-
Book Review: The Incredible Adventures of Mr Cheeks by Tasmeen Amna
The Incredible Adventures of Mr CheeksAuthor: Tasmeen AmnaPublisher: Puffin Books (Penguin) Knowing that the brain of a child is under development during his childhood days, it wouldn’t be wrong to teach the norms of the society right from the very beginning. Tasmeen Amna takes up this responsibility to bring forth the importance of ‘being you’ and not changing according to the expectations set by society. Her words are magical and they have the power to influence children by taking them into a wonderful world where even the animals seem more sensible than humans! The Incredible Adventures of Mr Cheeks is a novella that narrates the story of three friends who…
-
Book Review: The Secret Commonwealth: The Book of Dust Volume Two by Philip Pullman
The Secret Commonwealth: The Book of Dust Volume TwoAuthor: Philip PullmanPublisher: Penguin Publishers Pullman’s wordplay and his prowess to juggle many themes together are delectable yet baffling at times. It takes a lot of patience and focus to understand the metaphorical references in the world that he calls his own! It was definitely a challenge to understand this part of the series as I hadn’t read the previous part. Amidst kindle shopping and long reading hours, I finally did finish reading this masterpiece. No wonder I am now tempted to read ‘His Dark Materials’ now to understand the author’s point of view in more depth. In the previous part of…
-
Book Review: The Golden Eagle by Deepak Dalal
The Golden EagleAuthor: Deepak DalalPublisher: Penguin Publishers There have been numerous stories that use birds as an example and teach life lessons to humans. One such story that I completely fell in love with was Chicken Soup’s The Sense of a Goose. Fortunately, I can happily admit that I have come across another one of the same calibre. ‘The Golden Eagle’ by Penguin Publishers is another lovely book for children that comes along with beautiful and realistic illustrations and a narrative that not only binds but also educates the young readers. This is another addition to the Feather Series by the same author. As Shikar, the jovial squirrel embarks on…
-
Book Review: Darkless by Tanu Shree Singh
DarklessAuthor: Tanu Shree SinghPublisher: Pickle Yolk Books (Penguin) It has been rightly said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Knowing that parents love their children unconditionally, it would not be wrong to say that even young children adore their parents. ‘Darkless’ is a story that uses minimal words to express such a strong emotion which is LOVE. While Ani’s mother is away, he feels that he is trapped amidst the vicissitudes of life. Never does he ever find anything pleasing or happy. Gloomy and dark days don’t help him either. But when he sees his mother after a long time, everything becomes ‘darkless’. Irrespective of the fact…
-
Book Review: The Fork, the Witch and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
The Fork, the Witch and the WormAuthor: Christopher PaoliniPublisher: Penguin PublishersRating: 3/5 Tales of Eragon have always fascinated me and when this book came all the way to my doorstep, I could not wait to read it. A sequel to the Eragon series, ‘The Fork, the Witch and the Worm’ comprises of tales of Alagaesia. The book has three short stories and amidst those stories, the readers can also read about Eragon’s quest to build Dragon hold for the unhatched dragon eggs. After a long haul, the joy of reading about Paulini’s imaginative world is boundless. The stable, extensive epic fantasy spreads across acres of land and also transports the…
-
Book Review: Magic in Mussoorie by Atul Sethi
Magic in MussoorieAuthor: Atul SethiGenre: Children’s bookPublishers: Penguin Publishers Plot summaryHellen Keller believes that life is nothing but an adventure! And so does Nakul Sahej, the protagonist of the story. ‘Magic in Mussoorie’ is set in the greater Himalayas where the mountains do their bit of magic and the eerie surrounding adds to the ambience. This entrapping and enticing story (read comic) book is the first in the series. The story focuses on the adventures of Nakul and his friend, Kuku, who embark on a journey back in time when Mt. Everest was still to be named. Engaging and a complete package of thrilling adventure, ‘Magic in Mussoorie’ capitalizes on…
-
Book Review: Wonder Words by Rituparna Sarkar
Wonder WordsAuthor: Rituparna SarkarGenre: Non-fictionPublishers: Penguin Publishers Being a linguaphile, I eat, sleep and breathe new words. When ‘Wonder Words’ landed on my doorstep in a package, I knew I had found my kefi (the feeling of everything that is positive). ‘Wonder Words’ truly holds the essence! It gives us a list of words that depict an action or an emotion that is literally untranslatable in English. Have you ever wondered what the stain left by your coffee mug is called? Or what a face that deserves to be slapped is called? Well, this small- sized book plays with the letters and brings to us some of the unheard and…
-
Book Review: Amma, Take Me to the Dargah of Salim Chishti by Bhakti Mathur
Amma, Take Me to the Dargah of Salim ChishtiAuthor: Bhakti MathurGenre: Children’s bookPublisher: Penguin Publishers Plot Summary:‘Amma, Take Me to the Dargah of Salim Chishti’ is a children’s book that narrates the story of two young boys who explore the secrets of the past- the ones associated with the Mughal Emperors. Written in form of a travelogue, this book throws light on the essence of our existence, stressing on the fact that no religion is greater than humanity. The story also helps in understanding the importance and relevance of all religions and teaches the children to respect all faiths irrespective of colour, caste, creed and sex. On their journey to…
