Tag: Book Review

Review | Kottavi Raja and his Sleepy Kingdom

Author: Yasasvini Sampathkumar
Illustrator: Henu Mehtani
Publication: Pratham Books
Age: Level 3 (7-10 years)

How many of you have trouble sleeping at night? Yawning through the day and feeling fresh like a daisy at night? If you answered yes to the above questions, then it is likely that you will relate to Kottavi Raja too!

Meet this insomniac king and enter his sleepy kingdom where the king is forever awake at night and keeping his kingdom awake too. Kottavi Raja’s wife, ministers and all the subjects in the kingdom are exasperated, exhausted and annoyed at the king’s lack of sleep as all their efforts to put him to sleep are in vain.

This Level 3 book by Pratham is an entertaining read. The language is simple and can be easily understood by kids above 4 years and kids above 7 years who read books independently.

The story has been woven beautifully through visual imagery created jointly by the author and illustrator.

Reading this book aloud to younger ones is equal fun!

Review | Nat Geo Kids’ Little Kids First Big Book series

Type: Hardcover
Age group: 4+
Language: English
Author/Publisher: Nat Geo Kids

If you are wondering what to gift your toddler who has turned 4, then here is the perfect series for them. I recommend this as a parent whose toddler is enjoying every page of the three-book set!

The set comprises of The Little Kids First Book of Animals, The Little Kids First Book of Why and The Little Kids First Book of Space. Each book has the power to raise the curiosity of young minds. All these books whet the curiosity and answers all the questions that kids get at this age.

The first book is all about animals living in the Grassland, Ocean, Desert, Forest and Polar animals. It contains more than 200 incredible fun photos and facts on animals. The best part are the questions at the end of each chapter and a few tips for parents while reading the book.

The second book is an amazing trip into space. Kids get transported to their Universe and solar system. Nearly 100 beautiful illustrations and photographs interspersed with simple read-it-aloud text helps engage a rather busy toddler.  Each chapter has questions that invoke curiosity in every young mind.

The third book aptly named Why answers the smallest questions arising in children’s minds, ranging from “why are some animals so big and so small?’ to “why does my skin wrinkle in the tub?” and a myriad others.

The best part about these books is that they are a treasure chest of knowledge compiled at the most basic level by the Nat Geo Kids team who painstakingly put together all illustrations and photographs. This is one collection to be cherished forever!

All in all, a perfect gift for kids aged 4+.

MYRON’S MAGIC COW

A story of a little boy whose shopping turned into an unexpected adventure

AUTHOR : Marlene Newman  ILLUSTRATOR: Jago

Whenever mum needed something Will was too busy and Rita was too little to help, so it is always Myron who was about to help mom. One of the such Sunday ahs turned to be an adventurous day for Myron.

On a  Sunday morning when mom was about to make pancakes milk got over and so she called Myron to get milk from the shop.

As usual Myron went out of the flat, down the corridor and through the street, A peculiar sound came from the separation of the tall buildings. A girl with a curly hair whispered through his ears. Though Myron knows he wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers He was curious to know how could she know that they are out of milk?

She again repeated that she have got something for him so that he will never have to go to shops for the milk again. The girl tugged at the rope and dragged a huge cow out of the alley and on to the street. She continued as though she has got the cow for a pack of old beans, she wasn’t to able to carry the cow in her car as the cow just doesn’t fit inside the car with three other bears . So she can sell the cow for whatever money Myron have . Before Myron could decide what to be done she snatched the money from his hands and jumped back into the car and vanished down into the street.

Myron wondered what his mum would say ..He brought the enormous cow near the blocks of flats  with lots of struggle . He was also astonished and surprised to see a cow spoke to him and said he learnt many tricks from his friend ali baba. Though Myron didn’t know what to tell ,he took the cow inside his home. When his mom asked him for milk ,he tried to a squeeze milk from the cow  but nothing happened. He felt very sad and started speaking to the cow to help him in the way both of them gets benefitted.

Finally the cow granted his wishes for his help of getting away from the awful girl. When he returned back to the cow and said he don’t to know how to explain this to his mum, cow replied that he just don’t give milk but can grant wishes too..The cow granted his three wishes which Myron used it for himself. Finally the cow fulfilled his third wish too , that someone else would have to go to the store once in a while by giving him a large golden egg..

A  highly entertaining story  which provides an opportunity to encourage the creative thinking to the kids

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Book Review | Mera Parivaar (Hindi)

Author(s): Arshi Naaz, Kuldeep Sandhu and Susheela
Illustrator: Rajeev Verma ‘Banjara’

A Level 1 book in Hindi by Pratham Publications, Mera Parivaar or my family is about the various members of a family in India. As a level 1 book, it is a perfect book for children to begin reading books with the help of elders – more importantly to improve listening and comprehension skills.

Mera Parivaar is about a small girl called Tuktuk who introduces her not-so-small, yet big family. Her family comprises of her mother, father, brother, sister, maternal and paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles, younger cousins and a small pet dog Bujo.

Authors Arshi Naaz, Kuldeep Sandhu and Susheela have kept up the narration alive through the main character Tuktuk. Illustrator Rajeev Verma has sketched all the members of a typical joint family in India quite well.

All of us have at some point grown up in a joint family at some point of time. Annual family reunions used to be a ritual every summer vacation for most growing up in the 80s and 90s, and even until recent. This book is great for tiny tots to understand each relationship quite well.

Apt for kids aged 3+.

Book Review | Gajapati Kulapati Chapaakkk Dadhomm (Hindi)

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 a playful Gajapati leap and splash around in water in the third book Gajapati Kulapati Kalabalooosh/ Gajapati Kulapati Chapaakkk Dadhomm (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, describing each character’s reactions in detail. One can almost imagine oneself as a character in the story. He has made narration extremely simple for kids to understand and narrate the story on their own too.

Apt for kids aged 2+, this book is perfect to read aloud to tiny tots!

Book Review | I Want My Mum

Author: Tony Ross

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 also face problems like the princess, even though she is a royal. Tony Ross has managed to strike a chord with children as well as parents by narrating stories at a very micro level, without trivializing their problems and at the same time, giving the toddlers importance just like an adult.

Beautiful illustrations capture the toddlers’ moods – happy, sad, angry, upset, jealous and all facets of toddlers.

Perfect book to read aloud to toddlers aged 3+.

Book review | Bunty and Bubbly

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 savior 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.

Book Review |How to catch a star

Author: OLIVER JEFFERS
A book with beautiful illustrations about a boy who wants to catch a star. The boy looks out for a star to be his friend. So that he can play hide and seek together, take long walks together and so he decided up catching a star by getting up early in the morning as the star would be tired being in the sky the whole night.

When he went out the next morning he couldn’t find any stars high in the sky, he waited and waited long. Just before the sun is about to go away he found a star.He tried jumping up, climbing a tallest tree, using a life belt, seeking a help from sea gull etc. But the star is too far away.

When he return back home he found the reflection of the star in the water. He tried catching it up but he couldn’t reach it. Then he waited on the shore for the star to get along. And finally he found a star washed up on the shore after a long wait and returned back home happily with a star of his own.
The book we loved reading at home so much as my son’s fascination towards stars and moons never ends. The book tells that if you are hard enough you can even reach the impossible..