The Word Route

Author : Amar Goswami Illustrator : Partho Sengupta Publisher : Pratham Language : Hindi This review has been long overdue. But I felt it is appropriate time to talk about this book - it is the rainy season now, and kids love the rains! Paper boats are out floating in the water and crazy dancing in the rains ensues. But what exactly does it mean for the animals in this jungle? The title of this Hindi book from Pratham publications itself suggests it is a sound and the various interpretations by the residents of the jungle. So what does this sound stand for? This is exactly what the jungle animals do. They set out to find out the source of the sound they hear on a rainy day. The author and illustrator have both done a great job in maintaining suspense, enough to hold a child's interest in finding out more about the sound mentioned. This Level 2 book by Pratham is a picture-rich story book appropriate for kids aged 3+.

Author & Illustrator : Ashok Rajagopalan After his big sneeze in Gajapati Kulapati ( http://thebookmark.in/home/3880-gajapati-kulapati-hindi.html ) and his booming gurrburroomm in Gajapati Kulapati Gurrburroomm  (http://thebookmark.in/home/1449-gajapati-kulapati-gurrburrrrooom-english.html) after consuming tonnes of food, it is now time to see Gajapati leap and splash around in water in Gajapati Kulapati Kalabalooosh! (Hindi) . The book has been translated into simple-to-understand Hindi. So what happens when a jumbo takes that giant leap into the water? A comical scene describing where all the animals and kids (who come to cool off in the village pond) land right after the naughty jumbo decides to take a plunge in the cool waters. Tiny tots will fall in love with the cute illustrations by Ashok Rajagopalan. His narrative’s repetitive and rhythmic format helps take the story forward and describes each character’s reactions in detail. One can almost imagine oneself as a...

The story is about a Little Princess who loves her mother and cannot let her out of sight even for a few hours. The various situations that the Princess gets stuck in and asks for her mother, is both comical as well as heart-warming. It is nice to see how even the smallest things can bring a smile to children’s faces, for instance, in this case, it is her mother coming and reassuring that everything will be fine or praising her spoiled painting. She looks up to her mother for everything to solve all her problems. She is her role model. The Little Princess wants her mother all the time – whether it is playing games with her or meal times. The Little Princess is like any other toddler who gets scared of monsters and hates applying medicine when hurt. Another book by Tony Ross in the popular  Little Princess  series, this one is sure to steal your heart. The  Little Princess  is part of a popular series written by Tony Ross especially for toddlers who als...

Author: Sarvendra Vikram Illustrator : Eshita Munshi Another gem from Pratham Publication, this translated story surrounds a mango that falls from a tree and the reactions of animals after it lands on the ground. Beginning with a pigeon, a rabbit, and a squirrel, who are playing when the mango falls from the tree, to the seed of the mango lying on the ground after a cuckoo comes and eats it up, the author has woven the story sequentially. Each page contains a surprise element as a different set of animals approach the mango seed - a curious rat, an owl, a monkey, a nightingale, a duck, goat, an onlooker crow, a spider, mongoose, and a lion and a lioness that walk past the mango seed.  Rain and thunder follows, making the elephant trumpet loudly and shake a tree full of parrots. There are intricate pictorial details of a hen pecking at the seed, a leaf acting as an umbrella for the hen, and a beetle climbing the elephant's leg.  After the rains stop, the ...

Author/Illustrator : Sorit Gupto This story is about a little girl called Bunty. She loves playing outdoors in sand, and chasing butterflies and birds. But she hates cleaning up after playing and brushing her teeth. One night she gets a dream that germs are attacking the sand castle she made and she is running away from them. Then Soap king Bubbly appears as a saviour and saves her from germs with the help of his army of bubbles. Parents can use this book to inculcate importance of hygienic habits in young children. A great book to read aloud to toddlers, it has simple language that makes it easy for kids to relate to, and understand.  Vivid illustrations from Sorit Gupto make the book visually appealing to young readers. A Level 1 book from Pratham Publications, it is highly recommended for kids aged 3+ years.

Author: Vinita Krishna Illustrator: Suvidha Mistry In the good old days, children visited their grandparents’ houses in the village during vacations. Because most villages did not have electricity and had limited “entertainment” options, it was easy to engage children in household chores. Children would help out in the vegetable garden, the elders at home in running errands, and perhaps even meeting friends in the village for a cool dip in the local pond. Aaloo Maloo Kaloo is a fun story about a boy named Maloo who is visiting his grandmother in the village.   His grandmother asks him to pick vegetables from her garden. His canine friend Kaloo also accompanies him. Suvidha Mistry’s illustrations along with author Vinita Krishna manage to create vivid images of the vegetable garden and the rural landscape, which can transport you to the countryside; an excellent book for kids to learn more about colours and vegetables. Yet another gem from the Pratham ...

Author:  Chitra Soundar Illustrator:  Kanika Nair A farmer named Falgu is on his way to the market. This beautifully illustrated story brings out vivid images of the farmer’s journey with all his vegetables to the market; the problems he encounters on the bumpy, rickety roads. The book is appropriate for children in the age group of 2-4 years. It helps the child to imagine and develop curiosity on farm commodities like vegetables and eggs and understand the ingenous problem-solving abilities of the farmer. It teaches the child not to give up in times of adversity and develop common sense and logic. Rustic village settings have been beautifully illustrated by Kanika Nair. She successfully manages to set off young ones’ imagination through her drawings of the farmer’s trip to the market. The author has managed to keep up the pace for the children as well as enable the imaginary travel to the market place. This book is a part of a four-book series and high...