How much do we know about the trees in our surroundings? Strange Trees may make you ask this question and look around. Set during a school summer vacation in the fictional Suryanagar village, this book explores the interdependent lives of trees, birds, animals, and humans.
The dominant colour for the book cover, green, sets the tone for the book. The illustrations and the text do a fabulous tango together, bringing alive the world of plants for young readers.
Every year the State of Assam loses large tracts of land to yearly floods and land erosion. Lakhs are displaced and loss of property is on a large scale. Many have witnessed the vanishing of their home and hearth in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra. Many are forced to live in relief camps while others are compelled to search for newer habitats. This mobile impermanent life is a lived reality for thousands of families in Assam.
The central plot of the story revolves around eliminating the hunters from the Zohor Kingdom and having good triumph over evil. Math has woven the story in such a seamless way that the reader, until the very end, is left wondering, ‘How does Harry know things about Othelia?’ ‘How are their worlds interconnected?’ and so on. The reader is expected to pick up on hints throughout the story, which makes the book engaging and fun.
Our Constitution, Our People by Harsh Mander is a timely and insightful introduction to the Indian Constitution, designed specifically for the young. The book successfully distils the essence of the Indian Constitution, making it easily accessible without being pedantic.
Birsa soon returned to Chalkhad and began to speak to the villagers. He emerged as a spiritual leader who spoke about social reforms. People began to listen to him and to believe in him. They flocked to hear him and soon he came to be called ‘dharti aba’, father of the earth. Birsa’s popularity alarmed the British.