Book Review on Pitara Kids Network

Sumptuous Delights

Tue, 08 Aug 2000 21:55:03 +0000

History, Mystery, Dal and Biryani
Written by Subhadra Sen Gupta

Illustrations by Tapas Guha
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Sumptuous Delights

Don’t you sometimes wish you were on a time machine, able to go back and forth in time at will? Recently, while reading this book of 10 short stories by Subhadra Sen Gupta, curiously but appropriately named History, Mystery, Dal and Biryani, I felt like I was on one.

Hamid Buys an Eid Present

Sun, 13 Feb 2000 00:29:48 +0000

Festival of Eid
English translation of ‘Eidgah’ (Hindi)
Written by Munshi Premchand
Translated by Khushwant Singh
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Translated by the veteran columnist and writer, Khushwant Singh, Festival of Eid retains the compelling essence of the original work.

This well illustrated book tells the story of Eid, as it is celebrated in a small village, and stresses that festivals are actually about showing the love and concern that we feel for our near and dear ones.

A Chest Full of Stories

Mon, 20 Nov 2000 10:50:45 +0000

Zigzag and Other Stories
Written by Asha Nehemiah

Illustrations by Atanu Roy
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

A queer-looking African bird, with shocking pink plumes on the head, a yellow beak and eyes the colour of Cola, Zigzag, is the main character of the title story in this collection of short stories.

Somu leaves Zigzag, a talking bird, in the keeping of Dr. Krishnan while he is away. But this strange guest turns out to be a disappointment for the Krishnan family. Zigzag does nothing but sleep and snore all the time – even the neighbours complain about the noise.

Gems of Indian Literature

Thu, 11 Dec 1997 11:01:36 +0000

Excerpts from ‘Books Forever’
Written by Manoj Das
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

India’s literary past is indeed great. It’s a known fact that many of the parables of the Bible, the fables of Aesop of Greece, the folktales collected by the Grimm brothers of Germany and the tales retold by Hans Andersen of Denmark had their origin in India.

We shall unravel together some of the gems of Indian literature like the Bhagavad Gita,The Upanishads, Vedas, Ramayana, and the Mahabharata in our subsequent articles. In the first article we talk about the permanence of books .

AHA! Books: Arvind Gupta

Thu, 25 Apr 1996 10:42:46 +0000

An individual booklist is found to reflect the compiler’s own interests and biases. To that extent this booklist does not lay claim to any objectivity. It contains some extremely fine books on education, popular science, maths and children’s stories. Over the years, I have been actively involved in translating and popularising many of these books. At times we have been successful in bringing out low-cost, Indian reprints like for instance The UNESCO Source Book for Science in the Primary School, Publisher : National Book Trust, India.

The Magical Land of Narnia

Wed, 02 Feb 2000 12:49:58 +0000

The Magical Land of Narnia [Illustration by Shinod AP]

‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ series by C.S. Lewis
Review by Sujit Thomas; Illustration by Shinod AP

Most newspapers which carried articles about Harry Potter several months ago usually had only one thing to say, though in different words: “Harry Potter! The One and Only”, or “No Other Book in the World with Such Imagination”. But they are wrong. There HAS been a set of books just as magical as the Harry Potter series. It is ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ series, by C.S.Lewis.

Of Daemons, Lords and Dust

Wed, 19 Dec 2001 05:52:12 +0000

The Golden Compass
Written by Philip Pullman
Published by Alfred A. Knopf.

11 year old Gayatri Jayal, a student of Modern School Vasant Vihar and a fierce fan of Lyra Belacqua, wrties her impression of this half-civilised, half-wild young girl, who looks set to take the world of children’s books by storm.

In a world in which there are millions of different worlds within just an inch of space, lives a girl called Lyra Belacqua. She is supposedly an orphan, who grew up and still lives Jordan College, the grandest and richest college in Oxford. In the particular world she lives in, people have only half their souls inside their bodies. The other half of the soul is an animal companion that can change its shape whenever it chooses. This part is known as a ‘daemon’, which is capable of talking. If a daemon gets killed, its human half dies immediately and vice versa.

Glimpses from Gandhi's Life

Mon, 05 Oct 1998 09:58:39 +0000

Stories From Bapu’s Life
Written by Uma Shankar Joshi
Illustrations by Mickey Patel
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Gandhiji’s intellectual influence on Indians has been considerable. Some were attracted by his emphasis on political and economic decentralisation, others by his insistence on individual freedom, moral integrity, unity of means and ends, and social service; still others by his satyagraha and political activism.

