty and the great company he offers, snoring and chewing habits notwithstanding.

ST- Jit Chowdhury’s illustrations are very fun. Tell us more about how you collaborated.

Jane- That’s because Jit Chowdhury is fun. My editors at Puffin were a wonderful lot (in hindsight). At the time, I tore off chunks of hair waiting for them to find that perfect illustrator. When I first spoke to Jit, I realised he was even loonier than I was. It was easy-peasy-choco-cheesy from then on, to borrow a phrase from SuperZero. We’d talk on the phone, he in Kolkata and I in Bangalore, and I’d send him really bad scribbles of how I’d imagined the characters. He, in turn, would add a completely over-the-top twist, and churn out the weird characters that populate this book. Jit and I have never met, but we zealously guard our working partnership and will set BigaByte on anyone who challenges it.

ST- Jit has drawn you in the author profile with horns – why? Was it his idea or yours?

Jane- Instead of the usual author profile, we talked about giving the kids even more to giggle over. In keeping with the superhero theme, he’d sketched himself with vampire bat ears, and I offered to don horns. After working a book together, he’ll probably draw me with fangs next. 

ST- Who is your superhero in terms of children’s writing? What were your favourite books while growing up?

Jane- As a kid, I chanced upon a stash of William (by Richmal Crompton) in my Dad’s toppling piles of books at home. William made his way into my imagination then, and has ruled ever since. We still have a collection of the old moth-eaten originals, and when in need of a belly-laugh, I pull one out. I also cried my way through Jack London’s Call of the Wild, Lassie, The Black Stallion, Born Wild.

I think my love story was with books that could transport me to a parallel life. I was lucky to be born in an age of comics (and not graphic novels) and spent hours in the skull cave fighting crime with Tarzan, Phantom and Bahadur, and in the brave little hamlet of Gaul where I worried, like they did, that the sky would fall on their heads and the series would end.

ST- Any anecdotes/ letters from readers that were particularly amusing?

Jane- Someone sent me a pic of her 4 year-old nephew inspired into wearing his undies over his pants. That apart, I loved getting all the letters because children are so generous and ahem – so honest too: going into detail about how their favourite character should bump off the other not-so-nice one next time. And then, there’s this 7-year–old talented young authoress who promptly wrote her own story about SuperSally, who bravely battled everything that SuperZero had – fires and aliens and all. SuperSally, in her sketch, looked suspiciously like SuperZero too, except for her Rapunzel-like flowing hair. Point taken – whatever those guys do, we gals do better (and look better at it too, long hair flying in the wind).

Pic credit -  Nakul Shenoy, Atta Galatta, Bangalore