Have you ever had your breath taken away by a book? The Midnight Panther, written and illustrated by Poonam Mistry, will do that to you. The Midnight Panther is a fable-like story about a panther who compares himself to the other big cats in the jungle. He realises he is different. Tiger has bold and […]
I have been reading children’s books for longer than is probably healthy, and that has led me to an epiphany. My favourite kind of children’s book creates the perfect setting, lays a solid foundation, and provides the right vocabulary for meaningful conversations with children. With the very children who grunt, “Fine”, or mumble, “Good”, whenever […]
Who Clicked That Pic, written by Nandita Da Cunha and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, is inspired by the life of India’s first woman photojournalist, Homai Vyarawalla. In the book, Pari Mistry is excited about clicking the perfect picture that will make it to the front page of Mr Nakhrawalla’s newspaper. The winning entry gets One Rupee, and […]
I feel like over the years I have read so many books on Hiccups and how to cure them, and each one is cuter than the last! Hic-Hic-Hiccups! by Esha Gupta scores high on the absolutely adorable factor and is such a fun book to read aloud to kids, too! In this book, Bittoo is […]
Under Pressure is a quasi-counting picture book biography that focuses on Rock music’s legendary Freddie Mercury’s first concert for his schoolmates when he was in boarding school. This is a story about rising above pressure and loneliness, facing up to bullies, and finally showing the world that you were born to be a legend. The […]
If there is one thing you learn as a parent, it is that the easiest things are always the most difficult. Big issues from potty training to choosing the right school tend to sort themselves out. It is the little things — trying to figure out what your child is upset about, why he is […]
Incredible Indians: 75 People Who Shaped Modern India is one of those gifts that keeps on giving. The school has decided to celebrate Legends month, working their way towards Independence Day, and my boys have had to brush up on their icons and legends for various projects. I don’t know about you, but very often […]
In this world, mysteries abound. Books are not where all answers are found.” – Miss Pooja With this line, Miss Pooja, Little Jagdish’s class teacher, tells him to stop looking for answers in books and to start creating an experiment to test his theory. Jagadish is a curious little boy. He takes apart toys and gadgets […]
I read somewhere that it isn’t unusual for a parent to envy the relationship their child has with their grandparents. It is common knowledge that our strict, unyielding parents become the most loving, kind, and wonderful grandparents. My sons spend a lot of time with their Thatha, and his patience with their questions astonishes me […]
When I read a couple of books by Kids On Alert, my knee-jerk reaction was to wonder whether these books were suitable for children. Their content is focused primarily on body safety and consent, and making children understand that message in a way they understand. I still wondered if it was too on the nose. […]