Glimpses from Gandhi’s Life []

For some students of India, Gandhi’s influence is responsible for its failure to throw up any genuinely radical political movement. For others, it cultivated a spirit of non-violence, encouraged the habits of collective self-help, and helped lay the foundations of a stable, morally committed and democratic government.

A Teacher Remembers

Sat, 16 Mar 1996 15:08:20 +0000

Excerpts from the book: Divaswapna, An Educator’s Reverie
Written by Gijubhai Badheka; Translated by Chittaranjan Pathak
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

I waited eagerly for the school to begin. I was eager to take my class and start my work; eager to put my new plan into practice; eager to bring about peace and order in the class; eager to make classroom teaching interesting and win over my pupils. I felt my pulse throbbing.

Of Rat Snakes and Boys who are Different

Sun, 20 Jun 1999 17:47:57 +0000

Kali and the Rat Snake
Written by Zai Whitaker
Illustrations by Srividya Natarajan
Published by Tulika, Chennai

An excerpt from the book:

Kali’s father was one of the most famous snake-catchers among the Irula tribe. He had caught over a hundred cobras just this monsoon and bought many good things for the family. The snake cooperative paid Rs 150 for each poisonous snake. They took out the poison from snakes to make anti-venom serum. When Kali went snake-catching with his father, his legs worked like machines. But now he slowed down…

The Tale of a Circus Bear

Sun, 17 Oct 1999 12:26:35 +0000

Bholu and Golu
Written by Pankaj Bisht
Illustrations by Tapas Guha
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

This is the story of a small circus bear called Bholu. Golu, the mahout’s son, becomes his friend and resolves to free him from the cruel life of a performing animal. With Bholu’s help he helps the little frightened bear run away from the circus to the forests where Bholu was born.

Excerpts from the book:

The Ringmaster’s Whip

Wonder in the Sand

Mon, 08 Jun 1998 23:40:09 +0000

Adventures in the Desert
Written by Cheryl Rao
Illustrations by Ashish Sengupta
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Two children from Mumbai spend a year in a small army township in the middle of the Rajasthan desert. Missing the urban sights and sounds, it takes them a while to get used to living in a place where the only excitement is a roll in the dunes. But adventure is just a sandstorm away and all too soon their stay is over.

Far from Potty about Harry Potter

Wed, 15 Dec 1999 04:12:01 +0000

Harry Potter Series
Written by J.K. Rowling
Published by Scholastic Books (US) and Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)

Two weeks ago, we had carried a book review by 11-year-old Sujit Thomas on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In his view, the Harry Potter series is far superior to Enid Blyton, or even Roald Dahl.

But there are opinions and opinions on Harry Potter. We present the views of 10-year-old Moen Sen, a student of Loreto Convent, Delhi, in an attempt to see why some books become more popular and what makes them tick.

A Boisterous Bedtime Read

Mon, 02 Jul 2001 13:17:05 +0000

Mister Jeejeebhoy and the Birds
Author: Anitha Balachandran
Illustrator: Anitha Balachandran
Publisher: Young Zubaan Books

Author and illustrator Anitha Balachandran’s Mister Jeejeebhoy and the Birds, just published by Young Zubaan is a delight to the ears! Hey! But it’s a book! Exactly. A book that, as soon as I opened it’s luscious orange cover, immediately let loose a cacaphony of “bustling, hustling, crinkling, crackling, creaking” sounds, and much more.

This delightful book follows two young girls, Diya and Tara, who come to live in their aunt Ninamasi’s house, and discover a world that is obviously on it’s own trip. For this reason perhaps, the neighbourhood kids don’t play with them. Outside, there’s the scrumptious world of Mister Jeejeebhoy’s sweet shop, where catastrophe is waiting round the corner. Can Diya and Tara save Mister JeeJeebhoy’s sweet shop? Do they finally make friends? Jump into this auditory delight, perfect for a bedtime read full of exaggerated sounds, and find out for yourself.

Flying Dogs and School-going Monkeys

Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:23:54 +0000

Flying Dogs and School-going Monkeys []

Flippi the Flying Pup
Squiggly goes for a Picnic
Lippo goes to a Party
Cheeko and the School Bag

Written by Deepa Agarwal
Illustrations by Atanu Roy and Deshraj
Published by Frank Educational Aids Pvt. Ltd.

