OgdAuthor: Anusha RavishankarPublisher: Duckbill Publishers Anusha Ravishanker is back yet again with another nonsensical prose that is as clear as mud! OGD is a story about Messiah, who sets out on an unprecedented journey to uncover some truths and in the process discover so many other lies. Loaded with satire and antithesis, this book is one of its kind. You will need both patience and a free mind to understand what lies behind the facade of balderdash! Messiah is different; she is born with a foot in her mouth. When she grows up, her resilience and her curiosity to question everything that is not backed by logic irk the people…

Trials of Apollo: The Tower of NeroAuthor: Rick RiordanPublisher: Penguin PublishersRating: 4/5 Trials of Apollo: The Tower of Nero is the final book in the 15-book Camp Half-Blood Chronicles. This book also finds its niche among fantasy, magical realism and mythological fiction. It picks up where Lester realizes that humility is like a sweet root from which stem all the good virtues. As a God, Apollo didn’t quite fit into the empathetic shoes but his life as Lester Papadopoulos transformed him completely. His transformation plays an imperative role in the story. In Tower of Nero, we will see Apollo merging two of his chief emotions: humility and the charisma that…

Deepak Dalal conjures up an alluring world where adventure meets thrill and this gives rise to a series of events that will surely make the readers do a double-take. As a part of the Vikram-Aditya Series, the Ranthambore Adventures transports the readers to the west of India where the sand controls the land and the dry heat can often become unbearable. Amidst a visually delicious setting, Vikram and Aditya, the two protagonists, embark on an adventure to in the woods. Using different perspectives and figurative language to entice the readers, the author brings forth the problems that the wildlife of our country is facing. Vikram and Aditya are school-going boys…

Deepak Dalal conjures up an alluring world where adventure meets thrill and this gives rise to a series of events that will surely make the readers do a double-take. As a part of the Vikram-Aditya Series, the Ladakh Adventures transports the readers to the extreme north of India where the treeline recedes and the brown giants are in complete control. Amidst a visually delicious setting, Vikram and Aditya, the two protagonists, embark on an adventure to trace the culprits behind the kidnapping of their helper, Tsering. Vikram and Aditya are school-going boys who are poles apart. With a tinge of ‘Hardy Boys’ and Enid Blyton’s action-packed adventures, the author presents…

The Incredible History of the Indian OceanAuthor: Sanjeev SanyalPublisher: Puffin Books Sanjeev Sanyal’s The Incredible History of India’s Geography was quite a blockbuster amongst the young readers owing to its easy narrative and organized layout of information. It had illustrations and that added to the overall impact. His second book ‘The Incredible History of the Indian Ocean’ doesn’t disappoint either. It is an adaptation of The Ocean of Churn and it houses so much information about the History, purpose, evolution and present-day scenario of one of the biggest water bodies. The Incredible History of the Indian Ocean is a comprehensive guide that explores the discovery of the Indian Ocean, its…

Wild SymphonyAuthor: Dan BrownPublisher: Puffin Books Known for his prowess as an author whose words can send a chill down your spine, Dan Brown’s endeavour to come up with a children’s book is praiseworthy. Carefully thought and organized, Wild Symphony is all about music and harmony. Blending a thousand musical notes together, Brown manages to add rhyme and juxtapose two ideas together is such an easy manner. This book comes along with a code that can give access to the listening experience as well. From what I could make out, Brown emphasizes on co-existing and producing music that is mellifluous. Using different animals as the props, he illustrates how beautiful…

The Golden HouseAuthor: Salman RushdiePublisher: Penguin Random House IndiaRating: 3/5 When India suffered at the hands of the terrorists in 2008, nobody would have thought in their wildest imagination that the attack of 26/11 would become one of the most common settings of most novels. The Golden House, too, is set at the same time. The story explores the pathos of having a diabolical past and an earnest attempt of the characters to escape the consequences of their horrendous actions. What we all learn in the process is that the past beats inside all characters like their second heart. “and I began to wonder if we were moral beings at…

Friends Behind WallsAuthor: Harshikaa UdasiPublisher: Puffin Books Children are more intelligent than we think them to be. With their pure heart and non-judgemental mind, they question what is wrong and approve what seems right. One thing that they often question is the behaviour of the adults. Whether it is their parents, elder siblings or neighbours, children often fail to understand the erratic behaviour and the sudden burst of their volcanic anger! Based on this concept is the short story ‘Friends Behind Walls’. While both Inu and Putti are innocent and naive, they are intelligent enough to reach to the bottom of the problem and find a solution. Inu and Putti…

UnearthedAuthor: Meghaa GuptaPublisher: Puffin Books The purpose of reading History of any place is not only to get entertained but to understand how species have evolved over time. Books that present the readers with a confluence of information about the past should be treasured, for they help us learn from the mistakes that others made in the past and get inspired. ‘Unearthed’ is one such book that comprises detailed accounts of past discoveries and revolutions that brought about a significant change in the green revolution in India. Unearthed is a comprehensive book that describes how the Indian Milk Revolution was brought into action, what impact global warming is having on…

Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly AdventureAuthor: Jeff KinneyGenre: Children’s bookPublisher: Puffin Publishers It seems like yesterday when I finished reading about Rowley’s friend, Greg and now I am reading about another pair of friends who exist in Rowley’s imagination. I am not a fan of Wimpy Kid series but I enjoy reading the books. Thus, reading this book was a beautiful experience. In ‘Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure’, Rowley embarks on a new adventure, that of writing a book that stars Roland as the hero and Garg as his friend. As childish as it might sound, Rowley’s determination to showcase Roland as a thoughtful and kind boy is hilarious. The book…