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In the Land Where Beetles Rule
Illustrated books of poetry for children are rare in India. The pages of this bold and pathbreaking book have sparse but unsparing text that are illustrated by stunning and disturbing illustrations of a stark future where the world as we know it has collapsed and beetles rule the land. A book for older readers, each page opens a conversation on recognizable markers of today’s world set in an unrecognizable future.
When I met the Mama Bear- A Forest Guard’s Story
This book is the story of Priya, a young woman who works as a forest guard in Melghat National Park. Priya tackles loneliness and fear, and living away from her daughter. One day, she encounters a mother bear and cubs while on her rounds leading to a fearful adventure with an unexpected ending. A special book for young readers that not only tells an exciting story but gives the context as well, which makes it a cross-genre book in many ways.
This breezy novel has in its heart a classic non-conformist teenager, Madhu. She develops a computer app that goes viral and she is soon caught in a maelstrom of conflicts with peers and adults, with hilarious consequences. This book is warm, empathetic and energetic, with Madhu possessing far more agency than teenagers portrayed in Indian fiction. A girl who loves to code and is good at it serves to highlight the serious, gendered perception of coding abilities in India.
A beautifully illustrated and designed storybook from the master storyteller Ruskin Bond. The story does not hold too many surprises or too many ghostly encounters, but there is tremendous atmosphere. As the author describes the cottage, the surrounding jungle and the greedy crow, we visualize it all and get pulled into the world where something is waiting to happen. And something is not quite dead because life was cruel…
Set against the backdrop of the struggle for independence in Mizoram, this heart-wrenching story takes us on a journey with the protagonist from just wanting to lead a peaceful life to inevitably getting almost overwhelmed by the circumstances that are not of his own making. A coming of age story, a tender reminder that no one remains unaffected by war and strife, least of all children.
A little girl, Kadalamma, learns of the secrets of the sea as she takes a shorewalk with her fisherman grandfather, Palayam. This book is illustrated with photographs of life and living on the seashore and has an insider’s view of the deep relationship that communities share with the sea and all the life in it. The sensitivity and voice of the narrative, the depth of content and excellent images make the book a wonderful example of narrative non-fiction.
This picture book explores the journey of a young woman scientist finding her place in the world. The secrets of plants intrigue her as much as she continues to struggle with loneliness, often baffled in an unkind world. The illustrations capture the sense of her discovery that mustard plants that grew up with unrelated plants tended to help each other as much as they tell the story of her self-discovery. A book for all children who love asking questions about the world and themselves.
A fantastically written book about the mahseer fish in the Kaveri river. The writing is dramatic and emotional and the illustrations draw you into the world of Matisha- a gorgeous, golden mahseer. The collision of the natural world with the apathy of the humans is well presented. The ending is like a salute to the majestic tiger on land and the tiger in the river. It’s a book that makes you want to do something!
