What Did Nepo Do With a Sari

What Did Nepo Do with a Sari is an endearingly humorous story by Benita Sen.

Title: What Did Nepo Do with a Sari

Published By: Katha

Author: Benita Sen

Art: Sekhar Mukherjee

Price: INR 175

What is it about: A little girl tells the story of Nepo, her neighbor.  Nepo has a farm and visits his neighbours looking very worried one day.  He wants to borrow a shirt from grandfather but no luck on that front.  Meanwhile the little girl’s grandmother kindly lends him a sari instead.  Very soon Nepo appears looking very happy and telling grandmother the sari couldn’t have been a better fit.  What did Nepo do with the sari?  That’s what everyone from the little girl to her grandparents to the pet dog and cat wanted to know.

But Nepo won’t say.  He insists they all come and see for themselves.  What did he do with the sari after all?  Read the book to know!

Why it stands Out:  Simply written story told in rhyme captures the interest of young readers.   It is an endearing tale that prompts everyone to smile.  Definitely a story about sharing, helping and spreading smiles.  

Will be best enjoyed by: Young readers above 6 years

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

Introduce readers to the sari perhaps?  Talk to them about helping someone in need.  Sharing is important to make a difference in this world.  Give them that message at the end. 

Love Ratings?

Suspense Quotient: 4

Fun Quotient: 4

Simplicity Meter: 4

Visual appeal: 4

The Bicycle by Paavannan

The Bicycle has been adapted from the award winning story, “The Journey”, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan Raman.

Title: The Bicycle

Published By: Katha

Story: Paavannan

Art: Ayush Rajvanshi and Mohit Srivastava

Price: INR 95

What is it about: It is an endearing story about a young man who cycles in to a town and gets acquainted with a little boy.  The bicycle owned by the young man fascinates the little boy.  He has never ridden one and his mother will not buy him one.  After the young man walks in to their lives with his bicycle all the little boy can dream about is peddling away to ride into far off places.  Will the little boy ever own a bicycle?  Will his dreams come true?  That is what the reader discovers as the story unfolds.  

Why it stands Out:  Watercolor like translucent illustrations make this 30 page book a beautiful buy.  The story is a simple yet beautiful way of teaching young readers about caring and sharing.  It is about a young man’s journey and that of a little boy he meets and how the two roads converge somewhere along the line.   

Will be best enjoyed by: Young readers above 8 years

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

Make a list with the kids about the things they can do for someone they know.  Or let them make a list of things to do for strangers like helping them cross the road, carrying a bag for someone, lending a book or pencil.  It could be anything.  The underlying lesson would be to do one act of kindness for someone and think about how it will make a difference to their lives. 

Love Ratings?

Suspense Quotient: 4

Fun Quotient: 4

Simplicity Meter: 3

Visual appeal: 4

Little Cloud’s Quest by Stephen Aitken and Sylvia Sikundar

Little Cloud’s Quest is the story of a little cloud and her journey as she looks for friends high up in the sky. 

Title: Little Cloud’s Quest

Published By: Katha

Story: Stephen Aitken and Sylvia Sikundar

Illustrations: Joyita Banerjee

Price: INR 120

What is it about: A little cloud is born and the book unfolds her story as she looks for friends to battle her loneliness?  The story is endearing as it reflects each one of us and our bid to fit in with the crowd.  Does the little cloud find friends in the Cirrus clouds or Cumulus clouds?  Does she end up lonely or with some friends who truly love her?

Read the story to know more.  

Why it stands Out:  Spread over 18 pages, this book has simple yet beautiful illustrations of the cloud and her journey.    The cloud facts appearing at the bottom of most pages are an excellent way to introduce young readers to little known facts about various types of clouds. 

Will be best enjoyed by: All kids above 7 years will enjoy this book.  

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

Talk to children about the importance of loving themselves for who they are first before looking for acceptance from others like friends and peers. 

Build a flow chart depicting types of clouds and how it rains to help children understand the process better.  

Love Ratings?

Suspense Quotient: 3

Fun Quotient: 4

Simplicity Meter: 3

Visual appeal: 4

Run Ranga Run by Geeta Dharmarajan

Run Ranga Run by award winning author Geeta Dharmarajan is a book that sensitizes young readers  to the dangers faced by the rhinoceros in an endearing child like manner. 

Title: Run Ranga Run

Published By: Katha

Story: Geeta Dharmarajan

Illustrations: Srivi

Price: INR 95

What is it about: Ranga, a baby rhino tells readers her story of bonding with her mother, learning to walk, run and be watchful in the wild.  The book begins with Ranga’s birth and nurturing in the wild.  She learns everything about life from her mother.  She learns to battle danger on her own and later with her baby brother and mother. 

What happens when poachers target Ranga and her family in the wild?  Well I won’t give that away.  Read this engaging book to know more.  

Why it stands Out:  Spread over 30 pages, this book has beautiful illustrations of the wild by Srivi.    The illustrations bring the story alive and the author tells a simple story yet thought provoking story through Ranga.  It is an excellent tool to introduce new words like prodding, nudge, content and the like to readers.  

Will be best enjoyed by: All kids above 6 years will enjoy this book.  

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

Tell your kids about the rhinoceros and the dangers it is facing in the wild.  

Talk to them about poaching and sensitize them to the issue.  

The real lesson lies in realizing the importance of telling young readers about how they can be ambassadors of wildlife protection by simply talking about the dangers animals like the rhinoceros face in the wild.  

The book is also about the mother-child relationship.  Get the kids to talk about their relationships by taking about what mummy does for them.  

Love Ratings?

Suspense Quotient: 4

Fun Quotient: 2

Simplicity Meter: 3

Visual appeal: 4