Heard of Flippi the doggie-bird? Flippi is the dog who knows how to fly. Or, take Cheeko the monkey, who loves mangoes and goes to school, Squiggly the worm who’s a little untidy. Or Lippo the Hippo, who goes to the deer’s birthday party.

Escape to Freedom

Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:02:26 +0000

Horses to Vijayanagar
Written by Monisha Mukundan

Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Fortune favours the brave – those who have the courage to ride into the mouth of danger for the pearl of happiness that awaits the deserving ones. And that’s exactly what this fascinating adventure is all about.

Twelve-year-old Ferdinand and his little sister Manuela live with their elder brother Jose and his wife Esmeralda in a little village, in Goa. Work as hard as they might around the house, they are neither appreciated nor given enough to eat. It’s almost always a thin rice gruel that they get, while Jose and Esmeralda feast on fish curry.

A Royal Diet of Mangoes

Tue, 12 May 1998 18:36:58 +0000

A Royal Diet of Mangoes []

Jungle and Backyard
Written by M. Krishnan
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

A thirsty, sweaty summer is here. You can see dogs with their tongues hanging out in the heat. Some of us would have done the same, but our tongues are busy tasting the king of all fruits – the mango. In fact, what makes summer bearable, is the mango. No one has said it better than wildlife expert M Krishnan.

Temper, Temper!!

Thu, 27 Apr 2000 07:12:21 +0000

Temper, Temper!! []

The Giant who Looked for his Temper
Written by Santhini Govindhan
Illustrated by Jagdish Joshi
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Boomba is the name of the giant who lives in a cave on the mountain all alone, in The Giant who Looked for his Temper. He has no friends. Everyone is scared of him because he has a temper which bursts like a balloon at every small incident, and very frequently.

Snake People

Sat, 27 Dec 1997 06:49:36 +0000

The Snakes Around Us
Written by Zai and Rom Whitaker
Illustrations by Shekar Dattatri
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

This fascinating book gives us glimpses of the lives of the Irula tribals of Tamil Nadu, who are great snake catchers. The authors, who run a snake park in south India, have worked with these “snake people” for over a decade, and talk about their snake-catching abilities. They also talk about “snake people” in other parts of the world, who are great names in the world of research on snakes.

AHA! Books: Manjula Padmanabhan

Tue, 07 Oct 1997 09:11:40 +0000

Award-winning writer, playwright, artist, cartoonist and illustrator, Manjula Padmanabhan has published 21 books for children. She lists out her 10 all-time favourite children’s books and series, for Pitara’s A-Ha list.

List of Ten:
It’s not possible to make a list of “Ten Favourite” children’s books, without including whole series! So that’s what I’ve done. I’ve confined myself to those books that I read in childhood, which means I can’t include the recent children’s books I’ve read — such as Harry Potter (three books, the remaining four are feverishly awaited), the Animorph series (all 31!) and the Golden Compass (three books, the last is yet to be published). I love to read good children’s books and feel as strongly about them as I do about adults’ books.

Puzzling it Out

Thu, 21 Sep 2000 10:55:53 +0000

Around The World in 80 Puzzles
Written by Helene Hovanec

Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Puzzling it Out []

Take a trip around the world through the puzzles in this book. Fill in the blank with an alphabet or complete a crossword, write two words by writing just one alphabet or cross out some words and read the rest to find the right answer. A very exciting book for those of you who like solving puzzles.

Making Friends and keeping them

Fri, 05 May 2000 23:47:54 +0000

Making Friends and keeping them []

Coping With Friends
Written by Peter Corey
Illustrations by Martin Brown
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

You must have often wondered if only you had known how to handle that bossy friend of yours in school, you wouldn’t have to run away from her every time you met. Well, blame it on the fact that you didn’t have a ‘how-to’ book on coping with friends all this while. Today you can, however, be wiser by referring to Coping With Friends. You’ll love this book for its hilarious sense of humour and outrageous fun.

How Fast can you Think?

Mon, 15 May 2000 23:49:16 +0000

How Fast can you Think? []

Absolutely Mental 1
Written by Rowland Morgan

Illustrations by Mike Phillips
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Do you have what it takes to keep your head when it really counts? This puzzle book by Rowland Morgan will indeed help you discover that. A puzzle book with a difference, it is bound to appeal to the pre-teens and above – including adults!

The Adventures of Clifford

Mon, 17 Jul 2000 17:29:54 +0000

The Adventures of Clifford []

Clifford the Small Red Puppy
Clifford Grows Up
Clifford takes a Trip
Written by Norman Birdwell

Pictures by Norman Birdwell
Published by Scholastic Inc. Ltd.

