Tak-Tak by Soumitra Ranade

Do your kids enjoy reading mysteries? Then Tak-Tak by Soumitra Ranade is just the book to pick. 

Title: Tak-Tak!

Published By: Karadi Tales

Story: Soumitra Ranade

Illustrations: Shilo Shiv Suleman

Rs 95

What is it about: Zaheer, a young lad arrives in a sleepy village called Nanikhet.  Surprisingly the town has no hotels or lodges and Zaheer has nowhere to go but an old Diwan Khana.  In the still of the night he is awakened by the tak-tak noise and does not know who is making it. He starts thinking it’s a ghost till he is pleasantly surprised. 

The book is full of fun and charm, illustrated and written with knowledge and fun. Illustrations are the best way for kids to become imaginative and relate to stories like these to actually understand it.

Why it stands Out:  Spread over 17 pages, this book is a charming, simply told mystery guaranteed to make a sleepy Sunday afternoon come alive for your kids.  The illustrations are muted and in line with the creepy feeling the author attempts to create.  Suspense slowly builds and the story ends with an interesting twist.  

Will be best enjoyed by: Kids above 5 years who love of mysteries.  

Tips for Moms and Teachers: Some activities you can link to this book are:

Get your child to draw up a list of his or her fears.  Talk to them about what is reasonable and what is unreasonable, teach them how to let go of their fears. 

Encourage your children to make a list of new words they’ve learnt such as “mansion, motel, lodge” and talk to them about what each word means.  How a mansion differs from a cottage, a city differs from a village, a lodge differs from a hotel and so on. 

Love Ratings?

Suspense Quotient: 4

Fun Quotient: 3

Simplicity Meter: 3

Visual appeal: 3

Read and Learn: 3