My favourite thing about picture books is the vast age group they cater to. As a child you can look through the beautiful illustrations, an early reader can learn to read the easy text, a middle grader can understand the story, and an advanced reader or even an adult can understand the nuances and look […]
It is almost a cliche, but every year I wait for that gust of wind, that sudden dip in temperature, and that whiff of perfume to signal the arrival of the monsoon. It may not rain, but the perfume lets everyone around know that the parched earth will finally get relief and that it is […]
What happens to our strict, conservative parents when we have children? They morph into simperingly sweet creatures known as grandparents! My boys share a special bond with their grandparents that has truly been a joy for me to watch. And over the years, I have read many books on this special bond. Aaji vs Daar-ji […]
Sometimes, even parents need the confidence to understand that it is ok to take time while learning something new. Wrong Hand Only, the latest book from Sam & Mi, reiterates this point in the most adorable way. Ana’s mom has hurt her right hand and isn’t able to do as many things as she used […]
If you are looking for a book to help explore the nuances of a parent-child relationship, then this is the one! I am on the cusp of completing 10 years as a parent and often catch myself wondering if our parents had it this hard. The unachievable standards, the gruelling hours put into engaging our […]
Reading Ammachi’s Glasses is the adult equivalent of digging in to a decadent slice of chocolate cake. All the goodness minus the calories! I needed a treat today, and I found myself reading this wordless picture book. Ammachi’s Glasses opens with Ammachi (Malayalam for grandma) waking up and looking around her bed for glasses. When […]
If we thought 2020 was tough, 2021 has been worse! Pandemic fatigue is real. Between parents battling unending uncertainty and children picking up on parental anxiety, our worlds and relationships have been turned to mush. Gone are the days when we shied away from talking about depression with our children. The need of the hour […]
A Home Made of Books is a deeply personal, gentle book that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it. I spent a long time just sitting with this book. I read it once, twice, and then turned the pages a third time to just look at the amazing illustrations. In A Home […]
I had to wear glasses when I was 8 years old. I was the first child in my class to wear glasses, and the name-calling began then, only to subside around middle school when wearing glasses was a lot more common. I understand firsthand the trauma a child experiences when they suddenly need help seeing, […]
Ever read a children’s book with exaggerated characters or themes, written in text that really doesn’t make sense to an adult’s mind? That is nonsense verse. Now, it is common to wonder why your child should read nonsense verse or what they will ‘gain’ from reading it. A child reading nonsense verse builds abstract thinking, […]