Ranjit Lal

In any civilized society, when fathers and trusted guardians turn sexual predators,when horrific incidents of rape and sexual abuse of minors hit newspaper headlines with alarming frequency, when hospitals, schools and even school buses are not the safe havens we imagine, have we then touched rock bottom—the nadir of this kalyug? In such grim times it becomes imperative for children of every age to be aware of their personal safety, to be able to protect themselves even within the close family unit. Smitten, Ranjit Lal’s latest novel for young teenagers, dares to tackle this concern which is traditionally one of the great taboos in our society.


Reviewed by: Ranjit Lal
RamG Vallath

The popular game Angry Birds has the user side with the enraged avian, choreographing its kamikaze attempt to raze down a structure put up by pigs, who have presumably pilfered the protagonist’s eggs.


Reviewed by: R. Natraj
Mainak Dhar

Reading Zombiestan is like watching a slick Hollywood action thriller that has all the right elements going for it—the ever popular war against terror, a bit of romance, some coming of age, lots of guns, and heroic sacrifice.


Reviewed by: Sowmya Rajendran
Mainak Dhar

Alice would not have been surprised to find herself in this apocalyptic war zone teeming with ruined cities and mutants.


Reviewed by: Manisha Chaudhry
A.L. Basham

A Cultural History of India is a series of articles by some well-known historians, archaeologists and linguists. In this volume they have made a critical appre­ciation of India’s cultural life from the earliest times to the present day and packed it with information on a variety of subjects…


Reviewed by: S.R. Rao
Devashish Makhija

‘The residents of Bargad chawl are in danger of losing their homes—their nooks and crannies, shelters and perches. Ali, the monkey, has to find a way out. He swings, jumps and leaps into action, and comes up with a monkey trick that gives a new twist to the phrase, ‘playing god’ in this hilarious and heartwarming story!’ reads the jacket of this picture book recommended for children upwards of 5 years in age.


Reviewed by: Rachna Puri Dhir