The Nimba Tree by Nita Berry is set in a village. It attracts the readers by its title (nimba is the Sanskrit word for neem). The nimba tree is the axis around which the village life revolves. Hacking of the tree by avaricious woodcutters renders little birds and animals homeless and the villagers without a gathering place.
Another work of Nilima Sinha which deserves mention here is The Lonely Princess. The cover page and the title of the book made me think that it was yet another stereotypical tale of a pampered princess, however it wasn’t so. While the book depicts the contrast between upper-lower class lifestyles, Sinha’s writing helps break gender stereotypes and lets the central character transcend class boundaries. Manika is a pampered princess with servants at her beck and call to fulfil all here wishes.
In Sinha’s A Time Together! the father not only cooks but also helps clean the table after the meal
Bowing to his wishes, his parents permit him to venture out into the world where Bullu saves himself from animal attacks. The potential danger posed by strangers to young children is explored through the story of an innocent goat kid Bela who falls into the trap of a wicked wolf, in Sinha’s Stranger at the Farm.
Books play an important role in children’s socialization and can play a vital role in reinforcing or breaking stereotypes. Surely there are some stereotypes both at the level of text and at the level of illustrations such as in Nilima Sinha’s The Great Show, reptiles are not only designated as ‘creepy crawlies’ but are also not accurate in most of the illustrations. On the other hand, the tortoise wears spectacles signifying wisdom and sagacity.