The second story, ‘A Tale of Two Oxen’, follows Hira and Moti, two loyal oxen whose unbreakable friendship carries them through hardship. When cruel circumstances separate them from the comfort of home, they endure mistreatment under a harsh master but continue to embody resilience and solidarity. Beyond animal characters, the story speaks powerfully about loyalty, compassion, and the strength found in standing together.
The Thief of Taxila takes readers on a fascinating adventure through the lively, ancient city of Taxila. Mixing history, mystery, and friendship, this book is perfect for young readers who love a good puzzle and want to peek into India’s past.
The story happens a long time ago, during the rule of King Kanishka.
The book is a welcome addition to the rapidly growing array of books for children in India; it stays clear of the trap of tokenism. The plot and characters come together to convey an endearing tale. Pankaj’s vibrant illustrations paint an appealing picture of the entire narrative.
Guru struggles with the trauma of the accident, his anger, and his broken relationship with his mother. His mother is weighed down by guilt, family responsibilities and social expectations, while trying to hold life together. Aparna, the younger sister, feels sidelined and wrestles with her own identity, as the family’s attention shifts toward Guru.
In this story, Coyote uses his magical wishing bone to play a trick on the villagers by creating two moons. First, he conjures the two moons and hopes someone from the village will notice them. A man passing by sees the two moons— ‘two moons’ with his own two eyes—and suspects that Coyote is behind it.
The illustrations expand the text in surprising ways, offering depictions beyond the familiar. We meet a mermaid in a wheelchair, a mer-guy cooking for his companion, a plump mermaid, and even glimpses of the lagoon’s fraught history of conflict and disaster.