The three charming picture-books tell the story of the reddest, biggest dog in America, Clifford.

Clifford the Small Puppy is the story of Clifford, the tiniest puppy who grows up to be the largest dog ever seen. He belongs to the kindly Emily Elizabeth, who loves him dearly.

Two Sides of a Coin

Fri, 05 May 2000 15:41:58 +0000

Two Sides of a Coin []

The Exquisite Balance
Written by Poile Sengupta

Illustrations by Mrinal Mitra

Published by Children’s Book Trust (CBT).

Suprabha and Subir’s mother always thought that being twins, her children would have a lot in common – not just physically but also in their ways of thinking. But she realised gradually that her daughter, Suprabha, and son Subir, were poles apart.

Strength from Within

Wed, 01 Nov 2000 03:14:52 +0000

Brave Hearts – Winners of the National Bravery Awards
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

This book has been aptly named after those Indian children whose acts of courage have helped saved lives. We carried a news item on the brave children who won the National Bravery Awards 2000. Curious to know about what motivates these brave souls? Read this book highlighting the deeds of each of the 14 children who received the National Bravery Awards in 1999.

The Best Christmas Gift of All

Tue, 02 Nov 1999 14:38:00 +0000

The Gift of the Magi
From 100 Selected Stories: written by O. Henry

This tender tale has all the elements of a classic: it seems new every time you read it.

The Gift of Magi is a tender love story that highlights love as the true spirit of Christmas. It is Christmas eve and Della, the wife of James Dillingham Young, has only one pound 87 cents to buy her husband a present.

After crying over the lack of money, she suddenly remembers one of their greatest treasures – her long lustrous hair. She sells her hair for a price.

Where have the Teenagers Disappeared?

Tue, 23 May 2000 03:43:06 +0000

Where have the Teenagers Disappeared? []

Secrets from Beyond: Runaway
Written by David Benjamin

Published by Scholastic Inc.

Sixteen-year-old Ted Black has disappeared. There is only a note saying that he would return “when things were better.” His parents and little brother, Jason, are worried sick. The police is baffled – Ted is the fifth teen to disappear without trace.

All the teens are from stable, well-to-do families. Have they been kidnapped or have they run away from home? There is just one clue: all of them had been hanging out with people outside their usual circle of friends before they vanished.

The Final Glacier

Thu, 07 May 1998 20:23:39 +0000

The Final Glacier []

A Journey to Gaumukh
Written by Sheila Sharma
Translated by Shama Chowdhury
Illustrations by Reenie Kaur
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Excerpts from the book:

Devyani and Aditya were so tired that they could hardly keep their eyes open and at Harsil they couldn’t wait to fall into bed. But Grandpa insisted that they eat some nuts and a little food first. He said, “You must never go to sleep on an empty stomach in a cold climate.” Gulping down a little food, the children tumbled into bed.

Record Tidbits

Mon, 23 Oct 2000 11:19:44 +0000

Scholastic Book of World Records
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

World records almost always make interesting reading. And if there are vivid pictures to make it more interesting, the tidbits get digested faster. The Scholastic Book of World Records is such a book. It makes you want to pick it up and create a new global map based on the foundations of superlatives: the world’s largest and the smallest; the shortest and the longest; the fastest and the slowest?..

The Family Album

Thu, 30 Jul 1998 08:53:03 +0000

Cheerful Spirits
Written by Gita Iyengar
Illustrations by Pulak Biswas
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Summer vacations seemed never-ending when Priya first moved into her new home. Till she met Hari, the boy living next door. Suddenly excitement fills the air as they go about exploring the nooks and crannies of Hari’s cluttered home. But the real adventure comes along only when they find an old family album…

An excerpt from the book:

Granny's Girl

Wed, 08 Mar 2000 12:34:45 +0000

Granny’s Girl []

Neena’s Granny

Written by Vinita Krishna
Illustrations by Sujasha Dasgupta
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Some grannies are funny, some grannies are loving, but Neena’s granny is her best friend. While the little girl thrives on Granny’s lunchtime surprises and stories and snuggles up to her in the night, Granny looks forward to her darling’s return from school and waits to hear her amusing tales.

