Between twelve and twenty is a rather varied stretch, with changes occurring to the body and mind at every turn of the way. It encompasses several stages—early teens, adolescence and legal adulthood. Is it possible to address all their problems in one volume? Can one put within the same covers stories that would appeal to a 12-year-old as well as a 20-year-old? One wonders till one takes up this book by Vaijayanti Savant Tonpe, a well-known editor and writer for children. It answers the call admirably. Very different from her other CBT book Snakes, this too should make its mark as a meaningful contribution to children’s literature, especially for children who happen to be girls.
It is a collection of five stories—four of them told in first person singular—of girls tackling different situations with verve. Five stories that cheer and inspire, and even heal.