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There is a country in the Eastern end of what is known as the Mideast in the West. Iran—Persia of history and what we used to call Faaras, has given us wonderful works of cinema, poetry and other forms of art. Who can forget the amazing film ‘Becchha-ye Aasmaan (Children of Heaven)’ by Majid Majidi! Irani imagination stands out as a unique contribution to the repository of aesthetics that the human mind has produced. The same is true of children’s literature.

Grief and loss are never easy to talk about, more so with children. In fact, death and children feel like opposites. Children are full of life, laughter, energy and hope. Death is silent, dark, still and hopeless.Can you write a children’s book about death and not make it dark? In the hands of master storyteller Hans Sande, this is possible.

When I chose this book based on its title, Beauty Is Missing, I had imagined the book. And when I received it and held it in my hands and read the book, the story was far removed from my imagination!The story begins at a police station, where a woman has come to report her loving buffalo who has gone missing. The story then brings in humour, adventure, and also some filmy twists. Eventually, the thief is caught, and the story reaches its climax at the reunion of the old woman and her buffalo.

A storyline where the main character has an episode of hiccups makes for an amusing read. Each character comes in to offer solutions to the protagonist, and eventually one of the solutions works out in the end. The theme of a recurring plot helps one stay engaged as the story goes along.

It’s been a while since I have been exploring alternative forms of companionship and family. The main intention behind this exploration is to navigate the potential that these two words carry. And then Reva and Prisha’s family grabbed my attention.

Ghost stories have always had a fascination for children and adults alike. This story uses an Assamese folktale—of the Jokhini—and gives it some interesting twists. The Jokhini is a demon who lives in the forests of Assam. In traditional folklore, she is a demon who likes to lure grown men. Here, while she is the scariest of all the demons, she is lonely and friendless. Her ability to be scary gives her the only identity that she is proud of.