Chasing Waters

MY THOUGHTS

India is famous for its rivers, but as parents of curious children, do we know enough to discuss our rivers with them?

All of our rivers have stories that are an intrinsic part of our mythology and culture. The stories are interesting and are also an easy and fun way to introduce our children to rivers and the states through which they flow. Chasing Waters does exactly that.

In Chasing Waters, Mahesh and his younger brother and sister have missed their bus and decide to take a ride with Mai in her coracle to get back home. As they float down the river’s gentle waters, Mai regales them with stories of the various rivers in India. As the children listen, rapt with attention, they can’t help but wonder how polluted our rivers are, even though millions of people revere them.

Lavanya Karthik’s Mai is a mysterious character who regales the children with stories about rivers but doesn’t reveal anything about herself. She has a warm and tranquil voice, and the children feel safe and calm around her. The stories she shares transport them to mythical lands where the gods reside and decide the fate of rivers. Swati Kharbanda’s elegant line drawings and watercolour palette bring the stories to life and draw the reader in as the beautiful wave-like pages urge you to read on.

I like that this is a simple book that helps you have important conversations with children about conservation and pollution, all while keeping them regaled with stories. Use this book as a bedtime read or even to thumb through and read one story a day when evening boredom hits.

This is a book you will find yourself reading time and again —as a reference book or simply for a good story. Get yourself a copy today.