As parents and teachers we often wonder how to initiate children into environmental awareness and of the fragile world they have been born to inhabit. We often wonder if we can talk about climate change with small children, or if there’s a way of letting them in on the wise use of resources to lessen its impact.
These five endearing books published by Muskaan, Bhopal break new ground in more ways than one. For one, all of them are written by tribal and Dalit girls and women. Secondly, three out of the five—Taalaab ke Kinare, School Mein Seekha aur Sikhaya, Jungle Kiska are written by young girls in their teens. Mitti is a story written by Madhu Dhurve as a young adult, about her childhood.
Jiske Paas Chali Gai Meri Zameen is a book with a vibrant cover and a heavy title. The book introduces us to a family of farmers (wife, husband, daughter and son) who are enjoying the rains. After the rains, the family can be seen involved in the farming work.
This beautiful book presents a collection of 66 poems by the noted Hindi poet Prabhat. It doesn’t rain as much in the whole of Rajasthan as it does in the book Pedon ki Amma, neither do the winds blow as much as it blows in Pedon ki Amma. You never see as many clouds floating as you see in the book, and nor are there so many animals anywhere as are in Pedon ki Amma.
Pheriwale is a poem by Sushil Shukla written for young ones and published by Eklavya, Bhopal. The book has very nice illustrations on each page by Nilesh Gehlot. When children see these pictures while reading each verse, they will be able to relate to and understand the poem better.
Gulzar is an artist who has worked in many mediums, and is yet always searching for his own medium. Apart from being an experienced script and dialogue writer, he has been writing some fine literature for children. When you read the book under review, Boli Rangoli, you get to experience a Gulzar of a very different mood. One that stops to listen to children, and learn from them, as much or more than what he has to offer to them.