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…

Skill Builder ScienceAuthor: Sonia MehtaGenre: Children’s book (Academic)Publishers: Puffin Books Phonics is the study for teaching the method of reading and writing of an alphabet language (Wikipedia). This study is essential because it helps the children in learning new and unfamiliar words by recognizing similar sounds and categorizing them based on the sounds. This way, they remember the words for a longer duration of time compared to the learning that happens through sight. This series of Skill Builder by Sonia Mehta targets four levels. Right from level 1 to level 4, the books comprise several activities that will help the children learn new words with ease.The books step-up the learning…

The PianoAuthor: Nandita BasuPublisher: Duckbill Books It is often observed that those who like solitude find solace in music or art. The story in The Piano also celebrates the importance of art and music in our life. Tracing the life of a young girl who yearns for a friend who understands her and doesn’t question her, this story is sure to make way into your heart. The Piano is spread across various countries, various historical events and also various circumstances. Amidst the joy and sorrow, a piano travels from person to person until it finds its true owner. Once in the right place, the combination of the young girl and…

Peppa Pig Loves YogaAuthor: LadybirdPublisher: Ladybird For those of you who do not know who Peppa Pig is, she is an energetic and outgoing preschooler who believes in learning something new every day. She values her family and friends. And that’s why kids love her. Ladybird (publisher) is out with another interesting Peppa Pig’s adventure in the form of a board book. This time Peppa Pig learns to do Yoga! I received a kindle version of this book; hence, I missed the board book and the colours! Nevertheless, I know kids are going to enjoy this, for Peppa Pig is to them what Popeye was to us. In this colourful…

How the Onion Got Its LayersAuthor: Sudha MurthyPublisher: Puffin Publishers Sudha Murthy is adored by children because of her simple yet evocative writing. Her stories are quite realistic and are set in a completely palatable background. Well, this new book by her is a little different. It talks about how she let her imagination run wild when she was a child and eventually discovered the truths that no one ever told her. How the Onion Got Its Layers does justice to its name because the story is about how an onion got its layer! It’s enjoyable and funny. The children are sure to fall in love with colourful illustrations. The…

The TestamentsAuthor: Margaret AtwoodPublisher: Penguin Random HouseRating: 4/5 (PS: This review contains a few spoilers) Having read The Handmaid’s Tale last month, I was sure to pick up The Testaments, which is a sequel to the first part. Leaving the door ajar with Offred’s sudden disappearance, Atwood transitions the narrative to a sombre yet equally bleak and disgusting tone. The setting of this book, too, remains the same- Gilead- where vox populi doesn’t matter. For those who haven’t read the first part, here is the link to the review (a brief summary included) of the first part. The Testaments follows the life of three characters- Daisy, Agnes and Aunt Lydia.…