Born to Love Animals

Tue, 29 Feb 2000 02:34:16 +0000

Born to Love Animals []

The House Where Cockroaches Live to a Ripe Old Age
Written by Yoram Kaniuk; Translated by Yoram and Miranda Kaniuk
Illustrations by Tapas Guha
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

This book is about a little girl, Naomi, whose love for animals makes her convert her house into a mini zoo. All she wants is more and more animals around her and sure enough, she does manage to get them!

Harry Potter Series: Uniquely Real

Fri, 26 Feb 1999 21:46:14 +0000

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Written by J.K. Rowling
Published by Scholastic Books (US) and Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)

Eleven-year-old Sujit Thomas, a Sixth Standard student at New Delhi’s Don Bosco School, is a voracious reader of books on adventure, mystery and magic. Here he gives his reasons for placing the Harry Potter series far ahead of “the Enid Blytons and the Roald Dahls”!

The Nest

Thu, 29 Jul 1999 11:33:53 +0000

Common Birds
Written by Salim Ali and Laeeq Futehally
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Think of birds and you think of Dr. Salim Ali, India’s most famous ornithologist. He is the scientist who succeeded in communicating his passion for studying bird life in India to the ordinary Indian.

Generations of Indians have grown up on his wonderfully warm and crisp writings on birds and have squealed in delight on being able to distinguish a red turtle dove from a spotted dove. Those who have accepted him as a guide have been able to explore the complex societies that nature’s feathered creatures have created – as complex as human societies.

Real Winners in Life

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 11:53:58 +0000

Real Winners in Life []

Will to Win
Written by Ramendra Kumar
Published by Dahlia Publishers, Thiruvalla, Kerala

A collection of short stories for children aged 10 and above, Ramendra Kumar’s Will to Win is a good mix of themes, but with one thing in common – they have children playing important roles in all the stories.

The Spirit of Christmas tells the story of young Tony who has decided to buy a shawl and a cake for his mother on Christmas eve, but readily gives away the limited money he has, to people who are more in need.

Boyhood by the Sea

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 07:35:22 +0000

Boyhood by the Sea []

Suresh and the Sea
Written by Raghavendra Rao and Sandhya Rao
Photos by Raghavendra Rao
Published by Tulika, Chennai

This book traces the real-life story of a boy through his growing years in his native fishing village, Injambakkam. The author, Raghavendra Rao, tells of how Suresh taught him to look at the sea with new eyes and surrender to the sea’s charms. His black and white photographs make the experience come alive for his readers.

Christmas Favourites

Thu, 29 Apr 1999 10:18:30 +0000

A Christmas Carol
Written by Charles Dickens

The Forgotten Helper

Written by Lorrie Moore

An evergreen classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a must read for all children. Ghost stories are abundant in all cultures and in all literature, but perhaps Dicken’s book is the best known.

‘A Christmas Carol’ is the story of Scrooge, a miser, who reforms after the spirit of his friend, Marley, opens his eyes to the scourge he has become. In the course of the story, Scrooge encounters other ghostly spectres during Christmas.

Judy All the Way

Thu, 28 Jan 1999 19:35:58 +0000

Are you there God? It’s me Margaret
Freckle Juice
Tiger Eyes
Written by Judy Blume

Extremely popular among the pre-teens and teenagers, Judy Blume is one of the most popular writers for children.

The reason for her popularity is easily because the themes of her novels usually deal with the experiences children face in teenage years – new relationships, growing up, sibling rivalry, coping with peer pressure, divorce, and many other issues. All her books have one thing in common – they tackle issues that are very important to teenagers.

The Play

Sat, 11 Mar 2000 23:02:58 +0000

The Play []

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes
Written by Anne Mazer

Published by Scholastic Inc.

The class is preparing to enact Peter Pan for the school, and Abby Hayes has one big ambition – she wants the best part. And she is willing to work hard to be the leading star. Singing lessons, dancing lessons, diction, just name it!

Abby’s mother has told her that she “is tall enough to touch the stars” if she wants to, and that’s what Abby is aiming for. With two weeks to go before the auditions, when the teachers will choose the players, Abby strives very hard. She goes to the extent of learning up each character’s lines and practising them, with expressions, in front of the mirror. She knows that there is lots of competition…

Learn while Playing!

Tue, 11 Jan 2000 12:36:35 +0000

Learn while Playing! []

Done with the exams and looking for a break? How about trying a few mental calisthenics (gym exercises to tone up the body) that will keep your grey cells active during the summer vacations? The books reviewed below help you do just that. At the same time, they don’t tire you out.

The Unbelievably Creative Me A Workbook
Written by Karle Dickerson and Connie Berg